Request for quotation

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

  • We advertise all vacant rental properties on the flatfox.ch platform a few days after receiving notice of termination. You can also find individual properties on immoscout.ch or homegate.ch.
  • If you have found a suitable property, click on the "I am interested" field in the advertisement and send us your contact details.
  • After 1-2 days you will receive the contact details for an on-site inspection.
  • If you like the apartment, you will receive a code when you view it, which you can use to access the online registration form.

Pay attention to the following points when completing the rental application:

  1. Give us the exact contact details of the reference persons (previous landlord and employer) and inform them that a link to the survey will be sent to them by e-mail
  2. Upload a current debt collection register excerpt (not older than 3 months) or order a current certificate directly during the registration process

We do not keep waiting lists. 

A little tip: Create a search subscription on Flatfox and you will be informed by e-mail when new advertisements are placed.

Service charges is the overarching term for heating and operating costs. They include the costs for heating and hot water preparation as well as other operating costs. You will find a list of the service charges to be billed in your tenancy agreement. Additional costs such as privately used electricity, internet, SERAFE etc. are not included in the operating costs. These must be paid directly to the respective provider.

Voluntarily waiving the use of infrastructure provided, such as lifts, children's playgrounds, etc., does not exempt you from the obligation to pay. In such cases, the principle of solidarity applies.

We recommend that you monitor the current situation and, if possible, increase the payments on account or build up reserves. The increase in the payment on account must be made in writing. Please use the Form for increasing the service charge account and send it signed to .

This is often due to the fact that consumption (water, waste water, heating energy and hot water preparation) is higher than in the previous period. An increase in heating or operating costs (oil prices, price increase for service subscriptions, harsh winter, etc.), such as in the winter of 2022, can also lead to a higher bill.

If heating and water consumption is billed individually, the service charges for identical apartments may differ due to user behavior. Please also note that your neighbor probably pays a different monthly account amount than you, which is why an additional payment of service charges or a credit note may differ.

Both your moving in and moving out will be taken into account when preparing the service charge statement. You will only be charged for the actual months of the rental period. The applicable billing period is listed on your service charge statement in the invoice header directly next to the property name. 

You will find the bank details on the first page of your service charge statement. Please check these and notify us of any changes by e-mail

If your service charge statement shows a credit balance, the credit balance will be paid out to you within 14 days after the 30-day objection period has expired. If your payment details on the service charge statement are no longer up to date, please send us your new account details by e-mail to with.

Normally you pay a monthly amount (on account or flat rate), which is determined on the basis of the previous costs (average value) or on the basis of experience. If you pay your heating/operating costs on account, the costs are settled annually (12 months) on the billing date and offset against the amounts already paid on account. This may result in a credit balance or an additional payment. If high additional payments have to be made, we will suggest an increase in the monthly amounts. If your heating/utility costs are charged as a lump sum, you will not receive an annual statement.

You will find the monthly amount of your payment on account in your tenancy agreement, on the last written rent adjustment or on the last confirmation of the increase in payment on account.

Normally you pay a monthly amount (on account or flat rate), which is determined on the basis of previous costs (average value) or on the basis of experience. If you pay your heating/utility costs on account, the costs are settled annually (12 months) on the billing date and offset against the amounts already paid on account. This may result in a credit balance or an additional payment. If high additional payments have to be made, we will suggest an increase in the monthly amounts. If your heating/utility costs are charged as a lump sum, you will not receive an annual statement.

The pro rata operating costs are general costs such as house maintenance, weather-related expenses such as snow clearance or garden maintenance, charges for garbage, water and waste water as well as the general electricity for stairwell and laundry room lighting, etc. These costs are distributed pro rata to all tenants according to a key. These costs are distributed proportionately among all tenants according to a key. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. You will find more information in your tenancy agreement.

You have also received the house rules with the tenancy agreement. The house rules are an integral part of the tenancy agreement and must be observed. They regulate communal living in the house and contain important information on quiet times, the use of common rooms, the laundry room or the garden, information on visitors, pets or cleaning and cleanliness in the house.

First try to talk to your neighbor and explain the situation calmly and objectively. Ask your neighbor to comply with the house rules.

