Tenancy & service charges
Your rights as a tenant — service charges, the reference rate and rent reductions.
Transit quality class A, B, C, D: what the badge on every Swiss listing really means
The transit quality class appears on every Swiss property listing — but few people know what A, B, C and D mean in practice. The ARE system tells you exactly how well connected a location is by public transport.
~57% · Population with transit quality class A or B · Switzerland
Read articleNoise in apartments: limits, rights and what to check before moving in
Around one million people in Switzerland are exposed to road noise that exceeds the legal limit. What the decibel scale means, which limits apply — and what you can legally demand as a renter or buyer.
55 dB(A) · Immission limit · Road noise · Residential zone day
Read articleSwiss vacancy rate: what the figure means for your apartment search
Switzerland's vacancy rate has fallen to 1.08% — the lowest since 2001. Where the market is tightest, why it happened and what it means for renters.
1.08% · Vacancy rate · Switzerland · 2024
Read articleThe rental deposit: at most 3 months’ rent — and it stays your money
The deposit may not exceed three months’ rent and must sit in a blocked account in your name. The money stays yours, the interest is yours, and it is protected if the landlord goes bankrupt. Why deposit insurance costs you dearly — with a calculator.
3 months’ rent in a blocked account · Statutory maximum · residential rental deposit
Read articleEnding your lease: notice periods, dates and the replacement tenant
Three months’ notice, on a termination date — and what counts is not the postmark but when the letter arrives. The latest day you can give notice, how to do it correctly, and how to leave early. With a calculator.
3 months to a termination date · Statutory minimum notice · rented apartment
Read articleRent increase in Switzerland: when it is valid and how to challenge it
A rent increase is only valid if the form, justification and figures are correct. How to check the notice, when the calculation does not add up, and how to file an objection within 30 days.
30 days to file an objection · Rent increase in Switzerland
Read articleChecking your service-charge statement: which costs tenants must pay — and which they don't
Many tenants pay their service-charge statement without checking each item. Which costs are permitted, which are not, and what to watch for with advance payments, flat fees and additional demands.
agreed only is owed · Service charges in Switzerland
Read articleSwiss reference interest rate: when you can lower your rent
Switzerland’s mortgage reference rate dropped twice in 2025 — to 1.25%. But many rents are still pegged to higher levels. Do the maths, file in time, and you can claim back several hundred francs a year. Here’s how.
1.25% since Sep 2025 · Current mortgage reference rate · Switzerland
Read articleService charges (Nebenkosten) in Switzerland: what tenants actually pay
Which service charges are permitted, how do advance payments (Akonto) differ from a flat fee, and how do you check the statement? A practical overview for tenants.
CHF 230 / month · Median service charges · Swiss rental market
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