After increasing for three quarters in a row, residential property prices in Switzerland fell during the first quarter of 2024, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The Swiss residential property price index (IMPI) fell by 1.0% in the period from January to March 2024. At the same time prices remained 1.5% higher than they […]
The Swiss canton with the highest crime rate
Data published this week reveal Switzerland’s cantonal crime hotspot, a phenomenon connected to geography. In 2023, after a sharp rise, the canton of Basel-City recorded the largest number of violent crimes and the highest per capita rates of theft and burglary. The rate of violent crime reached 13.2 per 1,000 residents in the city in […]
Recent Swiss fire deaths prompt calls for fire detectors
Across much of Europe, smoke detectors are a legal requirement. In Switzerland, they are not. The recent death of two people in a fire in Pfaffnau in the canton of Luzern has prompted calls to change the rules, reported SRF. On 19 March 2024, shortly after midnight, rescue workers were called to a burning apartment […]
No rise in Switzerland’s rent rate this quarter
After two increases in a row the reference interest rate used for adjusting rents remains unchanged this quarter. After two rises from 1.25% to 1.75% last year, many tenants in Switzerland will be breathing a sigh of relief. Many economists forecast no increases in the rate this year. Every quarter the rate of interest used […]
Swiss home prices up in 2023
This week, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published the Swiss residential property price index for 2023, which showed an annual price increase of 2.2%, with a rise of 1.1% in the fourth quarter. The average price of single-family homes rose by an average of 1.9% last year and the prices of apartments rose by an […]
High Swiss rent – little support for rent controls
Rents have risen significantly in Switzerland, something potentially affecting the 61% of the population living in rented accommodation. A survey by Deloitte places rent control at the bottom of a list of solutions. The survey, which questioned 1,900 people across Switzerland, found rent controls to be the least preferred solution to dealing with rising rents […]
Swiss set to vote on changes to rental laws
Changes to Swiss law on renting recently passed by parliament have met with public resistance. This week, enough signatures were collected to trigger a vote aimed at overturning the work of parliament on rental law reform, according to RTS. The two changes, which would make it easier for landlords to move into their own properties […]
Swiss rents set to rise after mortgage rate rise
On 1 December 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Housing Office announced the reference mortgage interest rate for rental agreements will rise from 1.50% to 1.75%. The reference rate is mentioned in many Swiss tenancy agreements. If the rate goes up landlords can increase rents. If the rate goes down tenants can demand lower rent. The rate is […]
Sharp rise in tenancy disputes in Switzerland
The number of tenancy disputes in Switzerland jumped 42% in the first half of 2023 compared to the second half of 2022, reported the government this week. Across Switzerland a total of 17,519 tenancy or lease arbitration proceedings were initiated between January and June 2023. The rising number of disputes follows rent hikes, often triggered […]
Swiss government launches plan to stop rising rents
Switzerland, where only 36% of the population own their homes, is sometimes referred to as a nation of renters. So when rents rise, as they have recently, the subject becomes political. On Wednesday, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced that it was looking for ways to temper short term rent increases. Across Switzerland, 64% of the population […]