If the situation does not improve, contact the administration by e-mail or letter and describe the situation (who?, what?, when?, how often?) and your concerns.

Swiss fire safety regulations require stairwells to be kept clear as escape and rescue routes. We therefore ask you to place objects such as shoes, baby carriages or toys in your apartment.

Regular ventilation of the home is the most effective measure to prevent mold growth. Please refer to our leaflet on correct ventilation

Tenants must leave the laundry room and drying room and the appliances in them tidy and clean after use. 

You may keep small animals such as guinea pigs or similar without a permit as long as you comply with the animal welfare regulations and the number of animals is kept within normal limits. If you wish to keep other pets (cats, rabbits, dogs, fish, parrots, reptiles, etc.), you will need a permit from us in advance. Please send us an e-mail to . Please state the type and number of pets you want and don't forget to mention the property where you live. We will examine your request as quickly as possible and send you a permit if the decision is positive.

By law, you must obtain written permission from the administration if you want to paint a wall. Please send us a message to , describe your plans and don't forget to tell us where you live. 

Even if we give you permission to paint the walls a bright color, you must paint them white again when you move out or bear the cost of repairing them.

You need a permit from us for this. Please send us an e-mail to . Describe your project to us in advance and send us any offers you may have. Don't forget to name the property in which you live. We will examine your request as quickly as possible and send you a permit if the decision is positive.

If you do not use the cable connection, please let us know in writing. In this case, the connection will be sealed. Please bear in mind that if you move out, you will be charged in full for unsealing the connection if costs are incurred, as the connection must be usable again for the next tenant.

If you are impaired in the contractual use of your rented apartment, this constitutes a defect. The law distinguishes between minor, medium and serious defects.

The law defines normal wear and tear as the careful use of an apartment in accordance with the contract. What constitutes normal wear and tear depends on various factors. These include how many people have lived in the apartment and for how long. 

Report the damage online via our homepage www.prestige.ch in the section tenant service.

According to tenancy law, minor defects must be repaired by the tenant themselves, provided the repair or replacement can be carried out by hand and without specialist knowledge. This is referred to as "minor maintenance". This includes

  • Replacement of accessories in the kitchen and bathroom (e.g. oven trays, refrigerator accessories such as egg trays, filters for steam extractors, dental glasses, shower rails, toilet seats and lids, etc.). 
  • Unblocking drains, if possible with simple hand movements
  • Tightening loose screws on sockets
  • Replacement of light sources (bathroom, kitchen)
  • Unblocking wastewater pipes up to the main pipe
  • Oiling hinges

Please report any major damage online via our homepage www. prestige.ch in the section tenant service to.

The order must be placed via the administration. Contact us via our homepage www. prestige.ch in the section Tenant service.

When the order is placed, you will receive a copy of the order by email. This will also give you the contact details of the caretaker/handyman responsible. If the caretaker/handyman does not contact you within 48 hours to arrange an appointment, you can also contact him directly.

If you call in tradesmen directly, in most cases you will have to pay the costs yourself.

Take photos of the current situation and send them to us, including a description of the problem and your home address

Register the required number of additional keys online via our homepage www. prestige.ch in the section Tenant service.

At your request, we can order additional apartment keys for you. In this case, the costs will be borne by you.

Report the loss of keys online via our homepage www. prestige.ch in the section Tenant service.

Depending on the situation, only the key or the entire locking system needs to be replaced. The costs can therefore vary. Contact your liability insurance company to clarify whether the costs will be covered.

  1. Check the notice periods in the rental agreement. If you wish to terminate the lease outside of these periods, please refer to point 5.
  2. Write a letter of termination with the complete address details, mentioning all the objects you have rented (e.g. parking space, craft room) and the desired termination date.
  1. All contracting parties must sign the notice of termination by hand. Scanned signatures are not permitted.
  1. Send your letter of termination by registered mail to Prestige Immobilien AG, Berninastrasse 29, P.O. Box, 8042 Zurich. Cancellations by e-mail are not legally valid.
  1. If you give notice outside the contractual notice period, you are obliged to find a suitable new tenant. We will be happy to support you in your search and advertise the apartment for you on Flatfox. For an advertisement, we need good photo material of the property and up to 7 working days for the placement. The examination of possible interested parties usually takes about 1-2 weeks (requesting all documents and checking references), in case of delayed feedback this can also take longer. We therefore ask you to note that re-letting can take 4 - 6 weeks.

