I am being forced out of the flat in which I have lived for the entire five years and nine months that I have been in Switzerland by the proprietors of the "bar" below me, using a variety of intimidations, from loud music noise at all hours of the day and night (especially when they know that I am home), to physical violence and death threats.

The representatives of the landlords (the Verwaltung) are fully on the side of the "bar", as they would get more money by renting out my room to the "bar" than they do from me. The "bar" has been waging its war against me since February, but when I turned to the Verwaltung for help, their only response - when they finally did give one, several weeks later - was simply to ask me to be patient. This was back at the beginning of June. The last communication that I received from them, at the beginning of October, was to offer me a bribe equivalent to CHF 1,64 per hour of sleep, for me to put up with the situation, keep quiet and not involve the police, and they have not responded to any of my emails or registered (Einschrieben) letters since then.

Despite repeated calls to the police since May, nothing seems to be done about it, and I have been told by several people that the otherwise strict laws of Switzerland do not really apply to Zürich Kreis 4 (Langstrasse area), where my flat is located, and that to all intents and purposes I have brought it upon myself by living there. This is despite the fact that I just took the first place that I was offered, back in April 2007, and have lived there ever since, and have never previously had any problems with any of my neighbours or with either of the businesses that had previously occupied the space below my flat.

I was told about the existence of the "Mieterverband" at the end of October and immediately went and joined them. They took my money, but then told me at the beginning of December that anything that had already started before I joined up was not covered, and that there is nothing that they can do for me.

A friend recommended a lawyer with whom he had had positive experience, though in connection with an entirely different type of matter. However, she took a look at the circumstances and said "ooh, this looks complicated, I suggest you pick a name out of this hat", and gave me a web address with a list of lawyers who might be more likely to deal with my circumstances.

I have not yet contacted these lawyers, as I assume that I will not be able to afford a lawyer. I was fired from my last job at the end of May because I was doing such a poor job, due to exhaustion from lack of sleep. This is despite always having done a good job in every position that I have had since I have been here in Switzerland, and always getting extensions to my initial contracts.

I assume that no one will give a flat to an unemployed foreigner, but giving in and moving out seems to be the only option for my health, safety and sanity.

Does anyone have any moving boxes that that would like to sell or give away?

Sorry to hear about your predicament.

Post this as an advert ( under FREE in the Market Place ) mention Zürich and lets see what comes up.

You fight and win, it's still going to be shit. Focus on the moving. Good luck.

I am not sure the boxes are what the OP really wants.

Moving boxes wanted, Zürich area

Actually, the OP does want moving boxes. As 1SIX1 says, even if I win, it's still going to be shit. I just wanted to be able to sound off somewhere about the situation as well though, and the complaints corner seemed to be the place to do it...

I feel sorry for your predicament, and hope you find a satisfactory solution soon (and also a job).

I can imagine that asking a bar in the Langstrasse area to turn down the volume is a battle where your odds of winning are small. They probably turn over quite a bit more more money in a night than you pay rent in a month so it's clear on whose side the landlords are going to be. I don't know if its worth going after them with a lawyer as it may well turn out to be good money thrown after bad. So if you can't somehow manage to get used to the noise you may be better off moving to a quieter area.

Name the bar - I feel like a few google reviews coming on.

My apologies, hadnt seen the other thread, I took the last sentence as indirect cry for help over the situation, which truly sucks.

Boxes, damn, sorry i just got rid of all mine at the last cardboard collection as was losing storage space, sorry.

Hmmm.

I'm guessing a room above a bar in Langstrasse can probably turn quite a profit for said bar.

Exactly. The "bar" already controls two of the six flats in the block. And my flat is up only one flight of stairs, not two flights or three...

Perhaps you can come to another arrangement with the bar then and its use of the flats

Perhaps you could get a job with the bar by working out of the flat

I don't think it's me they have in mind to be working out of the flat

That was the alternative proposal made by the Verwaltung:

* EITHER: accept the CHF 400 / month bribe to keep quiet and no longer call the police

* OR: move into a smaller flat on the top floor that is already controlled by the "bar" (in a building where there is no lift and the stair lights rarely work), keep quiet and no longer call the police

The bar is Don Miguel Bar at Müllerstrasse 72, 8004 Zürich.

The proprietor is Sandra Nascimento dos Santos, previously the proprietor of Club Anadolu in Winterthur and then the similarly named San Miguel Bar about 100 metres around the corner from the Don Miguel Bar. Don Miguel Bar is the most recent incarnation.

moneyhouse.ch and swiss-registers.net would probably make quite interesting reading for those familiar with the process of setting up and liquidating companies, which I personally am not.

The Verwaltung is Berni Immobilien in Wallisellen, ZH.

tripadvisor too

hilarious, just googled "Don Miguel Bar zurich tripadvisor"

Hit #4, great SEO!

I feel for you OP, as we lived over a noisy bar too... fortunately we were moving once the noise started to be unbearable.
I have some boxes but too far from you sorry!

Best wishes with the move!

Thank you very much (and to everyone else that has posted) for your comments and support. Yes, asking a bar in the Langstrasse area to turn down its volume would stand only minimal chance of success, but the problem is not just regular music at too high a volume, or getting used to the noise, it is active persecution, to drive me out of my flat, so that they can take it over.

All during the summer the male proprietor would wait outside the "bar" at around the time that I normally come home from my sport training (underwater hockey - www.uwh.ch or www.facebook.com/uwhswitzerland - quick plug!) and then a minute or so later the latin music that had previously been playing in the "bar" would suddenly become hardcore drum & bass music at a greatly increased volume, just to make life miserable for me, and sleep next to impossible.

And I don't know how much money they make as a bar, because most of the time the "bar" seemed to be virtually empty. Presumably there weren't any real customers in the bar each time the music was changed to persecute me, as I presume that real customers wouldn't tolerate the change of music to something so loud and unpleasant every time the guy upstairs came home.

But yes, all recommendations of quieter areas would be gratefully received!