Balcony privacy screen 'light'

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Dear All,

I am considering installing a balcony privacy shield for my apartment.

This is an own apartment in a condominium.

I don't need to do any modifications to the outside walls or the railing whatsoever - I am happy to go for string-attached sheet fabric or something of that sort.

I know that there is a general rule whereby any modification relying on permanent attachment, i. e. welding, bolting or nailing would require approval by the managing organization, but I don't need to do any of that.

I should be safe, right? Or not?

The thing is, I am nearly sure that there will be neighbours whose highly evolved sense of style will be offended by my privacy screen, and who will complain (normally it's the same people who leave their dirty shoes on on the staircase and clog the parking lot with their winter tyres).

What can I say in my defence when / if they will be trying to block my plan? Did anyone perhaps have experience with exactly this kind of situation?

Thanks!

2
Accidentally deleted this post, sorry.

Please see below.

3
Got a photo of what it is?

Tom

4
Maybe contact your landlord to ask if it's okay to put one up. That way, it doesn't really matter what the neighbors think of it. But I'd go with a neutral color that matches the building. Nothing too obnoxious.

But if it is a fabric one, keep in mind that that thing is going to act like a sail when it's windy.

And if your landlord doesn't want you to put one up, maybe you could create a privacy screen with plants instead? That's what I've done on one part of our "sitzplatz" with potted fargesia bamboo, which is evergreen.

5
yes. Thats fine. No worries.

6
I think I wrote very clearly in the very beginning (line 2) that this an own apartment? Yet most of the stuff you wrote is about "landlord"... Oh well, thanks anyway.

"Small sail" is a good point though. I've been thinking about this. But there are so many products on the market ( a quick search on galaxus.ch will turn up dozens of results), that I am assuming it must be safe.

7
Thanks! Did you mean that I can just go ahead without asking anyone, including the 'council of owners'? And what if contrary to expectation they do object, what would you recommend as my response to them?

8

Yes, something along these lines

https://www.amazon.com/DOEWORKS-Balc…375890&sr=8-10

Not more than 1 meter high, just to cover the railings.

9
Like I wrote (line 2), this is my own apartment, so there is no landlord. It's also a brand new building, so no one has anything installed on their terraces / balconies yet. I thank you for sharing this bit of common sense advice, but I am mainly interested about "legal" side of things: that is, if my screen is not permanently attached and does not require building modification, does the managing organization or the council of owners have any legal grounds for not allowing me to install it out of purely aesthetic reasons? This is the information I am after.

10
I apologize. I had forgotten that you mentioned that your place is owned. (I'm so sleep-deprived today).

From what I've seen in your most recent post, I would think that something like that should be just fine (and especially since you own your apartment). I've seen many people use those, and I think they actually look quite nice.

11

I had the same problem and installed one of those bamboo screens from migros. Its 1m x 2m and it covers the whole balcony. Never had a problem. Some neighbors also have the same thing. I rent my apartment.

https://www.doitgarden.ch/fr/p/63112…u-300-x-100-cm

12
Yes, I did read that, but wasn't sure whether you'd meant "owned" by you, or had meant "separate", as in: for your own use, distinguishing it from, say, shared accommodation.

Yes, I understand. That's why I wrote, above: If you own this apartment, have a look in the building's rules. The many owners in a condominium are legally bound by those rules. They will either be specified in your owner's documents, or else they will be governed by the committee of owners, or by the caretaking agency to which your complex has delegated such tasks as maintaining the grounds and any shared areas. Such an agency will effectively have much the same role as a caretaker who, in a rented apartment, represents the landlord, so the advice of Pancakes applies, by analogy.

13
Go ahead and do it. As long as its not an "unsightly" thing then it should be no problem. Bamboo is good.

But don't you have a sun blind on your balcony?

14
Does your building have a Gestaltungsplan?

This is what governs the exteriors of the houses in our Quartier. Despite the fact that these are separate houses not flats, and they are owned not rented, there is still a fair amount of restriction. Many neighborhoods or buildings have these, as a way to ensure that no one does something that might upset the neighbors or - more importantly - detract from property value. These are usually established when the building or neighborhood is built.

Our Gestaltungsplan is stricter than Gemeinde building regulations, btw.

So - ask your building Verwaltung if a Gestaltungsplan exists, and if so, get a copy to see for yourself if there is anything forbidding structures on your balcony.

If there isn't a Gestaltungsplan, or if the plan does not forbid balcony installations, you are likely good to go. But it's still a good idea to get an OK from the building Verwaltung.

---

Sometimes something that is forbidden by the Gestaltungsplan can still be done, if one obtains consent of affected neighbors. Another possibility to look into. Around here, when one owner wants to do something that might be governed by the Gestaltungsplan one sends a letter to the neighbors with a picture/Skizze of the work, and asks for a sign-off.

