Foreigner is looking for a flat to rent

To foreigners Finns appear to be shy but friendly and helpful once you get to know them. How do we - foreigners - appear to Finns? I will give some background information (very simplified so it is no absolute truth) about the immigration to Finland and describe a short story about foreigner's search for a flat to rent.

For a long time Finland was relatively homogeneous country when it comes to immigration numbers. During the industrial boom some number of foreigners was recruited to work in the factories. With the transition of the economy from industry to service dominant the need for low skilled labour has decreased. So foreigners are no longer needed, cause the jobs are scarce anyway and one needs to ensure that Finns are employed in the first place. The last sentence is not my opinion, but I think many Finns would agree with it. That is why I think that if not majority then at least high percentage of Finns have somewhat racist attitudes.

With the background information in mind lets take a look at the following situation. Recently a friend of mine of a Slavic origin has been searching for a flat to rent. He knows some Finnish, so he copes in everyday life, but he is not yet fluent, and maybe there is a bit of accent as well. He has a secure work place and has paid his bills dutifully in the past. When searching for a flat to rent he was one of the candidates for one particular flat. There were three other girls - Finnish students interested in this flat and my friend. The owner has right to choose who will get the flat. My friend didn't get it, even if potentially he is having a secure financial situation and is older (one could assume more mature and responsible). Was is because of his Slavic origin (foreign sounding name) that he didn't get it?

There was another flat my friend wanted to go to take a look at, but he was informed that the show time is fully booked, even if he informed just 1,5 hour after the information has been sent out via e-mail. Possible? Theoretically yes but...

The search is still on. My friend says he wants to believe that those cases have been just a coincidence and that his nationality has nothing to do with it. Lets see what the time brings. I am just wondering is it really equally difficult for a foreigner to get a flat as for a Finn?