Tag Archives: Property

Switzerland has strict zoning and construction laws. Federal land use planning laws (LAT) were first proposed in 1979. Since becoming law they have been through a number of modifications. A successful vote in 2013 tightened zoning rules further. This week, SRF reported on two houses that ended up on the demolition list. Photo by Minsu B on Pexels.comDespite municipal construction approval, certain homes are on the hit list. One in the canton of Ticino has already been demolished and...

Every three months the Federal Housing Office (FHO) adjusts the reference rate used to set rents in many rental contracts. If it goes down some renters have the right to request a decrease in rent. This time it dropped 0.25% to 1.50%. Photo by Susanna Marsiglia on Pexels.comThe reference rate is based on average mortgage interest rates. At 31 December 2024, the average mortgage interest rate was 1.53%, down from 1.63% a quarter earlier. The reference rate rounds to the nearest quarter of...

Finding a place to live in Switzerland is increasingly difficult. Scammers have noticed and are cashing in on the desperation experienced by some seeking a place to live, reported the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a federal government agency. A scam ad on a property listing website for a four-and-a-half room apartment in the canton of Zurich for only CHF 1100 per month.Across much of Switzerland housing vacancy rates are less than 1%. In the cantons of Zug and Geneva rates are...

Electricity prices in Switzerland are set for a shake up. Prices paid for electricity put into the grid are falling fast in some parts of the country, reported RTS. From 2026, these prices will be adjusted every quarter, rather than once a year. This will add further uncertainty to prices and the investment case for solar panels. Photo by William Mead on Pexels.comThe changes flow from a new set of laws accepted in a referendum in June 2024. The new law will in many cases usher in lower...

After a stalemate last week, Switzerland’s federal parliament and upper house found a way forward this week on the abolition of imputed rent that both houses could agree on, reported SRF. Photo by Thomas P on Pexels.comFor more than seven years, the National Council and the Council of States have been discussing how to do away with the imputed rent, which is an amount added to the taxable income of homeowners. Now, after a lot of back and forth, the two houses have finally agreed on a way...

A project to end Switzerland’s controversial system of imputed rent was launched more than seven years ago. This week, discussions in Bern suggest the project’s chances of sucess remain narrow. Photo by Melike Benli on Pexels.comIn Switzerland, anyone who owns a property retained as a primary or secondary residence must add a fictional rent to their taxable income, which is calculated based on the location and size of the property. The system was introduced during the second world war to...

Electric heat pumps have a lower carbon footprint than gas and oil heating systems. They are more energy efficient, and, when gas, coal and oil electricity generation are eventually phased out of the grid, they will be close to emission free. However, the number of heat pumps being installed in Switzerland is falling, and the number of new gas and oil heating systems is on the rise, according to a report by RTS. Photo by Heiko Ruth on Pexels.comSo far in 2024, Swiss homeowners have...

Most people in Switzerland rent. This means the nation has strict tenancy rules, some of which are viewed as too strict by the current government. Both parliament and the Council of States have come up with two changes aimed at limiting the actions of tenants, which are considered abusive. Photo by Peter Lengacher on Pexels.comThese two votes are the result of objections to government plans rather than popular initiatives. After a plan is agreed by the government, if the public can...

Data published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) shows that residential housing has risen in price by 18% since 2019. In the most recent quarter (Q3 2024) it rose 0.7%. Photo by maxxup on Pexels.comWith prices rising by 19%, stand alone houses have risen by more than apartments (+17.4%) over the same period. With the exception of Q1 2020, Q1 2021, Q1 2022, Q1 2023 and Q1 2024, the price of individual homes has risen every quarter since Q4 2019. The greatest price...

In 1962, Switzerland introduced a law that required underground bomb shelter space be constructed for all residents. Since then shelters have been built into houses and communal spaces have been built by municipalities for those living in a building without one. This week, the federal government announced plans to increase spending to renew and maintain the nation’s stock of bomb shelters, reported SRF. Bomb Shelter © Petrarichli | Dreamstime.comThe 1962 law, which was born from the...