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EXPAT GUIDE | HOUSING

HOUSING

Top tips for finding an apartment in Switzerland

Housing in Switzerland is among the most expensive in the world and competition is fierce for affordable properties. It’s all very well if money isn’t an issue, but what if it is? The Local's Emily Rose Mawson investigates.

Published: 12 March 2015 14:50 CET
Updated: 8 July 2015 15:50 CEST
Top tips for finding an apartment in Switzerland
Waterfront apartments in Zurich. Photo: John Eckman

Pick up a Swiss newspaper and you’re likely to find a story on the housing crisis. ‘Tages Woche’ spoke recently of hunting down a monster called “Wohnungsnot” (housing emergency), while the ‘Berner Zeitung’ reported that the 50,000 apartments built in Switzerland each year are insufficient for the growing population.

With 60 percent of residents in Switzerland living in rental accommodation (and higher percentages in the biggest cities), competition to find the best apartments is fierce — especially if you are not local and don’t understand the system.

The market is even tougher if you are on a modest salary.

Rents in Geneva rates top those in New York or Paris, while apartments in Zurich command around 269 francs per square metre, according to recent research by Credit Suisse.

Affordable housing crisis

“Competition for affordable housing, especially for one to two bedroom apartments, is fierce, and competition in the 2,000-franc to 3,000-franc range remains daunting,” warns Sabine Baerlocher of Geneva-based relocation agency Active Relocation.

The situation in Zurich isn’t much better. Austrian PhD student Stefan Weissenbock, claims to have viewed 20 apartments in the city before finding a landlord prepared to accept him as a tenant, given his modest income.

“I was trying to find a slightly larger apartment than for a single person, because my girlfriend was later coming to join me,” Weissenbock says. “It would probably have been easier to find a room in a shared flat.”

Income could be the deciding factor when attending an apartment viewing with 30 other people. Yvonne Tanner, a private landlady in Zurich, reveals that landlords often check that rent is no higher than a third of a tenant’s salary, and could demand a deposit of up to three months rent – which is unaffordable for some low earners.

And it doesn’t seem to be a uniquely expat problem. Tanner believes the difficulty in finding an affordable apartment affects both the Swiss and the international community – especially because the cheapest opportunities often go backhandedly.

She says: “You need to find ways to stand out from other potential tenants. For example, get good references from previous landlords that prove you have always paid your rent on time, or a reference from your employer about your character.” She admits that personality is important for her, saying, “I often think about how well suited a person is to living in my building.”

She adds that a little bit of luck is required – something ETH Zurich student Jessica Litman agrees with. “When looking for a place in Zurich, I got very lucky,” says Litman. “I looked online for flats, went to three viewings and got offers for two of them.”

The Expat Project: How to move to Switzerland

Knowing the market

Taking luck out of the equation, getting clued up with the Swiss rental system can help at competitive viewings. Expatriate information service Expatica warns that you will need to submit a dossier including details on your age, marital status, number of children, profession, salary, letter of reference and a document proving you are not being pursued for debts – the so-called ‘extrait du registre des poursuites’/ ‘Auszug aus dem Betreibungsregister’.

Baerlocher claims that working with a relocation agency can help save time and money in this regard. “Expert knowledge of the local customs helps our clients understand which types of housing will best match their needs,” she says. “We also make sure that everything is taken into account.”

Ivan Tan, a Singapore national, considered using a relocation agency to help him navigate the complicated and competitive market in Zurich.

He says: “I had heard nightmare stories of people who took up to eight months to find an apartment in Zurich. At the same time I have friends who moved to Zurich and had positive experiences in using an agency.

“I had also heard that being non-Swiss was going to be a challenge in looking for apartments — another reason why I felt the agency would help.”

There are also real estate agencies, who are usually working for the property owners and can help match you with an apartment. Baerlocher warns that because of this, they may not be fully objective.

They can also be costly. An expat known to The Local says that she decided against using an agency to find an apartment after learning they charged fees of two months’ rent.

With Switzerland’s population continuing to grow at one of the highest rates in Europe – it registered a rate of 1.3 per cent in 2013 according to the Federal Statistical Office – competition for affordable apartments is not likely to ease. So be prepared for a lot of effort — and look for some luck — to find the digs you want.

 

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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

Checklist: What you need to do if you move house in Switzerland

Moving from one house or apartment in Switzerland to another is not as simple as just packing up your furniture. Instead, the process involves quite a few administrative tasks.

Published: 25 January 2024 12:10 CET
Checklist: What you need to do if you move house in Switzerland

Anyone who has ever moved, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere, knows it is not just a matter of simple logistics.

In fact, whether you are relocating to another town or canton, or just to another neighbourhood, moving is a big, expensive, time-consuming, and stressful experience.

These are various tasks you will have to cross off your list, one by one.

Getting your old apartment in order

It goes without saying that before you move out, you must make sure to leave the place clean and in order. Most people hire a cleaning company to do so, though you can, of course, do this yourself.

If, for instance, you broke or damaged anything while living in the apartment, you must repair it before you leave.

The condition of the apartment will be assessed during the final inspection process, when the landlord or the management company will write down all damages which you are responsible for either repairing yourself or paying someone else to do it for you.

You are not officially off the hook with your previous landlord until this process is completed.

De-register your old address and register the new one

Whether you are moving across the country or just across the street, this is an obligatory step.

You must let your ‘old’ commune’s population office (Einwohnerkontrolle / Contrôle des habitants/ Controllo abitanti) know you are leaving, and from which date.

You can do so either in person or (if available) online.

Then, when you settle in a new home, you have 14 days to announce your arrival in your new municipality, though in some places the deadline may be longer.

You will need the following documents:

  • A passport or ID card for each member of the family, in addition to a passport-sized photo for everyone
  • Documents relating to your family status — whether you are single, married, and with children
  • Your work or residency permit 
  • Your lease contract or proof of home ownership
  • Your health insurance card or proof of your current health insurance policy.

The rules are the same regardless of where you arrive from, that is, if you are Swiss, an EU citizen or from a third country, however the supporting documentation may vary. 

Some cantons may require other or additional documents, which you can find out ahead of time on your commune or canton’s website.

READ ALSO: Why you need to tell Swiss authorities where you live 

Inform the post office about your change of address

To ensure that your mail arrives at your new home, fill out the ‘change of address’ form online at least four days before your move. 

Four days is a minimum required time for the post office to process the address change and register it in the electronic database.

If you wait longer, your mail will continue to be delivered to  the old address.

You also should notify these companies of your move and new address:

  • Your mobile telephone / internet provider (if you still have a fixed phone, you should have it switched off at the old address and re-activated at the new one)
  • Your bank
  • Your insurance companies (health, car, and any other ones you have, both mandatory and optional)
  • Your doctor / dentist

If you forget to inform anyone of your new address, no worries — the post office will automatically forward the letters to you, provided your notified them of the change (see above).

What about the tax office?

You don’t have to do a thing.

Your local commune will automatically inform tax authorities of your move, so there is no chance whatsoever that they won’t find you.

Rental versus owned property

If you move into a rental property, you don’t need to, in most cases, notify utility providers like the electric company of your move.

But if you are going to live in your own house, then you must let the local power company know to switch on your electricity supply.
 

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