I understand that looking for a place to live is not simple. But I have run into many an unethical behavior. It's quite unusual for me that a tenant requires you to apply for an apartment through them and not the owner on the condition that you buy their furniture for an exorbitant price. You cannot even apply and in some cases they won't even give you the application without agreeing to buy the furniture.
I am sure that it was far more than what they originally paid for it. I am not talking small amounts either. I've heard anywhere from 5k for a few pieces to 20k+.
One tenant even went so far as to stipulate that she would pick the tenant who would accept the apartment uncleaned, unpainted, with the unrepaired ceiling leak. The place smelled horrible and needed to be repainted.
This just seems very unethical (possibly illegal?). Sounds like they are requesting a bribe to give you the apartment. It's something you would not expect from the Swiss. Anybody else run into this practice? Is there a renter's association that would help with these matters?
Unless they are the owners of the place, they are just trying to see how new to switzerland you are. Just say yes and make them give you the verwaltung papers and make the aplications. They have no opinion into who takes the apartment at all, like i said unless they are the owners..
Not owners. Just tenants. Sometimes the application forms have no address or email to send them... so you are stuck... Not even a owner or company name.
P.s. They cannot ask you to give them your letters because you need to show taxes and stuff that is private information. So say yes and ask them you give you the aplication or in a normal conversation try to get the name of the agency that handles the apartment and contact directly.
Same old chestnut- supply and demand. If they get tons of applicants, they might try this. If they are desperate to let go early and very few applicants, they won't.
Aaaahhhhh...Capitalism, love it or hate it, but it's still unavoidably there. Still, nobody is forcing you to sign up and agree, so as long as there is some choice in the Market place these practices will trickle through.
Corporatism buddy, corporatism. Switzerland hasn't even caught a whiff of what capitalism really is. I was offered an apartment if I bought the existing furniture, curtains etc for 20k. I would have had to burn it all in the street. Right I'm off to Cogros. When they open tomorrow. At precisely the same time. Ahh, free competition.
What about just laugh at them loudly when they have the guts to tell you such enormous stupidities ?
If you are in Geneva, the flat should be rented to very same day it is on the market otherwise it's fishy. In the rest of the country, just laugh and keep on searching.
Check the entry / common areas of the building. If it is a tenant pulling this stunt, but the building is managed by an agency, the name of agency should be on a board somewhere.
Then you could simply apply directly to the agency, and not succumb to this arm twisting.
We had the same problem, owner wanted me to buy a load of furniture for the flat, light fittings, B&O sound system, even some flooring. I said no to the lot of it and we still got the flat, they just removed the stuff apart from a massive wardrobes and office desk which they said we can use free of charge.
Trust me, they have little or no ethics, it is all about money and when there is a shortage of supply they will try and squeeze you until the pips squeak. If you are a foreigner they will squeeze you even more. You do have a choice take it or leave it, unfortunately if it is a short supply area like Geneva someone will.
I guess it begs the question of how far will it go. OK, asking to buy furniture is one thing. But would we all feel the same if the landlord or tenant was asking for sex from an applicant in order to get an apartment? Anyone remember Woody Harrleson and his landlady in the film "Kingpin"?
Well, it's definitly OK to offer to let the furnitures in the flat and agree on a price. As an offer, I don't see the problem either. But when does an offer becomes forced buying, that I don't know. And I never said it was illegal, we have to ask the law-people for that. I have no idea, I just found it funny to see this exact kinf of advert at the same time as this thread.
I would just laugh and keep looking, but I know that some people are desperate for a housing on extreem short term. Taking a flat over without proper paper work and officially recognised cleaning seems to me very unwise in this country. Just sayin'...
Its not just renters who are "unethical". When i was looking for an apartment i made an habit on offering to buy all the furtinure at the same price they paid for it. They basicly put a gold seal on my application. Clearly i wouldnt buy shit and they have no say in that anyway.