From reading the forum it seems to be fairly standard for a prospective employer to pay for a relocation agency to help find housing once you are in Switzerland. My question is, do companies ever pay fees incurred from selling or leasing the home you are moving from?

For example, in order for us to lease our home in the US, we will have to pay 1500 USD set up fee plus about 160 USD per month to a property management company. Would it be reasonable to bring this up during negotiations? I know within in the US these things can sometimes be included in a relocation package- at least for highly desirable candidates. I certainly don't want to push our luck and appear greedy, but neither to I want to not ask if it is common practice to do so.

Thanks so much!

My company just relocated two of us (me and a direct report) from the US to Lugano.

I asked about help with renting my house or selling it and was told that it was not part of the ex-pat package. In both cases, the company looked at our assignments as being on a temporary basis and therefore did not offer to help us with selling or renting our home/apartment back home. However, if we were to make this a permanent assignment, they would help out.

I don't think it hurts to ask (I did), the worst they can say is no. I had the same fear you did about being greedy, but got over it quickly the more I thought about what my family and I were about to embark on.

Good luck!