Whether you are a student or not, it can be interesting to consider renting in a shared apartment. This allows you to split the rent, but also to avoid being alone in a studio once your day of study or work is over. But before committing yourself, it is best to find out about Swiss tenancy law regarding shared accommodation.
The most common method of renting a shared flat is to sign a shared lease. This is simply a matter of mentioning several tenants in the rental contract. This is legally what a couple does when they rent a property. Thus, all the tenants mentioned in the lease are jointly and severally liable.
The Swiss tenancy law on co-tenancy is quite clear on this point: each co-tenant has the same duties towards the landlord. This means that if the landlord does not collect the rent, he has the right to demand payment from a tenant even if it is another tenant who is in default.
It is also possible to rent a shared flat in a roundabout way. The main tenant of a flat can sublet rooms. To do this, he or she must inform the owner of the property and specify the conditions of the subletting. The subletting can only be effective if the landlord accepts these conditions. The landlord may, for example, refuse to accept them if he considers the rent charged to the sub-tenants to be excessive and if the duration of the sub-letting exceeds that specified in the lease. In the case of a sublet, only the main tenant is liable for the rent.
It is also possible to live under the same roof with several people, but with separate leases. This is not the same as renting as a flat share, although it is very similar in practice. A landlord can rent a property with common areas and rooms, each of which will be the subject of a tenancy agreement.
Renting in a shared apartment: required documents and formalities
To rent a shared flat, you have to provide the same documents as for a standard rental application. The only difference is that each co-applicant (co-tenant) has to add his or her information to the application.
You will therefore need to provide, for each roommate :
Renting in a shared apartment: what about the termination of the lease?
If you are currently in a shared tenancy agreement, you can withdraw by sending a letter of termination signed by all the tenants. You will then have to give notice of termination (usually three months, check the lease), but above all you will have to find a replacement tenant in case of early termination. The replacement tenant must be accepted by the other tenants, but also by the landlord, who will naturally examine his or her solvency.
To make things easier for you, you can place a free ad on SherlockHomes, taking care to specify the conditions of the flat-sharing. The platform takes care of the rest, as it organises visits according to your availability and will receive the candidates' files.
This article is not exhaustive and does not engage the responsibility of its author.
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