housing

You want to live in Switzerland? Find some useful information about flats: Where and how to find an appartment, how much to pay, how is a flat equipped etc.

How can I find a flat?

• To rent, buy and sell appartments, houses, and other real estates try here: Immostreet, homegate, Immoscout24, Immo.search, immoclick.
• Young people and students often share an appartment called Wohngemeinschaft or WG. It is quite easy to find a room in a WG. Check out the information panels at university. 
• UMS Temporary Housing Service convey temporary and furnished apartments. Most universities also have temporary housing services. Ask at your university.

Useful information concerning flats

• Bed- and living rooms count as rooms, kitchen does not. Thus, a three-room flat means: 1 living room, 2 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 bathroom.
• Flats are not furnished.
• Kitchens are equipped with cooker/oven, fridge, cupboards (but not with dishes).
• The renter of an apartment house normally share a laundry with a washing machine. The rules of the house will tell you when and how to use it. Be careful, the inaccurate use of the laundry often leads to quarrels between neighbours!
• The Protection of Tenants Association helps you if you have problems with the hirer. German speaking part: Mieterverband; French speaking part: Asloca; Ticino: ASI .

How much does a flat cost?

• The Swiss are a race of tenants and at present there is a shortage of apartments on the market, above all in the towns, especially in the Geneva and Zurich area. Housing costs are therefore comparatively high. These high prices are partly due to the relatively high level of salaries in Switzerland.
• The rents vary considerably between different cantons as well as between town and countryside. 
• You have often to pay a deposit (1-2 month rents). The deposit remains on a blocked count and you get it back when you leave the flat.
• Sometimes the rent include the additional charges (Nebenkosten or NK, charges), sometimes not. This must be indicated in the ad and in the hire contract. Charges include heating costs (Heizkosten or HK, chauffage), electricity, cleaning etc. Expect about 150 CHF per month.

Current mean rent in CHF (without extras), November 2010

Source: Swiss federal office of statistics

The rents vary considerably between town and countryside.Especially in big town centers like Zurich or Geneva, flats are rare and very expensive.