For 10 years or so Switzerland has been a landlords' market, with Geneva the most iextreme case. You're far from the only one who came, the ultra tight housing market is one of the effects caused by the many immigrants.
If you were apartment hunting in New York city and in just about every case one of a hundred acceptable candidates, what would "American customer service" you'd get look like? Would regies provide the kind of service you seem to expect? I definitely don't think so.
okok
Thank God my parents dealt with NYC apartment hunting when I was a child.
I was fortunate enough to rent in less frantic places like Miami, Charlotte and Washington, DC. So don't recall any unpleasant experience, or feeling it was a jungle and like I would never get an apartment. that's what I am referring to.
as for customer service, bad can happen anywhere.
You do not get charged if you apply for an apartment, then later decline if they offer it to you.
From what I've understood, you get charged if they offer it to you, you say yes, they go ahead with the paperwork and then you decline.
Oh yes they do, on the slim chance some suckers would pay, it's written on the form after all... But all locals know about TG case
Unless you said "yes" by email or they (illegally) recorded you on the phone, they have no proof of your yes and so there's exactly zero difference to the first situation you describe