Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

Train and other public transport fares in Switzerland are set to rise 3.7% on average from 10 December 2023. This week it was revealed that the hike was pushed by the federal government, reported Swiss broadcaster SRF. © Hai Huy Ton That | Dreamstime.comThe decision to increase fares came after the federal government put pressure on Swiss Rail to push the amount it charges passengers higher. Switzerland’s price watchdog Stefan Meierhans said he was shocked. Internal documents revealed...

The costs of mortgages and building maintenance are rising. Rents are following. In French-speaking Switzerland tenant arbitration organisations are receiving a deluge of complaints and requests for help from tenants, reported RTS. Copyright Akara Kittipadimakun | Dreamstime.comIn Switzerland, it is common for rental agreements to contain a clause that allows rents to be adjusted up or down based on a reference interest rate, which is calculated based on the average cost of mortgage...

An initiative proposed by Switzerland’s Centre Party looks set to move to the next phase after government counter proposals were rejected this week, reported SRF. Healthcare Cost © Nuthawut Somsuk | Dreamstime.comThe cost of Switzerland’s compulsory health insurance will rise by 8.7% next year, something that has pushed the issue to the top of voters’ list of concerns – in a recent poll 51% listed the rising cost of health insurance as a concern. The Centre Party has decided a cost...

Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) changed by -0.1% in September 2023 compared with the previous month, and year-on-year inflation was +1.7%, a rate below the Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) target maximum rate of 2.0%, reported Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). © Bigpressphoto | Dreamstime.comThe 0.1% fall compared with the previous month was due to several factors, wrote FSO. The price decline was driven by falling hotel prices, air transport prices and lower priced...

At 37% of the total, one-person households are now the most common way to live in Switzerland, according to recently published data by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.comThe data from 2022, show that 37% of households contained one person, followed by the 32% that contained two, 13% that contained three, 12% with four and 5% with five or more. This does of course not mean that 37% of the population lived alone. Households of five or...

After the United States, Switzerland has the world’s second most costly healthcare. Cost-saving reforms put forward by the health minister over many years have yielded little. Last week, average compulsory health insurance premiums rose the most in more than a decade. This week, an investigation by the newspaper SonntagsZeitung (NZZ), revealed 90 parliamentarians working as lobbyists for the healthcare sector, reported RTS. Photo by Louis on Pexels.comIn addition to widespread...

Health insurance premiums will rise by 8.7% on average in 2024, announced the authorities this week. This is the sharpest rise since 2010 when they rose by 8.6%. The average monthly premium across Switzerland in 2024 will be CHF 359.50. © Alexlmx | Dreamstime.comHealth Minister Alain Berset and Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) director Anne Lévy announced the sharp rise at a media conference in Bern. The rise in costs will be between 6.5% and 10.5% depending on the canton....

This week, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) surprised many investors by leaving its benchmark interest rate on hold at 1.75%. The decision to hold mirrors decisions this week by the US Fed and Bank of England not to raise rates. By contrast Norway and Sweden lifted rates this week. Thomas Jordan, head of the SNBIn addition, like central bankers in the US and England, the SNB refused to rule out future hikes. And like Sweden the SNB signalled that it would continue to support the currency by...

A popular initiative has been launched in Switzerland to vote on partially nationalising the UBS Group. For a popular initiative to reach the voting stage 100,000 signatures need to be collected within 18 months. © Andersastphoto | Dreamstime.comThe banks initiative aims to change the Swiss constitution to require large banks and insurance companies of systemic importance to be managed as joint stock companies with the federal government as majority shareholder, a set up described as a...

On 18 September 2023, the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, followed parliament in passing changes to Swiss tenancy laws that make life easier for landlords, reported parlament.ch. Two changes reduce tenants ability to sublet and make it easier for landlords to end rental contracts. Housing Switzerland © Thomas Stoiber | Dreamstime.comSupported by 25 versus 11, the upper house passed a new rule that prevents tenants from subletting a property for longer than 2 years. The new...