As always the advice here has been great - I am once again looking for some help.
We are set to move from Japan finally, and realize that finding an suitable home will take us some time. For the interim, we'd prefer not to stay in a hotel, but we'd rather rent an apartment for a month (and possibly extend if necessary). We've done AirB&B before, and generally have luck, but this will be for a longer time.
We are looking to be in Geneva (not France), preferably near to the UN Campus, but as far as Plainpalais would probably be good (my wife's the one making the daily commute).
I am looking for at least a 2 bedroom because we have a daughter. I am wondering if there's a way to check which rental agencies are legit - and reviews. I've found one that has a space that looks good and the apartment looks like it meets our needs and price. But I'd like to be more sure about them.
Also I'm wondering if there's any other renters insurance or other advice that people can give me for Switzerland and Geneva specifically. I ask because while we had no problems with this in Japan, we got burnt in Jakarta, and I've heard folks mention various sorts of legal insurance and such on other threads (I remember one about a gardener doing unauthorized work). Also are there short term rental agencies to recommend or avoid? I'm also interested in folks personal experience, things they did that worked, things they wish they'd done, and things that they'd avoid.
Thank you, I've seen their name (acronym) out there. What do they do exactly? Also I see that you linked to Vaud, and that there is also a Geneva section. I am going to assume that this does not transfer between cantons. (My french is not great, so I may have missed this info).
Excellent... from the translation, I see it's an annual 70CHF, with a 20CHF sign up/registration.
Are they purely a legal advice group, or do they have other functions, and please feel free to point me at a website/thread that explains all of this if I've missed it. Appreciated.
Has your wife asked her employer about relocation assistance? The city/canton of Geneva is quite aware of the difficulties new arrivals have and do provide some help. I’m in Vaud, so don’t know too much about this, but it exists.
They can help with handovers when you move in and out to make sure everything’s above board. If you don’t speak French they may be able to help with translating before you sign any contracts.
Can't say I'm a big fan of ASLOCA.. Sure they will tell you the law and give you template letters to send etc.. They will even offer some limited legal advice..
But I just didn't like them.. The office in Nyon has this militant lady who shouted the whole time about how I should have signed nothing, I shouldn't have moved in, the regies are evil .. blah blah blah.. All the while her dog was barking in the background and the place was like a junk shop .. I needed a shower when i left.
In the end i sorted things out myself with a couple of letters..
If the dung really hits the fan then legal insurance is the best route.. Between 150-300 per year depending on options.
Precisely. I think you are slowly being distracted by so many unimportant things like ASLOCA or legal insurance. Sure, both are good to have in case something goes wrong once you have a signed lease contract. And even then, what are the chances something will go wrong? Even if moderate, your problem is not how to deal with things after you move into the flat, you need to find the flat first.
In Geneva, you will be at the mercy of the Regies - if you aim for a normal lease agreement. Get used to the fact that you will be just one of perhaps 50 to 100 applicants, and you may get lucky (or not). Searching for an apartment in Geneva is more or less as searching for a job.
Your best start is your wife's UN intranet portal with sublet or lease take over classifieds (in which case a Regie may not even advertise, just give a flat to a replacement identified by the current tenant), or go into sublet until you get lucky thru a Regie. And also check classifieds on glocals.com and CAGI.ch
I have no experience with paying agents, but heard some cases where this worked. Again, think this is just a minority. As for UN offering any relocation assistance (in terms of finding an apartment; not organizing the shipment) - aint gonna happen.
I just want to clarify that we are looking for at a temporary (short term) furnished apartment for the first month (or even two) as we search for a longer term rental (hopefully a house in Vaud). Our end goal, should we like Switzerland (we expect to) and when we know more neighborhoods and locations, would be to buy a house somewhere in a bout two years.
1. Yes. I recognize that this is my job. So I'm trying to find the best short term solution, until I am a physically in Switzerland to hunt for the best longer term apartment. So I am recognizing that we will probably be paying "AirB&B" sort of prices for a short term apartment until a house can be found - and that beggars can't be choosers. You've reconfirmed this thought I've had.
2. Can you (or anyone) point me towards some less takeover classified sites? Do they exist, or will I have to be there to find a newspaper?
3. Yup that's the UN! We've got some allowance... but have to spend it ourselves! So I'm trying not to mess this up too badly!
Your best resource for local info in Geneva would be the FB group Geneva Expats. Once you're settled down there, you can kiss this condescending forum goodbye.