Lease take-over - any reliable agencies available in the Geneva region?

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
I have to move out of my apartment in Geneva to start a new job in Germany on the 1st of November. Highly unluckily my lease has the next quitting point at the end of March 2020, so I have 5-months worth of rent as "skin in the game", which is more than a lot.

I'm advertising on anibis, tutti, in the UN and in other local companies and even went around cold-calling the receptions of some of the big watchmakers in the district (Plan-les-Ouates, where we have players like Patek Philippe or Rolex with huge sites present), but so far no luck with getting any traction.

A couple of agents approached with a "success fee only" model and also have an offer from a relocation company for a fairly reasonable price (400CHF) to start hunting for potential tenants.

Does anyone have any experience (good or bad!) with any of the agents in the region? Any recommendations on how to get some momentum? I don't mind paying some success fees to an agent if s/he truly gets me a solvent candidate, but I'm just concerned about being ripped off for not knowing enough of the game.

Maybe it's a bit lame, but being brand new here I would risk the question: where can I advertise the apartment here, on EF?

Thanks a lot for all the help in advance!

2
In addition, you could advertise on WRS classifieds, glocals, for free, and perhaps GHI and homegate and immostreet (for a fee).

Unless it is at the expensive end of the spectrum or a complete dump with problems you should have no problems finding a replacement tenent in Geneva given the low availability of housing.

3

Thank you for the tips, I've uploaded it to glocals and will now have a look into WRS and the others you've mentioned.

I'm not sure if it's at the expensive end (3730CHF/month for everything, including rent, charges & underground parking in Plan-les-Ouates), but it certainly is free of problems (we had the preliminary "etat des lieux" with no remarks) - the only issue is there's hardly anybody interested to see how nice it is

4
Is this a new job or a transfer? (Timings seem very short for a new job)

I know with my company that people who are being transferred get financial assistance with notice periods of their places.

5

It is a new job and the financial help would not cover this, unfortunately, only the direct relocation costs, such as move or insurance etc.

The ads have been running for a while, I posted them in the second half of September and was expecting a lot of attention, given how hard it was for us to find it just 1,5 years ago.

This is why I am questioning what could I be doing wrong or not doing what I should?

Agents are one idea as I have been approached by 2 already, but not having any relevant experience and a counter-recommendation from my previous relocation agent, I was hesitant to engage.

If someone had good experiences here, I would be grateful for hints on who could be a good agent.

Thanks a lot

6
Maybe your ads are crap?

Good quality pictures? Floor plan? Useful information in correct French and English?

Could you send me a link by PM?

7
did you try newhome? i can remember that is for free and will also make it listed on comparis. also try this forum.

8

Thank you for having a look, I have just sent you a PM with the links - could be crap, I am no master here, so all comments are more than welcome!

Thank you, I've just posted on newhome and hope to get it approved soon - and I could not figure out this forum so far, when going for what I believe to be the right links, I end up on TheLocal, which may just be the right landing point, but maybe not?

9
I have to say it is little bit above the demand price point of 2500 /- . you can also advertise it in CERN marketplace

10
Not total crap, has a floorplan which is a plus, certainly seen much worse, has some room for improvement.

I would remove the part about the dossier.

Not much time at hand but more thorough critique will follow.

In mean time please read:

https://www.englishforum.ch/housing-...achmieter.html

https://www.renthop.com/blog/2017/07...our-apartment/

PS: You might also advertise on homegate.ch and immoscout.ch

11

Thanks a lot for the help, just removed the part about the dossier as that's a quick & easy fix and look forward to the rest of the advice!

12
Just found out that the Regie has also put up and advertisement for the apartment, but with higher charges for heating/hot water (not 160 as for me, but 190) and they also claimed in an e-mail that I cannot give back the keys before a new tenant SIGNS a contract.

Is that true? I was having the impression that it's enough to present one solvent tenant, which they (or more likely the landlord) are free to refuse, but I'm still free to go.

I have also read somewhere on this forum that if they advertise with a different pricing that doesn't qualify as lease takeover, in which case I could also be freed - what needs to be true for this to happen?

Thank you all!

13

Thanks a lot for the hint, just published it there, too!

I also realise that with current market conditions it's priced higher than what it should be, but I have no other choice than to live with this and try to make the best out of this current situation.

14
In theory they must offer the contract with the very same conditions as yours. Regarding the increased monthly auxiliary charges this might still be the "same" or not the same conditions.

1) It is the "same" when the auxiliary are just a pre-payment with a complete annual break down with refund/reminder payment. I write "same" as by the pure letter it is not really the same, but a court might rule that it is still the "same" as it only affect the final annual bill and such a change of the annual auxiliary charge pre-payment is o.k.