Termination outside the agreed periods is possible if you provide a reasonable, equivalent and solvent (solvent) new tenant and the new tenancy agreement has been signed by both parties (Prestige Immobilien and the new tenant). 

We support you in your search by placing an advertisement for you and checking the incoming applications. If a suitable new tenant is found by the desired termination date, we will release you from liability. If the re-letting is not successful in time, you must continue to pay the rent until the next official termination date or until a new tenant has been found. 

If the management decides to increase the rent for the new tenant, you will be released from liability on the desired date.

According to tenancy law, minor defects must be repaired by the tenant themselves, provided the repair or replacement can be carried out by hand and without specialist knowledge. This is referred to as "minor maintenance". This includes

  • Replacement of accessories in the kitchen and bathroom (e.g. oven trays, refrigerator accessories such as egg trays, filters for steam extractors, dental glasses, shower rails, toilet seats and lids, etc.). 
  • Unblocking drains, if possible with simple hand movements
  • Tightening loose screws on sockets
  • Replacement of light sources (bathroom, kitchen)
  • Unblocking wastewater pipes up to the main pipe
  • Oiling hinges

Please report any major damage online via our homepage www. prestige.ch in the section tenant service to.

You are obliged to provide access to your apartment for viewing appointments. You may inform us of your preferred dates and the preferred method of contact for prospective tenants.

In general, every apartment is officially advertised. If you have a prospective tenant among your friends or acquaintances, you can suggest them to us as a new tenant. We will then check the application in accordance with the usual procedure.

Drill holes must be sealed by a specialist when moving out so that they are not visible to the next tenant.

When the apartment is handed over, the condition of the apartment is checked and compared with the move-in protocol. If parts or appliances are defective, you may be charged the cost of replacement, provided that this is within the scope of minor maintenance.

Costs attributable to excessive or improper use will also be charged to you in accordance with the parity lifetime table. At your request, the costs can be offset against the rent deposit.

If you move to a new municipality, you must inform your previous municipality of residence that you are moving away. To deregister, go to the residents' registration office in your municipality. The same procedure applies to registering at your new place of residence. You have 14 days to do this. Find out from your municipality which documents you need to bring with you to register or deregister.

Sie sind verpflichtet, Personen, die bei Ihnen einziehen zu melden. Schreiben Sie uns eine E-Mail an [email protected] mit folgenden Angaben:

  • Copy of identity card (ID, passport, residence permit)
  • Debt enforcement extract
  • Information on how the new name badges should be labeled
  1. To take in a subtenant, you always need a permit in advance. 
  2. Senden Sie uns uns eine E-Mail an [email protected] mit folgenden Angaben und Dokumenten des gewünschten Untermieters:
  • Copy of identity card (ID, passport, residence permit)
  • Copy of the sublease agreement (details of rent agreement)
  • Announcement of the duration of the sublease
  • Information on how the new name badges should be labeled
  1. Please also inform us if a subtenant leaves your apartment.

Please note that you remain liable for any damage caused by your tenants and continue to be the contact person for us as the management. Please note that you may not make any profit from subletting your apartment and that the operation of Airbnb and the like is expressly prohibited.

Senden Sie uns uns eine E-Mail an [email protected] für die Vertragsanpassung mit folgenden Angaben und Dokumenten:

  • Reason for contract amendment (moving in together, marriage, separation, divorce, death, etc.)
  • Copy of official documents (marriage/divorce certificate, etc.) 
  • Date of adjustment.

Tenancy law stipulates that the party wishing to change the rent must take action. It is therefore usually the case that the tenant applies for a reduction in the rent if the reference interest rate is lowered. If the reference interest rate is increased, the adjustment is communicated by the administration.

The key dates are the termination dates and deadlines agreed in the rental agreement. In addition, the landlord must notify the rent increase using the official form of the canton of residence. On the back of the form you will find important information on the legal provisions relating to rent adjustments.