Giving notice and handing over your apartment
You’ve secured your new apartment. Now it’s time to move out of the old one. Three steps take you from giving notice through the move to handing over the apartment. Comparis shows you which deadlines apply and what to watch out for.
Where are you right now?
Choose the starting point that matches your situation.
Step 1: Give notice on your old apartment
For apartments, the notice period is at least three months. Your rental contract sets the termination dates. If it doesn’t, the customary local termination dates apply. If you want to move out before the termination date, propose a solvent replacement tenant whom the landlord cannot reasonably refuse.
How to make sure your notice arrives on time
Give notice in writing, signed by all tenants. For a family home, your spouse or registered partner must also expressly consent. Your notice must arrive by the day before the notice period begins, so send it by registered post a few days earlier.
Step 2: Organise your move and change your address
First, decide: will you move yourself or hire a removal company? Work out what your move will cost with the moving costs calculator. After the move, deregister with your old municipality and register with the new one, usually within 8 to 14 days depending on the canton. The Comparis moving guides cover everything from planning and moving day to re-registering.
Leave your move to the professionals
With the Comparis removal service, you receive up to five quotes from removal companies free of charge and without obligation, and choose the offer that suits you.
Check internet availability at your new address
Check which providers are available at your new address. Some providers charge a processing fee when you move, others don’t.
Step 3: Hand over your old apartment and reclaim your deposit
Clean the apartment thoroughly before the handover and only sign what is accurate in the handover report. The bank releases the rental deposit once both parties agree. If the landlord does not take legal action to assert a claim within one year of the tenancy ending, you can request the payout on your own.
Hire a company for the end-of-tenancy cleaning
Allow at least two days if you clean yourself. A cleaning company takes the work off your hands. Agree on a handover guarantee: the company will then clean again free of charge if the landlord finds fault at the handover inspection.
Frequently asked questions about giving notice and moving
No later than the day before the notice period begins. With three months’ notice, if you give notice for the end of September, it must arrive by 30 June. What counts is receipt, not the postmark. A registered letter is deemed received as soon as it can be collected at the post office counter, usually the day after the collection notice is left in your letterbox. Swiss Post’s seven-day collection period does not extend the deadline. If your notice arrives too late, it only takes effect on the next termination date.
Yes. Employees are entitled to the customary hours and days off, and in practice this includes moving home. The law does not say how long. One to two days is customary. Whether you are paid for the time depends on how your pay is structured and on your employment contract. Find out more in the guide Moving days in Switzerland.
There is no fixed deadline for repayment. The bank pays out the deposit once you and the landlord agree. If the landlord does not take legal action to assert a claim within one year of the end of the tenancy, you can request the payout on your own. The article Reclaiming your rental deposit explains how to proceed.
Next stage: your rights and duties as a tenant
Is something broken, does the rent no longer seem right, or are you in a dispute with the neighbours? Comparis shows you what tenancy law says.