Expatriate in Switzerland: which documents to rent a flat?

Are you working in Switzerland and looking for a new flat? Have you just been recruited by a Swiss company or organisation, and are you preparing to move to our country? Whatever your exact situation, as an expatriate, you will need to gather certain documents in order to set up your rental file in Switzerland. We list the documents required to rent a flat.

What documents are required to rent a flat in Switzerland?

Whether you are an expatriate or not, the property management company or landlord will ask you for certain documents before accepting your application and signing a rental contract. The first criterion is income. For a valid rental application in Switzerland, the income must be at least three times the amount of the rent. You will therefore need to provide either pay slips or an employment contract that mentions the amount of the salary. As you will have understood, it is therefore difficult to take possession of a flat if you do not yet have a job in Switzerland. And whether you are an expatriate or not, you will also have to include an identity document in your file.

What documents do I need to rent a flat in Switzerland as a new expat?

You currently live in France, and have just signed an employment contract with one of the non-governmental organisations in Geneva, for example. As we have seen, this employment contract must be included in your Swiss rental file. It should be accompanied by your work permit in Switzerland or, failing that, by a certificate from your employer stating that he has applied for a work permit. It is often the latter solution that is used in practice, because of the delays in obtaining this permit.

What documents do you need to rent a flat in Switzerland as an expatriate for several months?

Finally, if you are already a tenant in Switzerland and you wish to change flat before the expiration date of the rental contract, you will have to find a replacement tenant. SherlockHomes will help you to publish an ad for free, organise your visits and manage a rental file in Switzerland. You can also find a new property to rent on our site. In this case, you should ask yourself: what documents do I need to rent a flat as an expatriate already living in Switzerland? In addition to the work permit and proof of income, you will need to produce a certificate of non-liability which will tell the real estate office whether you have any debts in the country.

This article is not exhaustive and does not engage the responsibility of its author.