Can anyone with experience please advice me on what the deposit situation is like on serviced apartments?
I have found a nice apartment that I am keen to rent short term, but was a little put off when told...
" deposit will be transferred to our normal business account since it would take to long to get back the amount of a „Mietkautionskonto“ (we have rather a lot of tenants who are leaving Switzerland after their moving-out and who don’t want to wait for a very long time)."
When we moved into our new flat - we dug around the paperwork until we finally found the account details. The company originally wanted us to transfer to them - and they then into the account.
The Service apartment that I am staying at do not require deposit at all. Out of the three in Zurich that I looked at all do not require deposit but the first month rent must be guarantee by a credit card.
i once put deposit into the LL's own account and then he transferred it into a mietcaution. i guess it doesn't really matter, but they should be in a mietcaution account.
from a LL's point of view, i guess it's a bit of a pain in the ass to setup.
When my husband and I moved for him to start work in Lausanne, we rented a temporary furnished apt for the first period. More expensive, but less hassle, we thought (they essentially just wanted you to sign and pay). We thought we'd stay there three months while we looked for a permanent place.
We saw and paid for an apartment in downtown Lausanne near the desirable Delice metro stop (and paid for 2 months in advance plus a deposit--but not into a special deposit account). Then, three days before arriving we called them to ask how to get our key and they said that there was "problems with the water" and they were giving us an apt in the grim suburb of Renens instead --for the same price. Then, a week later we were strolling along the street near that original apt at night and all the lights were on and someone was having a party; they'd actually rented it to someone else. We spent months and months fighting it out with the help of ASLOCA, and the lawyers there said that they see these problems ALL THE TIME.
What is the point of this story? That a short-termed furnished could seem like a good idea, but you even have to be careful with that. Furnished apts are the wild, wild west of an already under-regulated housing market in Switzerland.
If we had it to do all over again, we would have just showed up and gotten the least expensive hotel/bed and breakfast room possible and hunt for an apt. from there. And, geez in some cases a hotel would be cheaper than what some of these guys are charging for furnished apts.
Hmmmm.....I'm a little worried now! These are the exact reasons I was looking at serviced apartments! I was told by the company that the deposit (one months rent) + the 1st months rent are due when I move in, so I wouldn't need to pre-pay.
Does this make the situation any better, or should I just avoid and try and find something else...?
Since you have not named the building, I cannot comment on the specifics of your situation but I can tell you that I deal with a building in Baden where the deposits are paid into the company's account and there has never been a problem with the return of the deposit to any of my clients. It seems furnished apartments can and do treat the deposit differently than unfurnished places, particularly since the stay is generally short term.
Yes, we did sign a contract--for the first place. Then, on the day we arrived, the gerance came by the second (bait and switch) apt and tried to strongarm us into signing a contract on that place for the same price, which we refused to do until we spoke to an expert. At the advise of ASLOCA, we sent registered letters and didn't pay until they agreed to a more reasonable rent amount (they were trying to get us to pay $2700 for a dumpy furnished one bedroom in Renens). But in the meantime, they made threatening phone calls to my husband's human resources dept., which apparently isn't illegal in Switzerland (that's what Asloca said), and they also would enter our apartment while we were gone and leave the dining room light on, I guess as a message (that is illegal but hard to prove, when we called the cops they said it was a civil matter!).
Anyway, they ultimately did lower the rent a bunch. But they returned our deposit 4 months after we moved out, and only after a barrage of registered demand letters.
To be safe here the deposit should be in an account with your name on it . The administration is not very much, the agency write to the bank asking for a "protected rental account" in your name. You go and pay the money in and show the receipt to the agency.
At the end of the rental they write to the bank and tell them to free up your account. You collect your money. This way you are protected, and get a very small interest on the sum.
As a tenant, can I insist on this? I'd happily take the apartment (A) if there was no deposit, and I could pay the rent after receiving the keys, i.e. on day one, or (B) the deposit was safeguarded.
But I'm assuming from what they've already said that they don't want a safeguarded deposit for various other reasons...
Thanks for the advice everyone, I contacted the company today and turned down the offer. Last thing I want is to lose a tonne of money as I start in Zurich!
Reviving the thread as I am currently in the same situation.
Is there someone here who has had experience with paying the deposit to the AAS apartment service company in Zurich? If so I would be most grateful if you could PM me and share your experience with the deposit return (has it been returned promptly? Were the deductions made reasonable and justified?)
Old thread I know, but I stumbled upon it because I use the same agency.
It is customary in Switzerland, almost mandatory, that a deposit is paid for rentals (up to three months rent). However, do not allow yourself to get bullied by the landlords and agents. DO NOT place a deposit into the landlord's account, under no circumstances. If the landlord rejects your application on that basis, you have recourse via the local rental arbitration authority.
Better still, agree to pay the deposit, then go to your local bank and deposit the funds into a Mietkaution account. The bank holds these in escrow until the rental agreement terminates (and you earn interest). The bank will issue you with a document that you hand to your landlord. If there is a dispute during the rental period, the money cannot be touched by either party until the bank is notified in writing by both parties or a court.
Alternately you can buy a Mietkaution insurance which involves paying a premium of a few hundred francs a year. Both deposit and insurance options must be accepted by landlords, by law.
Which brings me to the next point. I would highly recommend joining the local Mieterverband (tenant association). Premiums are less than CHF50 a year, and they provide a LOT of assistance on all things related to rentals, even a letter writing service and legal advice. They will also be present, on request, on moving days to help you with the Protokoll. Most of their literature is also available in english.