B permit, buy property, but still live in a rented house

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Thanks in advance for discussions.

I've read from the forum that non-EU B permit can only buy property used as main residence.

Currently I have B permit, and C permit can be expected in one year(from third country). This month we found a house in the same Kanton, but I don't plan to move in immediately after the whole buying process is done. Would like to stay in the current rented house for a few more years.

In this case,

1. am I allowed to buy the property legally?

2. If yes, do I have to register myself there?

3. What if I plan to renovate the house?

4. Can I rent it out before I get C permit? Otherwise I have to leave it empty for one year.

2
  1. No, it has to be your main property so you must live in it.

The rest of your questions are irrelevant because of that.

3
Point 3 is your only option. AFAIK this is a valid possibility.

4
but what if we need to do some renovation?

5
Renovations could be acceptable but not for several years, I ́d reckon.

6
only for one year, then i will have C permit.

7

Would probably depend on how extensive the renovations are. If they make the house inhabitable maybe. If they’re just minor changes then no.

8
Don't bother buying anything without a C permit, if you are not going to live in it. Your life will be complicated. Even at the notary, before signing for buying, the notary will ask for your confirmation that you will change your residence address to the new location.

9
I've done exactly this - bought a house while having a B permit, and lived in a rented house for 10 more years after that, mostly because reconstruction of my house exceeded the initial budget 3 times, and I had number of court cases with construction companies, before could move in.

No single question asked by authorities though, for all 10 years.

I think the requirement to live in the property you own, is mostly coming from the bank that gives you mortgage - they kept bugging me all 10 years, threatening to cancel the mortgage, even though always paid in time and presenting no additional risks for the bank.

10
What happens if you are on a B permit, buy something, live on it, but then leave Switzerland indefinitely, before getting a C-permit?

Can you rent the apartment, or are you forced to sell it?

11
In the first place, it depends on your mortgage. No Swiss bank will keep the mortgage with non-residents.

If there is no mortgage, it may be decided on case by case basis.

12
change the address first, and then change back again

13
According to this: https://www.ch.ch/en/housing/homeown...-a-foreign-na/

As a non-EU B holder, you need to get approval to buy home that you will not live in and it cannot be rented out. (but it doesn't say it's impossible)

14
did you change your address immediately to the newly bought house after the buying process was done? or when did you change your address finally?

15
No, I haven't changed the address when bought the property. Neither notariate nor the bank giving the mortgage raised this question. The mortgage contract stated that I must use the house for myself only (meaning I am not allowed to let it), but not that I have to live in it.

During these 10 years of reconstruction, I moved twice between the rented houses, and that raised no questions either.

Finally, when the construction was completed, I moved to this own house and changed my address to it.

16
Thanks. But as long as you have C permit later, should be no problem.

17
If you look at other threads, you will see: With C permit, you are "like" Swiss, you can buy whatever you want. It also allows you to create your own business (with non-EU B you need a permission from the commune) and many other benefits.

18
C permit is tied to your local town, not your Kanton.

Double check the local rules for your town because we needed to live in our town for 5 years to apply for C. Even moving to the next town would have re-set the clock and we would not have been able to get the C permit.

And no, basically the rules prevent you from renting it out if you are on a B permit. So basically you are 'speculating' and it could get extraordinarliy expensive if anything changes and you cannot live in it or rent it out.

What if you lose your job and have to leave Switzerland ? I think you would have to sell the property.

19
Naturization is tied to local town, not C, I suppose. Years on uninterrupted B in whole CH should be counted while apply for C. Please confirm if I'm wrong.

20
IIRC, C is tied to canton, and the clock is reset if you change the canton.