"All about the apartment in single click." - SwissPlatz
As a newcomer (Expat, student, etc.) to Geneva, you need to find housing that suits you. That is to say, the accommodation must not only be within your budget, but it must also meet your criteria such as the neighborhood, the number of rooms, the atmosphere, etc. Questions start to arise. How many rooms are there in a 3 room apartment? What is the probability of being chosen for a given apartment? What does "Charges included" mean?
This post is for you who would like to find an apartment in a smart and efficient way.
Are you new to Geneva? This is THE must-read post before any search !
The "Must-Read" series will be presented to you, given its length, in 3 parts. This post is a continuation of the series. Click here if you'd like to see the first part.
List of Things to Know
Click on one of the following items to see the details.
Must Read #1
Must Read #2
Must Read #3
Do you need additional information? Go to our official website.
Priority
In principle, priority is given in the following order:
Family with children
Family without children
Person living alone
According to our experience, the priority is given to the person who has a stable income and profession.
Duration of the lease
The duration of the lease contract can be fixed or indefinite. It will be necessary to check during the research.
Date of entry
The entrance to the apartment is either the 1st or the 15th of the month. A flexibility can be granted according to the real estate agency. But it remains 1 to 2 days.
Rent guarantee
The rent guarantee is required as soon as the lease is signed. Two types of rent guarantees exist in Geneva :
Bank guarantee The amount to be "blocked" at the bank amounts to 3 months of the net rent.
Guarantee company This is a method that is fully recognized by the Geneva real estate agencies. You pay a predefined annual fee depending on the amount to be guaranteed.
For more details on the guarantee of rent, please refer to the post Step #5 : Sending additional documents.
Liability insurance
Liability insurance is insurance that covers damage to the apartment in which you live. For example, the replacement of a broken sink is covered by the RC insurance.
This insurance is not compulsory, but the Geneva authorities are asking for it more and more and it has become almost compulsory.
The tutorial of the search for offers can be found in the post Step #5 : Sending additional documents.
Mailbox nameplate fee
This is a fee for ordering the nameplates that you will put on the mailbox, doorbell, etc. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid this fee because the agencies have their own suppliers. However, the amount of about CHF 200 is certainly not negligible.
Have a question? Post a comment or write to us at
info@swissplatz.com
Comments