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Why there is a push in Switzerland to make buildings higher

Tall residential buildings are not very common in Swiss cities, but efforts to change this are gathering strength.

Published: 9 April 2024 13:41 CEST
Why there is a push in Switzerland to make buildings higher
More living space can be created by building on top of existing houses. Image by Ralph from Pixabay

Many of Switzerland’s cities are suffering from a chronic housing shortage, with the demand for accommodation far exceeding the available supply.

Though a number of measures have been proposed — for instance, loosening certain regulations which slow down construction of new buildings, such as noise ordinances — the Swiss Tenants Association has said current plans lack “rapid and effective measures.”

READ ALSO: Why Swiss tenants are unhappy with plan to solve housing shortage

Reaching new heights

Another possible solution currently on the table addresses the scarcity of land for new constructions.

“This is why expansion must absolutely take place at height,” the Liberal-Radical Party (PLR) said in a press release. 

This means that additional living space should be created on top of current residential buildings.

To that end, “building and zoning regulations in Swiss cities must be adapted so as to systematically integrate the raising of one or two floors into urban plans.” 

“In addition, in all residential areas, the maximum authorised height of existing buildings should be  increased by at least three metres. This should make it possible to add an additional floor or two for housing, where possible,” the party states.

The ‘where possible’ clause would exclude historic buildings that cannot be altered and ones where adding more floors is not feasible for technical reasons.

Building ‘upwards’ not only creates space for more dwellings, but also helps stop urban sprawl and preserves agricultural land, according to  PLR’s MP Simone de Montmollin. 

What might happen next?

The party has started an online petition, which it urges all Swiss citizens who favour this change to sign. 

“Building and zoning standards in Swiss cities must be adapted so that the maximum permitted height for existing buildings in all residential areas is increased by three metres,” its text says. “This should make it possible to add an additional floor for housing, independently of the existing use.”

If and when the petition collects at least 100,000 signatures, the issue would be brought to a ballot box.

No details are available about the number of signatures collected to date.

Historic perspective

While the idea may sound ground-breaking, it is not.

As de Montmollin pointed out, already in the 16th century, houses were raised in Geneva to create accommodation for persecuted Protestants (Huguenots) fleeing France.

Much more recently, such ‘elevations’ have been possible in Geneva thanks to a law passed in 2008.

And in Zurich, the PLR, along with a multi-party coalition, launched a popular initiative for the raising of existing buildings.

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RENTING

Zurich’s housing woes spark illegal rental practices

The demand for affordable apartments in Switzerland’s largest city is so strong that some tenants have resorted to ‘blackmailing’ candidates for the lease takeover.

Published: 16 April 2024 14:14 CEST
Zurich's housing woes spark illegal rental practices

As Zurich’s population is climbing steadily, fuelled by a continuing influx of foreigners – a trend that is expected to continue, according to demographers – the housing shortage is worsening. 

So much so, in fact, that a number of unscrupulous tenants who want to break their lease and are looking for suitable candidates to take over their rental contract, feel emboldened to pose some unreasonable conditions.

As the Swiss media reported, one practice which has become more commonplace lately is requiring that those taking over the apartment buy the furniture of the departing tenant.

If they refuse, there are plenty of other prospective tenants eager to fulfil any conditions just to get the foot in – both literally and figuratively.

One example of such advertisement cited by the media states that all the furniture currently in the apartment “must be bought for 3,500 francs”.

Some even go so far as to demand 8,000 francs for used furniture, dishes, and appliances.

This practice is, however, illegal and prospective tenants should not be bullied into it.

“The law prohibits making a lease contract dependent on other commercial transactions,” the newspaper said, adding that in such cases, it is advisable to contact the landlord or property management company directly, rather than deal with greedy tenants.

This unethical tactic is far from unique in Switzerland.

In other cases, rental agencies, rather than tenants themselves, have taken advantage of housing shortages by engaging in similarly unlawful practices.

In Geneva, for example, which suffers from a housing crisis of its own, some agencies were caught charging potential tenants hundreds of francs just to view vacant apartments. 

And that’s not all: Swiss Tenants Association (ASLOCA) found that some property managers routinely charge unwitting tenants fees for services that are either already included in their rent, or ones that shouldn’t have extra costs attached to them.

Among them are “application fees”, with some management companies charging from 100 to 200 francs, ostensibly for preparation of your contract, even though agencies cannot require additional fees for this service.

How can you avoid falling victim to these, and other, such tactics?

Unless you are an expert in tenancy law (which most people aren’t), you could benefit from joining your local tenants’ group.

Not only will it be a good source of information relating to your rights and obligations, and answer any questions about your tenancy, but it will also advocate for you if you ever have a disagreement or conflict with your landlord (provided, of course, that you have a defendable case).

These groups are divided according to linguistic regions, which means you can easily find one in your area:
Swiss German
Swiss French
Swiss Italian

READ ALSO: The common scams foreigners in Switzerland need to be aware of

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