How to calculate net living space
Do basements, sloping ceilings and balconies count towards living space? Comparis answers key questions on net living space and the square metre calculation of apartments in Switzerland.
16.01.2023
iStock/T Turovska
1. What is the net living space of an apartment?
The net living space is not defined the same everywhere. The housing valuation guide for Switzerland serves as a guide (following page available in German, French, Italian). The guide says:
The net living space is the accessible and usable floor space of an apartment. For the net living area, the following applies:
Gross living area, outside usable area, ancillary usable area: differences
Various terms are used when referring to living space. They refer to different things.
Good to know: for lease agreements the net living space or the main usable space is usually the key factor.
Living space in advertisements
Housing advertisements often refer to living space. Whether this refers to the gross or net living space can be unclear. If in doubt, contact the advertiser.
The term usable area is also used often. This includes balconies and basements. This number is usually higher compared to the living space.
2. What is included in the net living space and what isn't?
The net living space includes all habitable rooms, including kitchens, bathrooms and hallways. Other spaces can be included, too. Basically:
Attics, cellars and hobby rooms are secondary use areas. They aren’t counted as net living space.
Balconies and terraces are outdoor use areas and therefore not part of the net living space. Are your covered balconies, loggias and conservatories habitable and heated for the whole year? If so, they are counted as net living space.
There is no uniform standard for sloping roofs. As a rule of thumb, areas with at least 1.5 metres height are part of the net living space.
Areas under washbasins and toilets are included in the net living space. This is because tenants can use this space for residential purposes.
The space inside built-in cupboards and storage rooms can be used by tenants. It is therefore part of the net living space.
3. How can I calculate the living space?
Do you want to calculate the size of your apartment in square metres? Add up the floor area of all heated and habitable rooms (excluding walls). If in doubt, use a tape measure. In rooms with sloping ceilings, the area from a height of 1.5 metres and above is counted.
Comparis tip: with the pre-installed Measure app, you can easily measure distances with an iPhone. For Android, there is the AR Ruler app.
The exact net living space of the apartment is particularly important. This is because it is used as the basis for further calculations in Switzerland. This includes, for example, the rental price per square metre or calculating ancillary costs.
4. What can I do if the apartment is smaller than stated?
Property owners measure living space using various methods. As a result the value in the lease agreement can be higher than the actual net living space. There is no legal limit to how big the difference can be.
Put simply, would you not have signed the rental agreement with an indication of the real size? If so, the difference is too big. This is regarded as a defect in the rental property. In this case, you can withdraw from the contract or demand a rent reduction .
Comparis tip: ask at the beginning how the living space was calculated.
This article was first published on 01.09.2010
