Finding a home in Geneva

House hunting

Finding accommodation in Geneva and surroundings can be challenging. Coming from abroad you may consider the housing offer as very low, and prices as high. There are however several ways of finding accommodation: 

• Find temporary accommodation before you move into another, more permanent, place; 
• Search for accommodation online, take appointments for visits and travel to Geneva in order to visit the shortlisted properties; 
• Hire a relocation agent to help you (most agents charge a month worth of rent as their fee once the rental contract is signed).

To get an idea of the rental market in Geneva, it is good to search the internet such as homegate.ch, immoscout24.ch, anibis.ch (French/German/Italian) and glocals.com/geneva. Comparis.ch is the biggest online market in Switzerland and collects information from other platforms. 

The websites of the “Régies” also advertise housing. A “Régie” is a real estate agency, a list of all “Régies” is available online. Although, you should not expect them to actively help you with finding accommodation. However, it is useful to have a look at their websites to find a property to rent.  

Sizes of accomodations

In Geneva, most of the time the kitchen counts as a room (in the canton Vaud and other Swiss cantons this is not the case). If it is counted as a room, the advertisement would read as follows: 

• 1-2.5 pièces / studio = usually no separate bedroom 
• 3 pièces = 1 separate bedroom 
• 4 pièces = 2 separate bedrooms 

Application and lease contract

After having visited a place you like, you need to fill in an application, and the “Régie” will select the candidate (together with owner of the property) according to a number of criteria. 

In order for your application to be taken into account, only apply to one apartment per agency. To file an application, following documents are necessary: 

• Passports/IDs of all adult occupants
• Statement of absence of debt (extrait de l’office cantonal des poursuites) which can be requested online from the cantonal website
• Work contract and/or confirmation of salary from your employer
• Work and residence permit or legitimation card
• Lease request forms (download from the agency’s website or obtain at the agency).

ASLOCA (asloca.ch) is a group of legal housing. If you subscribe to this service, experts can help you with accommodation if needed (in order to inform you of your rights and obligations as tenant, or case of disagreement with the “Régie”/ the owner for instance). 

Before signing your lease, we recommend submitting it to CAGI for review (free): cagi.ch. 

Bank guarantee (security deposit)

Typically, the landlord requests a bank guarantee from the tenant to cover any damage caused by the tenant to the property and/or unpaid rent. Nearly all Swiss landlords require a guarantee, which is normally equivalent to two or maximum three months’ rent and is to be paid when the lease is signed. The guarantee is normally transferred to a “blocked bank account”. At the end of the lease contract, the inventory is checked and the bank guarantee is released from the blocked account with the consent of both the landlord and the tenant. The remaining balance after any deductions plus interest should be released to you.

Another solution which is popular in Switzerland is the rental guarantee without a bank deposit, such as swisscaution.ch. With this service, a third-party company vouches for the rental guarantee for you in exchange of an annual fee (usually around 4% of the amount of the rental guarantee, plus tax). 

Personal liability insurance (assurance “responsibilité civile” or RC)

When renting a flat, the landlords require a personal liability insurance (abbreviated “RC” in French) for any damage caused to their property. This document can be quickly obtained once you have the confirmation that your application was accepted. Please note that you must show proof of insurance on the day of the entry inspection. 

Even though this is not mandatory, I recommend that you also get a household insurance together with the RC, for any damages caused to your furniture and appliances (e.g., fire or a burglary). 

Good to know: if you opt for an accommodation located in the Canton of Vaud, it is mandatory to get an ECA insurance policy (even if you already have both the RC and household insurance). ECA is for fires and the destructive forces of natural elements, and it is insured separately in Vaud. 

Tip: upon exit inspection, make sure to use your RC insurance in case the landlord/régie requires you to pay for any damage caused during the rental period (e.g., a stain on a painted wall). 

Diplomatic clause

The diplomatic clause provides flexibility for tenants who need to leave the country due to work relocation or the end of their employment contract. In Geneva, this clause is automatically included as long as the lease refers to the Règles et Usages Locatifs du Canton de Genève. It allows tenants to terminate the lease early without having to find a replacement tenant.

This clause is particularly relevant for holders of a legitimation card, which is issued to employees of international organizations, permanent missions, and certain NGOs. If their assignment in Switzerland ends or their legitimation card is withdrawn, they can invoke the diplomatic clause to end their lease early.

 Key points about the diplomatic clause:

• Part of the general housing rules and conditions for the canton of Geneva
• Can be used starting the 2nd year
• In case of transfer or dismissal
• 1 month notice
• Up to 3 months of penalty (reduced if a replacement tenant is found before / after); the penalty duration of 3 months starts when the keys are given at the exit inspection

To activate the diplomatic clause, tenants must meet certain conditions, such as:

• Providing proof of relocation, termination of employment, or withdrawal of their legitimation card
• Respecting the notice period specified in the lease
• Submitting a formal termination request to the landlord

More information about this clause is available on the Swiss Mission’s website.

Good to know: if your lease refers to the Règles et Usages Locatifs, the diplomatic clause is already included. However, it is important to check the specific terms outlined in your lease, as conditions may vary.

Liberatory clause

The liberatory clause is not automatically included in rental leases and must be explicitly negotiated with the landlord before signing. If granted, it allows tenants to terminate the lease early under specific conditions without penalty.

CAGI recommends the following text:

“Clause libératoire : Si le locataire ou l’occupant désigné par le contrat de bail quelle que soit sa nationalité, est transféré hors du Canton de Genève ou de Suisse par son employeur, est licencié ou son contrat est arrivé à échéance, il a le droit, sur présentation d’une pièce justificative émanant de son employeur, de dénoncer le contrat de façon anticipée, avec un préavis de trois mois pour le 15 ou la fin d’un mois (sauf pour le 31 décembre), et ce, dès le début de la deuxième année de location.”

The approximate translation is the following: if the tenant or designated occupant, regardless of nationality, is transferred outside of Geneva or Switzerland by their employer, is dismissed, or reaches the end of their employment contract, they may terminate the lease early. This requires providing an official document from their employer and respecting a three-month notice period, with termination possible only on the 15th or last day of the month (except December 31).

Key points about the liberatory clause:

• It is not part of the general conditions and must be agreed upon before signing the lease.
• It can only be used starting in the second year of rental.
• It applies in cases of job transfer or dismissal.
• A three-month notice period is required.
• No penalty applies if the conditions are met.

Good to know: since Geneva’s rental market is highly competitive, landlords are often reluctant to grant the liberatory clause. If you anticipate needing early termination flexibility, it is best to request this clause before signing the lease, though it may not always be accepted. The standard practice in Geneva is to transfer the lease (“remettre le bail”), meaning the tenant finds a suitable replacement who is willing to take over the lease under the same conditions. This is often the only way to terminate a lease early (at no cost) when a liberatory clause is not included.