Initiative launched against excessively high Swiss rents

Tenants' association plans popular initiative against excessively high rents Keystone-SDA

The Swiss Tenants' Association has launched a popular initiative against excessively high rents. The initiative aims to enshrine the principle of cost rent and ban market elements from tenancy law. It also provides for automatic rent control.

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In future, landlords should no longer be able to increase rents with reference to local or neighborhood custom, the association’s president Michael Töngi told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA. He confirmed information from the NZZ am Sonntag.

The tenants’ association adopted the initiative text. It was submitted to the Federal Chancellery for preliminary examination.

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The initiative also provides for automatic and regular rent controls. If the initiative is implemented, the legislator would have to clarify by whom, when and how exactly. Tenants are often left to their own devices in the event of disputes, according to the tenants’ association. Many are unable to follow through with the process or do not want to risk a dispute as they are dependent on the landlord.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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