2) It is not the same if the auxiliary charges are a lump sum, all inclusive payment and there is no annual breakdown.

Be aware, even if they advertise the apartment with different conditions, even increased rent, that does not mean that a replacement tenant presented by you will not get the apartment for the better conditions. Thus, the advertisement alone is no proof that they would refuse a true replacement which has a contract with the very same condition as you.

You only know if you actually present a replacement and they do not get the same conditions or if you get in contact with the agency and ask them if the conditions stated in the ad also apply to replacement tenants you found.

Regarding, handing over apartment/giving back the keys. In theory you can vacate the apartment, do the handover, and give back the keys any time. Never the less you are still liable for the rent owned even if you do not use the apartment. Handing back of the keys and being released from the contract are two different things. Or as it is written in the Code of Obligations

Art. 264 Code of Obligations

15
I had a look ad other adverts in the Geneva region.

First of all most of them are good. This makes sticking out of the crowd, in a positive way, a challenging task. It even makes it challenging that your advert is at least a bit over average.

Think about adding the french terms to the floor plans.

Regarding the photos. In general they are good, so it is mostly nitpicking.

Switch on all lights. Turn up the blinds.

Adapt the exposure setting such that the room is bright (applies specially to living room)

Have the cushions neatly lined up.

Try to play and find the best view point. Eye level, a bit above, a bit bellow.

Try to get as much of a room as possible. Instead from the door try to stand in an opposite corner (remove furniture as needed)

Look that the corner of the room is a straight vertical line.

Try to have part of the ceiling in the shot (But floor is more important).

Maybe use the poor's man wide angle: Panorama (be careful as thing can get ugly distorted).

Declutter bathroom, specially remove the baby bath (all other pictures are good in this regard).

Close the lid of the loo and the spin dryer.

If there are spurious only partially visible things, remove them (such as the chair in the kitchen, the yellow thingy in the bedroom).

The two crabs and the octopus? I do not know. The first time I was thinking what? Now, I kind of like them.

On anibis, which has most images, one room is missing.

Remember. Nobody can see what a mess is behind your back.

Description (Note, my understanding of French is limited, did you check with a french speaking friend if all is o.k.? )

In the first sentence I would add size and number of rooms. The first two sentences are the most important ones as they are shown in the search overview. The description on Tutti lacks paragraphs. The description on anibis and glocals are good. I like the Layout heading and the tally up of the charges on glocals. Maybe add that it is not a ground floor apartment.

If the rent is high you might have to think about sweetening the deal. Like a half or full month of free rent (think about what an agent would charge).

16
Define "present"

An application is completely non-binding, applying doesn't mean they'll actually sign the contract. Only the latter counts WRT you being free to go, and the proof thereof lies in either the owner backing out or the applicant actually signing the contract. Because of that it's recommended to present at least three acceptable applicants.

Have them apply through you (they're not obligated, mind) and do keep at least their contact details (it's preferable to copy the application form) so you can ask them back if things don't go your way.

17

Thanks a lot for all the valuable advice, I'll see how much I can implement - some are clearly quick-wins, such as text editing, or retaking a bathroom pic or two, some are challenging as we are in the middle of packing our stuff, so the amount of mess that would need to be "behind me" is getting exponentially bigger with the hour in some places, like the missing office room...

I am very glad that in essence it's not crap, as that's what I had been most afraid of - as time and potential applicant pass by, I began to notice that in the last 18-24 months this has become more of a buyer's market than it had been before and that you guys are pretty much right about the price point being above average, which is the main deterring point (for those who actually come and view it and bother to provide feedback on why they would not apply) - so sweetening the deal seems inevitable.

18
Thanks for the clarification, so it's not presenting (whatever it may mean), but the actual signature that sets me free. Or a confirmed refusal of a solvent one, which I highly doubt I would get, but I also read to be an option.

19
Correct.

Addendum:

You're also free if the new renter doesn't get the identical conditions as you have. It doesn't matter in such a case whether the renter refuses to sign (e.g. because the rent is no longer that attractive) because the owner backed out first.

20
A bit late for a reply but maybe it will help other people.

I had the same issue and I used La Cote Relocation. They are very efficient.

It's the cheapest service if it's kind that you will find here in the Geneva region and the most effective one.

I found someone with my private ad so I didn't had to pay anything but they sent me more than 15 potential candidates in 4 weeks time during the holiday period, which I consider that is an amazing achievement.

They are also very polite.

I recommend 200%.