We’ve been communicating with the sellers of the place we’re buying regarding transfering of accounts, services etc and whether we wanted any furniture. We have most things we needed, but asked for a few items and for it to be generally clear. Then they asked if wanted the kitchen to stay… is it normal for people to take kitchens with them?
It’s not a criticism, and they’ve agreed to leave it, just somewhat surprising and not something we’d not thought about!
No, but it happens in Germany, so maybe the sellers are German?
Is it in canton Geneva?
It’s not the norm in Switzerland to sell or rent properties without a fitted kitchen but Geneva is the exception. Places come without kitchens in Geneva.
Even in rented flats??
It’s in canton Vaud and sellers are Swiss. It was probably something lost in translation, just checking that it’s not the norm.
Yes, rental flats in Geneva don’t normally have a kitchen unless you come to an arrangement with the previous tenant or owner.
This is what often happens I think as it doesn’t really make sense to rip out a fitted kitchen when you move.
You get the kitchen too when you buy or rent in the Swiss-German cantons…but honestly…consider it a huge opportunity and say “No”!!
It sure doesn’t. When I see how in some of the flats here tenants come and go rather quickly, it would be sheer madness to have such a system.
If you’re buying, I’d agree. Otherwise not.
It’s a totally ridiculous idea in my opinion.
We couldn’t believe it when we moved to Germany and had to buy our own kitchen.
We sold it to the incoming tenants when we left as we were moving to Belgium which is civilised and provides kitchens in rental properties.
I don’t think it is that common in Geneva. When I rented there there was no discussion about the kitchen, the stuff was just there. That was over 30 years ago so YMMV.
Yes and no. In very old buildings, it’s quite common to find kitchens without any appliances, and sometimes even without cabinets. The only feature you may find is the range hood (hotte d’air). These types of apartments are often located in older neighborhoods such as Servettes, Eau-Vives near the lake, Florissant near Krieg, Malagnou near Contamines, St-Gervais, Pt-Saconnex, Vermont, Grottes, Grenus, behind Manor aka la Placette, Vieille-Ville/Rôtisserie/Madeleine (around Confédération Centre), Molard, around Globus aka Le Grand-Passage, parts of the city of Carouge near Les Acacias, and the city of Lancy (especially Pt-Lancy). The kitchens in these apartments are referred to as “cuisine non agencée” and I would generally advise avoiding them.
Most newer constructions, however, include cabinets, a sink, and a range hood. They typically provide three slots where you can install your own stove, dishwasher, and fridge. These are commonly known as “cuisine agencée non équipée”
A third option, less common, is the “appartement de standing” which comes with a fully equipped kitchen, also known as “cuisine agencée entièrement équipée.” You can find such apartments in newly built buildings less than 30-40 years old.
A fourth type “appartement de standing entièrement équipé” includes a fully equipped kitchen as well as a washer and dryer, typically located in a small closet or sometimes in the bathroom. You can find these luxury apartments around Parc de l’Ariana near international organizations and consulates (US, Russia, Germany…), in La Praille, parts of Carouge, Gd-Saconnex, … which cater to diplomats and high-ranking executives.
As far as I know, Geneva doesn’t have large gated upscale condos like those you see in the States (1717 Evanston, The Rotonda, Watergate…). However, there is a newly built gated housing complex in Veyrier featuring a security gate at the entrance. Unlike those in the States, there are no guards on duty, it’s a fully automated system.
45 years ago our brand-new flat in Geneva came with a sink and a couple of cupboards. Stove, fridge, freezer, etc. we had to provide ourselves and this was considered completely normal for Geneva. When we moved to another new flat twelve years later it was basically the same story, a sink plus a few more cupboards but nothing else. This has slowly changed and apparently in higher rent units it’s now usual to find fitted ovens, stove tops, 'fridges, etc. But not always…
Both times we moved we took the stove, ,fridge-freezer, and extra cupboards we’d fitted with us, those cupboards are now in their third kitchen and looking good, hurrah for IKEA!
But why is Geneva so different from the rest of the country? I think that they also count the rooms differently, right? 2.5 would be 3.5 in the other cantons?
They are one of the more recent Cantons (1815) and traditions die hard.
But thank you for this thread. After 40 years I finally know what “standing” means. I thought it meant higher quality.
yes. its a scatter brain idea by the Krauts.