I hope this message finds you all well. I wanted to share my recent experience with renting an apartment in a renovated old house, hoping to find some advice or insights from those who might have faced similar situations.
A month ago, I moved into a newly renovated apartment in a charming old house. We were excited about the prospect of living in a beautifully restored space, especially since we had the opportunity to view the apartment when it was nearly complete, although some finishing touches were pending. We were provided with a detailed dossier outlining what we could expect from the apartment, which, at that point, seemed to match our needs and preferences.
However, since moving in, we've encountered a series of discrepancies between the promised features in the dossier and the actual amenities provided. For instance, the dossier mentioned an induction hob in the kitchen, which was particularly exciting for us since we were accustomed to using one in our previous home. To our surprise, we found a ceramic hob instead. While this might seem like a minor detail, it was an important convenience we were looking forward to.
Additionally, the dossier mentioned the inclusion of old-style wooden shutters for the windows, which we expected to provide much-needed darkness during the night. However, it now appears that there will be no blinds or shutters, leaving us struggling to manage light intrusion during nighttime hours.
The most recent frustration came when I went to use the laundry facilities in the basement. To my surprise, there was a timetable affixed, dictating when the laundry could be used. This came as a shock since the dossier clearly stated that the washing machine in the basement was for our exclusive use, and there was no prior consultation regarding these restrictions. The days allocated for laundry are inconvenient for me, and I am puzzled by the inclusion of apartments on the upper floors in this timetable, as they have their own laundry facilities.
Adding to my frustration is the response from the administrator. When we raised concerns about the induction hob, we were told that we had no grounds for complaint. For the blinds, they claimed to be seeking clarification from the owners. As for the laundry situation, I recently sent an email seeking a resolution, but I am unsure about my rights in this situation.
The dossier is labeled as non-binding in the contract, but it's disheartening to feel like we're renting the apartment under false pretenses, especially after seeing the apartment before completion and relying on the provided information.
I'm reaching out to the EnglishForum community to see if anyone has faced similar situations or might be able to provide guidance on what steps I could take. I truly believed that the Swiss rental process would uphold high standards of transparency and fairness, and I'm struggling with the current situation.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.