Rental agreement: what you need to know
Before you sign a rental agreement for a flat, it’s worth taking a close look at the contract. Comparis explains what to watch out for and where the stumbling blocks lie.
11.09.2026
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1. What is included in the rental agreement?
Your rental agreement includes:
Rent
Contracting parties
Notice periods and dates
General contract provisions
Rental deposit details
From the start of the rental period, you pay rent for your new flat. Important: First check whether the agreed rent is stated in the contract.
After that, pay attention to further details of the rent and to how the rent has developed over time. If the costs of letting the property change in future, this may affect your rent. Use the rent calculator to see whether an adjustment is permissible.
Also check the notice period. For flats, the notice period is at least three months. The contract may extend this period, but not shorten it. If nothing is stated in the agreement about notice dates, the locally customary dates apply. You can read about the right way to give notice in the article Terminating a tenancy agreement.
Are you looking for a property to rent?
Are you still looking for the right property? On Comparis, you can find listings from the major Swiss property portals and listings that providers publish directly on Comparis. Choose your desired region now.
2. Mistakes happen: errors in drawing up the contract
Some landlords use pre-printed forms when drawing up a contract pre-printed forms and forget (supposed) details. Others make careless mistakes.
In addition, individual clauses are often invalid, inaccurate or specifically formulated in such a way that they are to your disadvantage. Therefore, always take a close look and if in doubt, consult a specialist.
3. Are the ancillary costs clearly regulated?
Heating, hot water and cleaning the stairwell: if the landlord charges ancillary costs according to consumption, the individual costs must be included in the rental agreement.
If additional costs are not listed separately listed separately in the contract, they are usually already included in the rent. There are, however, exceptions.
Also check, how ancillary costs are billed. Two models are common:
Payment on account: You pay an advance each month. The statement follows once a year. Afterwards, you either pay the difference or receive a refund.
Flat rate: You pay a fixed amount. There is no annual bill. Neither you nor the landlord can make additional claims.
You can find out more here:
4. When do I have to pay an administrative charge?
Does a rental agreement unexpectedly not materialise? Some landlords demand an administrative charge in this case. This fee is not permitted. Even if such a fee is stipulated in the application form.
5. Is the amount charged as a deposit permissible?
The rental deposit is intended to ensure that you meet your obligations. The deposit may no more than three months’ rent amount to. It should be held in a blocked account in your name. You will usually receive an application to open a deposit account together with the rental agreement.
You will receive the deposit back after moving out. Find out how this works under Request your deposit back. Instead of depositing the money, you can also take out a rental deposit insurance policy instead. Please note that with insurance, you pay a annual premiumthat you will not get back at the end.
6. Rules: what do I need to observe?
A rental agreement may establish certain rules. In addition to the rental agreement, there are usually also house rules.
If you violate the rules several times, termination may follow. However, not all rules in contracts are valid and can be enforced.
Invalid clauses in rental agreements
Sometimes the contract prohibits something that can’t be prohibited at all. For example, some landlords stipulate a smoking ban in the apartment, although smoking cannot be prohibited in the apartment. In that case, this clause in the contract is not binding.
Do you want to sublet the apartment in whole or in part at a later date? For this you need the landlord’s consent. What applies in this regard and what should be included in the contract is set out in our article on sublease agreement.
7. Legal advice from the tenants’ association
Do you think the rent is too high? Or do certain points in the contract seem strange to you? The tenants’ association in your canton will advise you on your matter.
Signing a tenancy agreement and planning a move
Is everything in the rental agreement correct? Then you can go ahead and sign. Your next task is then the move itself. At Comparis, you can get offers for moving and cleaning quickly and easily.
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This article was first published on 06.03.2018
