https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed In Switzerland, when tenants move out, property owners can increase prices for the incoming renters. How can you find out how much previous tenants paid, and what can you do about unjustified increases? https://www.thelocal.ch/20250311/can-you-know-how-much-your-swiss-landlord-charged-previous-tenants Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:23:00 +0100 can-you-know-how-much-your-swiss-landlord-charged-previous-tenants Swiss housing market, especially in big cities, is very competitive. Does paying a ‘finder’s fee’ increase your odds of success? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260513/will-offering-a-finders-fee-help-you-secure-an-apartment-in-switzerland Wed, 13 May 2026 13:18:38 +0200 will-offering-a-finders-fee-help-you-secure-an-apartment-in-switzerland If you are a new arrival in Switzerland, or are about to move here, you may be uncertain about what portion of your income will be eaten up by rent. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260505/does-switzerland-still-have-a-30-percent-rule-for-rent Tue, 05 May 2026 10:31:28 +0200 does-switzerland-still-have-a-30-percent-rule-for-rent A number of tenants in Switzerland are entitled to pay less for their rented accommodation than the amount their landlord charges. But many don’t seek to have their rents lowered. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260331/why-dont-more-tenants-in-switzerland-ask-for-a-rent-reduction Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:58:00 +0200 why-dont-more-tenants-in-switzerland-ask-for-a-rent-reduction Some parts of Switzerland have housing cooperatives that offer more affordable rents. Here's what you need to know, and how you can apply to rent one of these apartments. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230203/what-are-swiss-housing-cooperatives-and-can-you-access-them Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:11:53 +0100 what-are-swiss-housing-cooperatives-and-can-you-access-them The Federal Housing Office (BWO) is maintaining the benchmark mortgage rate at 1.25 percent for the time being, it announced on December 1st. How will this impact rents? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251201/the-rate-for-rents-in-switzerland-remains-stable-but-is-it-good-news-for-tenants Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:21:54 +0100 the-rate-for-rents-in-switzerland-remains-stable-but-is-it-good-news-for-tenants Rental scams are nothing new, but Swiss consumer groups and real estate agencies are warning about the increasing number and scope of these swindles. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251110/flat-hunters-in-switzerland-warned-of-rise-in-new-hi-tech-rental-scams Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:28:16 +0100 flat-hunters-in-switzerland-warned-of-rise-in-new-hi-tech-rental-scams Looking for a flat? You need to have your documents in order. Here’s what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220407/checklist-what-documents-do-i-need-for-an-apartment-in-switzerland Thu, 07 Apr 2022 18:37:48 +0200 checklist-what-documents-do-i-need-for-an-apartment-in-switzerland Depending on where in Switzerland you live, the price of housing could be (no pun intended) through the roof. But you could, in some cases, be entitled to rent reduction. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240402/pigeon-poo-and-foul-odours-how-you-can-get-rent-reductions-in-switzerland Tue, 02 Apr 2024 17:04:17 +0200 pigeon-poo-and-foul-odours-how-you-can-get-rent-reductions-in-switzerland If you have been looking for an apartment for a long time and finally found one you like, you may be ready to fulfil any of your landlord’s conditions. But Swiss law places clear limits on what a landlord can demand of new and existing tenants. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240911/8-things-landlords-in-switzerland-can-never-ask-of-tenants Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:51:02 +0200 8-things-landlords-in-switzerland-can-never-ask-of-tenants 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. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241112/checklist-what-you-need-to-do-if-you-move-house-in-switzerland Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:23:20 +0100 checklist-what-you-need-to-do-if-you-move-house-in-switzerland It goes without saying that — given how hard it is to find good apartments in Switzerland — you don’t want to have a conflict with your landlord. If you can’t totally avoid it, then you should at least know how to solve it constructively. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230421/explained-how-to-solve-a-dispute-with-your-swiss-landlord Fri, 21 Apr 2023 16:10:51 +0200 explained-how-to-solve-a-dispute-with-your-swiss-landlord Your landlord in Switzerland may decide to sell the apartment you have been renting. Does the Swiss law grant you any rights in this matter? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251007/what-are-your-rights-in-switzerland-if-your-landlord-wants-to-sell-the-flat-you-rent Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:39:56 +0200 what-are-your-rights-in-switzerland-if-your-landlord-wants-to-sell-the-flat-you-rent From October 1st 2025, landlords in several Swiss cantons will have to provide new information when renting out an apartment. What is it, and how does it benefit tenants? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251001/what-tenants-in-switzerland-need-to-know-about-new-rent-law Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:24:47 +0200 what-tenants-in-switzerland-need-to-know-about-new-rent-law What are rules in Switzerland if you want to move out of your current apartment before your rental contract is officially over? https://www.thelocal.ch/20240618/can-i-get-out-of-a-rental-contract-in-switzerland Tue, 18 Jun 2024 18:56:18 +0200 can-i-get-out-of-a-rental-contract-in-switzerland If you need to vacate your Swiss rental temporarily but plan to return there, you may think sub-leasing your apartment is a good solution. But can you earn some money in the process? https://www.thelocal.ch/20250925/are-tenants-allowed-to-make-a-profit-from-subletting-a-flat-in-switzerland Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:02:36 +0200 are-tenants-allowed-to-make-a-profit-from-subletting-a-flat-in-switzerland With the number of available homes dwindling, finding an apartment or house in Switzerland is a major challenge. Just how bad is it – and where is it getting worse? https://www.thelocal.ch/20250912/where-in-switzerland-the-housing-shortage-is-getting-worse Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:00:18 +0200 where-in-switzerland-the-housing-shortage-is-getting-worse For the second time in 2025, Swiss reference rates - used to set rents – have fallen. This means many tenants can expect to see their rents drop as well. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250901/tenants-in-switzerland-could-benefit-from-drop-in-rent-price Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:14:51 +0200 tenants-in-switzerland-could-benefit-from-drop-in-rent-price From a lack of vacant apartments to overpriced options in unsuitable locations, it is no secret that finding an apartment in Switzerland is becoming increasingly difficult – but there’s hope. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230324/renting-in-switzerland-the-hurdles-youll-need-to-overcome-to-find-an-apartment Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:31:47 +0100 renting-in-switzerland-the-hurdles-youll-need-to-overcome-to-find-an-apartment The already tight housing market in Switzerland is expected to worsen further for those looking for a new apartment, and get more expensive Here’s why. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250825/swiss-government-forecasts-higher-rents-in-the-coming-years Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:26:56 +0200 swiss-government-forecasts-higher-rents-in-the-coming-years