Moving House … in Switzerland
Moving in Switzerland can be a costly and exhausting business. However, a bit of planning goes a long way and can save you both money and time (as well as your sanity!). Giving notice in the correct way (it must be registered – even if your landlord lives next-door!) and at the correct time (normally 90 days in advance and at particular time points), for example, is one of the features of Swiss life.
Prepare For Your Move As Early As You Can
There are many issues to deal with but the top tip is to plan and start preparing as early as you can in advance. Some further tips below:
1. If you are living in rented accommodation before anything else you should read your contract. In the contract you will learn about special things you need to do for your property, the agreed notice period as well as any particular clauses or conditions (like equipment you may need to service).
2. Book reliable movers / packers as soon as you can. The best get booked up – so don’t delay!
3. Book a professional end of contract cleaner – cleaning in Switzerland is a specialist task and although it’s expensive it’s something you can’t afford to scrimp on! Make sure that they will be present at handover and will give you a guarantee. Don’t even think about doing it yourself – as “Swiss clean” is something else! We used John Shepherd from Diamond Cleaning when we moved and we can highly recommend him
4. Make sure you have Haftpflicht insurance to cover any incidental damage you may have incurred to the property during your stay. Contact your insurance broker for more information.
5. Join the Mieterverband or at least engage the services of one of their representatives for the handover.
6. Start clearing out as soon as possible – buy plenty of rubbish sacks / rubbish stickers so that you can clear out to your heart’s content – and get to know all the locations and opening hours of the recycling centres in your area.
7. Don’t forget the garden! Failure to keep your garden spic and span when you leave could result in a hefty fine or worse! Why not ask Select Garten and their excellent team to give you a hand?
8. It’s often helpful to pack stuff you want to keep in cardboard boxes before the movers arrive. You can get hold of used cardboard boxes on many Yahoo expat sites for free and you can start stacking the boxes in your cellar, spare room or garage in advance. However, be aware that your official movers may insist on repacking these boxes into their own branded boxes and sealing them themselves when you do actually move for insurance purposes.
Whether your next move is within Switzerland, back home or to a new location entirely take a look at our Check List below and if you can create an “end back plan”, planning all the things you need to do to complete your move working from the end date backwards. Place it in the kitchen or somewhere central and check it regularly to keep yourself on track.
At a Glance Moving Check List
| Cancellation lease house/garages | By registered letter (EINSCHREIBEN) to arrive by last working day before cancellation period starts, signed by all on contract | |
| Get quotes for packers | Get 2 or 3 quotes | |
| Get quotes for cleaners | Get 2 or 3 quotes and make sure they give a ‘guarantee’ | |
| De-register at Gemeinde | Get Abmeldebestätigung for adults. Take passport & Ausweis with you. | |
| Cancel electricity | Also water & gas if applicable | |
| Cancel Telephone / TV / Internet & Mobile Phones | Enclose Abmeldebestätigung | |
| Cancel GA or yearly passes | Enclose Abmeldebestätigung & get refund | |
| Cancel Bank Account & bank cards | In writing or in person . (Keep one open for deposit) | |
| Cancel Serafe (TV & Radio Licence) | Online | |
| Cancel Insurance Policies | Except for Haftpflichtversicherung, Third Party insurance (until after Handover) | |
| Cancel / Change address of any subscriptions | In writing | |
| Arrange handover date | With Agent / Landlord | |
| Organize Packers | Keep your Passports & ‘Luggage to Travel With You’ separate from goods to be packed | |
| Take photos of item you want to sell (inclu. Cars) & advertise online | Facebook groups, expat websites, www.ricardo.ch | |
| Donate unwanted goods to charity, Brockies & take broken, unsaleable items to Recycling Centres | Contact Brockies in your area & visit your local Recycling Centre or ‘Clothing Banks’ etc | |
| Cancel Memberships of Gym, Golf, Tennis clubs | In writing & in accordance with contract. Need to show Abmeldebestätigung for refunds | |
| Cancel Coop Supercard | In writing: Coop Supercard,Konsumentendienst, Postfach, 2501 Biel, | |
| Cancel Migros Cumulus Card | Online |
| Cancel any other store cards | Most can be done online | |
| Book hotel / accommodation for final nights | Stay local & ask for recommendations | |
| Organize Leaving Do | Get kids involved to help you plan. Pin a copy of this list in the kitchen and tick off as you go along | |
| Have all the keys ready | Make sure all have been found or replacements ordered from Landlord | |
| Forward Post at Post Office | & Inform your friends & family of new address | |
| Send Number plate back | Strassenverkehrsamt or Main Post Offices e.g. Meilen & Uster. Car tax rebate | |
| Handover | Be present or give Power of Attorney |
Cleaning Company Recommendation
Diamond Cleaning
Contact: John Shepherd, www.DiamondCleaningCH.com
Tel: 07747 190 40 OR 04453 602 17
Visit Diamond Cleaning website here
Tenants Association Which Provides Advice and Help
Mieterverband Zurich
Address: Tellstrasse 31, 8004 Zürich
Movers – Do you know a good one?
We are unable to recommend the movers we used – but if you have a moving company you could recommend please write in the comments box below! We’d love to hear from you!
Useful Suppliers
Hairdresser – Hairstyling Glow – Dorfstrasse 66, 8126 Zumikon – 043 811 94 34
Hairdresser – Caroline Rohwer – Eidmattstrasse 20, 8032 Zurich – 044 380 2905
Dentist – Dr Marina Thomas, Seestrasse 67, 8002 Zurich – 044 202 2041
Restaurant Falken, Dorfstrasse 22, 8700 Küsnacht – 044 910 66 88
Café, Bakery, Chocolate – Honold www.Honold.ch Küsnacht, Herrliberg, Rennweg Zurich
GYM – Fit In Egg, Gewerbestrasse 13, 8132 Egg – 043 244 55 50
TechSpark, Courses – www.techsparkacademy.ch– 076 736 9009
SportShop TimeOut – www.sportshop-timeout.ch Pfäffikerstrasse3 0, 8610 Uster – 044 942 06 16
NewInZurich runs talks on moving house in Zurich. Email here to request further information.
You might find this useful too:
What to write in a Termination Letter to Your Landlord:
Example of A Termination Letter:
<Name>
<Address>
<Date>
Kündigung
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
In Bezug auf unseren Vertrag möchte ich hiermit meine Kündigung einreichen. Ich werde am Ende <month> <year> aus der oben gen-annten Wohnung ausziehen.
Ich bitte um eine schriftliche Bestätigung des Erhaltens dieses Schreibens.
Mit freundlichen Grüssen,
<signature>
Which basically means;
In accordance with our contact I hereby submit my notice of leaving. I will leave the above address at the end of <month> <year>.
I request a written notification of this letter.
You need post it registered. To do this you write EINSCHREIBEN writ-ten in block letters on the top of the envelope as otherwise your land-lord could very well argue they have never received your notice letter.
Moving On Booklet To Print or Download
You can also see and download our Moving Booklet – see below:
===>>> NIZ Moving On Booklet 2022
We hope this will give you a lot of tips to help you with a Stress Free Move.
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