Rent reduction in the event of defects and disturbances: tips and sample letter
Rent reduction in the event of defects: When and how can you request a rent reduction? Comparis explains – with examples.
30.03.2026
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1. Rent reduction in Switzerland: what is a defect?
Put simply, a defect is everything that prevents you from making «contractual use» of your rental apartment – in other words, everything that affects how you live in the apartment.
This includes, for example, a defective light bulb or even a noisy construction site next door. However, the landlord is not responsible for all defects: tenants must take care of «minor maintenance» are something that tenants have to take care of themselves.
Good to know: in Switzerland, «defects during the rental period» are regulated by the Code of Obligations .
In tenancy law, there are basically three categories of defects:
Minor defect: This is a defect that falls under minor maintenance. You must rectify these yourself. The key factor here is that you can rectify the defect without the help of a specialist.
Moderate defect: The apartment is still habitable, but its suitability for use is reduced. As a guideline, you are restricted in your use of the apartment by at least 5%. Moderately serious defects might include peeling wallpaper or a broken oven.
Serious defect: You can only live in your home to a severely limited extent, or not at all.
2. Rent reduction table for Switzerland: What are the rent reduction %?
There have already been a number of court rulings on rent reductions in the event of defects. The table below shows examples of entitlements to rent reductions.
Further examples of rent reductions due to defects can be found at Swiss Tenant Protection. Important: the entitlement may vary depending on the situation – even for the same defect.
| Category of defect | Description of defects | Rent reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Renovation and conversion in rented apartment buildings | Entire rental building under renovation | 35% |
| Renovation work in the apartment above | 25% | |
| Excessive moisture and water ingress | Leaky windows | 10% |
| Stained ceilings and peeling wallpaper due to water ingress | 10% | |
| Noise immissions | Noise from the butcher’s next door | 20% |
| Disturbed sleep due to noise in the bedroom, presumably coming from the radiator | 15% | |
| Odour immissions | Unpleasant smells from a restaurant, inadequate ventilation system | 20% |
| Sewage odour in the entrance hall, kitchen and WC of a villa for a few days per year | 10% | |
| Inadequate room temperature | Room temperature between 15 and 20 degrees, reduced during the winter months | 20% |
| House uninhabitable due to heating failure | 100% | |
| Construction work in the neighbourhood | Large construction site 40 to 50 metres from the rental apartments with excessive noise and vibrations | 16% |
| Loss of sunlight in multiple rooms due to the new-build | 25% | |
| Removal of facilities | Lift failure (tenants on the 4th floor) | 10% |
| Dishwasher defective | 3% | |
| Quantitative defect | A small adjoining room with windows is removed from a 6-room apartment | 6.5% |
| Cosmetic defects | Repeated vomiting in common areas | 5% |
| Water stains and partially detached wallpaper in several rooms | 8% |
Source: Swiss Tenant Protection
What rent reduction is appropriate depends on the specific defect. If you do not reach an agreement with the landlord on the reduction, you can contact the conciliation authority for tenancy matters.
Good to know: Record all important information regarding the defect. For example, take photos of any damage. A noise diary will also make it easier for you to present the noise emissions to the conciliation authority.
Calculating rent reduction: example for construction noise
A new office building is being built in your immediate vicinity. Construction will take three years. Compressed air drills, freight lifts and other heavy construction machinery are used. The noise significantly exceeds the tolerable level.
In this case, your chances of a rent reduction are good. However, whether there is a rent reduction and how high it is depends on the individual case. In the event of construction work, you can demand a rent reduction in many cases by approximately 10%. However, in individual cases, the arbitration authority may also grant a higher or lower reduction.
3. Rent reduction for defects: When can you request a rent reduction?
The following conditions apply to a rent reduction due to defects: conditions:
The defect in the rented apartment was caused by normal wear and tear or was not caused by you.
The defect is not considered part of minor maintenance. For example, you will have to replace a defective light bulb yourself.
You have informed the landlord of the defect about the defect.
