Swiss red tape: court rules against retirees’ ‘flashy’ orange house

An official told the couple that they were free to choose what colour they painted their house and that no permit was required.

“I thought verbal advice from that official would be enough,” retired electrical engineer Willy Zysset told Switzerland’s Blick newspaper.

But after the couple had completed the 27,000-franc paint job, the city’s building commission send a letter ordering them to either repaint the building or get a retrospective permit.

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The Zyssets then filed for that permit only to be turned down – a decision Willy Zysset described as absurd.

“There are a lot more colourful houses around here,” he said, adding feedback from neighbours had been positive.

Then in February 2016, the couple received a second letter ordering them to repaint the house within six months. Failure to paint the house a different colour would result in a 40,000-franc fine, while repainting it orange could see them landing a 100,000-franc fine. 

In that letter, authorities said the house clashed with the surroundings and contravened local housing codes.