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You have found an advertisement from our property management and are looking for a flat or a detached house to rent. We will inform you about the rental process.

Your first call

You call us. We will have an initial telephone conversation to discuss with you whether the residential property to be rented meets your expectations and answer all your questions. This conversation is important to avoid unnecessary viewings. There is no point in making an appointment for an on-site visit if, for example, the landlord does not allow pets in the building and you have a dog, even if it is the nicest and dearest one in the world. Once everything has been clarified, we will make an appointment for a site visit.

The on-site visit

You visit the flat in person, either with the tenant on site or with a person from the property management. I (Esther Lauber) will usually accompany you on the viewing. On site, we will answer any questions you may have about the terms of the tenancy agreement and the documents you need to submit with your flat application.

Rental application

You fill out the application form, sign it and obtain the necessary documents, i.e. a copy of your identity card or residence permit, if you are Swiss a confirmation of residence or a certificate of settlement, a confirmation of salary from your employer and an extract from the debt collection register. Don't forget to provide references on the application form. Read my article and watch the video:

Verification of the file

It is important that you provide us with a complete dossier immediately. We will check it in a precise way and give you an answer as soon as possible. The selection of the tenant does not always depend on the chronological order of receipt of the dossier. The rent must not exceed 20 to 33% of your gross household income.

Reply

We will reply as soon as possible. The response time depends, among other things, on the number of applications received and the circumstances. For example, if a flat is for rent immediately and you would like to rent it in just one or two months, we are still waiting for applications from interested parties who would like to rent the flat at an earlier date.

Drawing up the tenancy agreement

Once you have received a positive response, we draw up the tenancy agreement and its annexes. You will usually receive it for signature the next day. You will need to sign and return both copies of the tenancy agreement and its annexes to us and transfer the processing fee to us.

Preparation of the bank guarantee

At the same time as signing the tenancy agreement, you will need to arrange for the bank guarantee (deposit). You will need to open an account at a bank in Switzerland and transfer the amount of the guarantee to a blocked account at your bank. Then the bank will send us the bank guarantee certificate. You must also send us proof that the amount for the bank guarantee has been paid to the bank. The rental deposit must be received by us on the day of the property handover at the latest.

Preparing liability insurance

As a tenant you are obliged to take out third party insurance. You should therefore contact your insurance compagny and provide us with a copy of the insurance policy before the date of entry.

Sending the signed tenancy agreement

We sign the tenancy agreement and the annexes and send them to you as well as the QR invoices for the payment of rent and service charges.

Setting the date for the handover of the dwelling

We call you to arrange a date for drawing up a handover protocol when you move in, including handing over the keys.

Payment of the first rent and provision of a bank guarantee

The first rent including incidental costs must be received by us at the latest one day before the handover of the property. The bank guarantee must be handed over to us at the latest when the property is handed over.

Handover protocol

The handover protocol is drawn up on site in your presence and practically always with me (Esther Lauber). We sign it on site and take photos of the defects found. You will receive an internet link where you can download the handover protocol in pdf format as well as the photos taken. If you discover defects that we did not see during the property handover, you can notify us immediately by e-mail, but at the latest within 7 days of the protocol being taken. Include photos. We will then acknowledge receipt and add your email and photos to your file.

Move

Once the handover is complete, your movers can set up your furniture and belongings. We hope your move goes smoothly.

 © Written by Esther Lauber, Real Estate Trustee with Advanced Federal Diploma of Professional Education and Training, real estate agent, property broker and manager in Carouge Geneva, translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

More information that may be of interest to you:

Registration file - applications to rent flats, houses, commercial premises
Find a property for rent in Geneva Switzerland
Leases for flats in Geneva
Leases for houses in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland
Inspection report
Rent a furnished apartment in Geneva
Rent deposit in Geneva and in Switzerland
Keeping pets in a rented dwelling, what you need to know