---

IME, using better materials, even if more permanent mounting is needed, is often more effective in getting neighbors onside with what you want to do. Everyone wants the building to look nice from the outside.

---

If you think direct neighbors are going to be a pain over this, were it me I'd go with plants as a natural privacy screen. Lots of interesting possibilities, from standard evergreens to hanging herb garden to something like an espaliered fruit tree/vine. Beautiful, useful - and wholly on your property so hard to object to.

---

Good luck!

15
Thanks, I guess 'Gestaltungsplan' is the concept I was looking for.

16
Yes, but it's on the window itself. The terrace is completely open to the world right now

17

Thank you, meloncollie. As I understand it, the Gestaltungsplan is a set of rules made by a municipality, or by a cluster of similarly built buildings across a few streets). The govern i.a. the general look and feel of that local area.

On the other hand, in a complex, the set of owners, known collectively as the the Stockwerkeigentümergemeinschaft (collective of owners of a part of a whole) will have adopted rules that govern all the owners of that specific building or set of buildings that make up the complex.

These rules are called the Stockwerkeigentümerreglement and are binding for all owners. If anyone would ever like something different, then a meeting of the collective can be called so owners can vote on a potential change, as long as any such change doesn’t contradict the higher-ranking Gestaltungsplan.

Therefore, both the Gestaltungsplan and the Stockwerkeigentümerreglement must be consulted.

Info in German (if necessary, for parts not translated here, please use deepl or google translate):

Rules
https://hausinfo.ch/de/recht/hauseig…reglement.html

Balcony
https://hausinfo.ch/de/recht/hauseig…um/balkon.html
Miteigentümer und Miteigentümerinnen müssen Massnahmen absegnen
…dürfen Sie den Balkon nicht verändern, wenn der Gesamteindruck der Liegenschaft verändert wird. Wenn Sie zum Beispiel den Balkon verglasen wollen, weil der Wind um die Ecke pfeift, brauchen Sie mehr als das Einverständnis der direkten Nachbarin, des direkten Nachbarn. Die Stockwerkeigentümergemeinschaft muss einverstanden sein, selbst wenn Sie die Kosten bezahlen.

Wenn eine bauliche Massnahme notwendig ist, reicht die Mehrheit der Miteigentümerinnen und -eigentümer.

Nützliche Massnahmen brauchen ein qualifiziertes Mehr (Mehrheit der Miteigentümerinnen und -eigentümer und Mehrheit aller Wertquoten) und luxuriöse Massnahmen Einstimmigkeit. Ausser, das Stockwerkeigentümerreglement schreibt etwas anderes vor.
Ob eine Balkonverglasung nützlich oder luxuriös ist, muss die Gemeinschaft entscheiden. Reden Sie zuerst mit allen Miteigentümerinnen und -eigentümern, bevor Sie eine Sichtschutzwand oder eine Parabolantenne installieren. Co-owners must approve measures
…, you may not change the balcony if the overall impression of the property is changed. For example, if you want to glaze the balcony because the wind is whistling around the corner, you need more than the consent of the immediate neighbour. The condominium owners’ association must agree, even if you pay the costs.

If a structural measure is necessary, a majority of the co-owners is sufficient. Useful measures require a qualified majority (majority of the co-owners and majority of all value quotas) and luxurious measures unanimity. Unless the condominium regulations stipulate otherwise.

Whether balcony glazing is useful or luxurious must be decided by the community. Talk to all co-owners first before installing a privacy screen or a satellite dish.

18
A photo would help.

19
since it is a 1 meter screen attached to the railing and additionally you are the owner I fail to see any issue with this. bamboo or plants or fake leaves are more easily accepted in general. Everyone will be doing this I expect, with a see-through rail everyone can see your stuff and if you go outside in your underpants.

20
just an intermezzo: "Gestaltungsplan" is just an instrument, somewhere between the "Zonenplan" and "Baubewilingung". It is mostly used with bigger investment. It can be proposed by investors or asked by municipality, it moves part of the (public) discussion into an earlier phase. I wouldn't say it is very

This will be more or less the same as Doropfiz has wrote, general rules regarding screening balconies, what is not allowed:

- changing the general appearance of the house

- changing building parts of the house

- endanger the neighbours and their property (btw you can smoke and make a barbecue

What you can do:

- use a screen that is more or less in the colour of the facade

- do it on the inside of the existing railing

- it should be a temporary fix (use screws or wires, not glue, cement or fixed bolts)

- do it in a such way that it doesn't endanger the neighbours and their property. Keeping it on the level of the existing railing is a good idea