You are entitled to a rent reduction as soon as the landlord or property management company knows about the defect and until it has been remedied. For evidentiary purposes, you should inform the property management company/your landlord by registered letter about the defects.
Good to know: the service life table shows how long rented items should last under normal use.
Other reasons for a rent reduction
You are entitled to a rent reduction not only in the event of defects. You can also request a rent reduction if
the reference interest rate drops by 0.25 percentage points
the initial rent is abusively high
4. Requesting a rent reduction: how do I proceed?
Have you identified a defect? Here’s how to apply for a rent reduction:
Inform your landlord, ideally in writing. Describe the damage as precisely as possible. Ideally, enclose evidence such as photos or a noise log.
Important: Always report moderate and serious defects to the landlord. Otherwise, you may have to pay for any consequential damage (Art. 257g CO). This could be increasingly spreading mould, for example mould.
Has your landlord not fixed the issue? Send a registered letter. Set a deadline, by which the problems must be fixed. Mention that, if the defect is not remedied, you will officially deposit a portion of the rent.
Good to know: According to the Tenants’ Association, the deadline for the professional rectification of the defect must be sufficient – and this depends on the nature and severity of the defect. In addition, there should still be enough time after the deadline to deposit the next month’s rent.
Two weeks notice are usually enough. However, for urgent repairs, you can also set a shorter deadline. These include, for example, a defective lock or a heating system that does not work.
Has your landlord not yet responded? Then you may deposit your rent with a third party. This means that future rent payments will be transferred to an account held by the conciliation authority.
To do this, you usually need to fill in a form provided by the conciliation authority. You can find out which authority is responsible for you, for example, on the tenancy law practice page. Inform your landlord or rental company about the deposit.
Important: Do not deposit the rent with the bank yourself. You must deposit it with an officially designated body. Otherwise, you run the risk of being given notice by your landlord.
Submit a request to the arbitration authority for
rectification of defects
a rent reduction
use of the deposited rent to repair damage
You must do this within 30 days of the due date of the first deposited rent payment. Otherwise, the landlord will receive the deposited rent back. The federal government provides a form for the arbitration request (only in German, French and Italian).
Good to know: You can also claim a rent reduction retroactively. However, this only applies if you report the defect in good time. The claim becomes time-barred after five years.
Unable to reach an agreement with your landlord despite the arbitration process ?In that case, it may be worth moving to a flat without defects.
5. Sample letter for rent reduction
Create a letter for a rent reduction in Switzerland. You can then download it as a PDF. The data provided will not be stored.
6. FAQs on rent reduction in case of defects in Switzerland
When renovation work is carried out in your building, you are generally entitled to a rent reduction. The prerequisite is that you can only use your flat to a limited extent, or not at all. In most cases, debris, dust and construction noise, are sufficient for you to be able to apply for a rent reduction.
It is best to keep a record of the construction work. This helps in determining the amount of the rent reduction. letter regarding the reduction should ideally be sent immediately after the start of the construction work, by registered post to your landlord.
Good to know: If your landlord refuses the rent reduction, you should wait before taking any legal action. Only after the construction work has been completed can the arbitration authority make a final determination on the amount and duration of the rent reduction.
Do not therefore also accept any definitive rent reduction proposals from the landlord before the construction work is completed.
The amount of the rent reduction due to construction noise depends on the severity of the restriction .
In the case of construction work in the neighbourhood , in past case law tenants have been awarded rent reductions of between 10% and 50%. In the case of conversion work in the residential building , the range of rent reductions in past case law is between 10% and 60%.
As examples of rent reductions, you can refer to past case law This will give you an initial idea of how much your rent reduction could be. You can find an overview of past case law, for example, from the Swiss Tenant's Association.
You cannot calculate your rent reduction exactly .In the event of a dispute, the conciliation authority or a court will determine the % by which you can reduce your rent.
However, you can use past court decisions as a guide. This will give you an initial idea of how much of a rent reduction you may be entitled to in your case.
This article was first published on 25.04.2016
