Hi Everyone,

While the snow is falling the temperature in my apartment is constantly going down. Now it's only 17.9
My landlord seems doesn't want to do anything about it. I contacted the agency 40 days ago and it led to nothing.

If there is anything else I can do? Of course I can move out, but maybe there is any another option?

Stupid question...but what is with your heating?? A bit more info might help find an answer.

18 degrees is plenty warm enough and if you are cold you could just wear a jumper.

There is no regulator in my apartment, but there are several valves that are intended to control temperature in all rooms (living room, bedrooms, kitchen). I opened them all.

About a month ago the temperature was about 18.5 degrees during the day. Now, it falling down as the weather outside is getting worse.

So, reading the threads doesn't answer my questions, as my landlord seems doesn't care. Moreover, in my contract it's said that I cannot use any heating devices.

Do they have any other obligations? If there is any swiss standard?

Thank you for your answers.

I have to disagree. It's bearable for an adult, but not for a three-month-old baby (my daughter).
Consider frequent pampers change.

I had wondered if there was any regulation that meant the landlord was obliged to provide heating, as oppossed to you buying a heater or two. But as you have a contract clause prohibiting you from using other appliances, I think there is an obligation that the heating system be maintained for you. Personally, I am happy with lower than you have, but my undestanding of modern heating/health situations, is that you should be able to have the indoor temp maintained at approx 23C.

Keep contacting the landlord/agency until they do something.

I suggest that you contact the Mieterverband for advice/intervention. The link below gives examples of cases they've dealt with.


http://www.mieterverband.ch/fileadmi...entscheide.pdf

are you crazy??
that's bloody cold. So according to your logic if it's below zero you should wear arctic clothing???
My hauswart suggested wear more clothing when I complained. 2 weeks later he complained about the dogs barking - I told him to wear ear defenders!!
House is now warm. Holy crap this is the 21st century - there is no need to feel cold in your home.

I've still got my windows open because it's TOO HOT in my apartment (haven't closed them at all this year). All of the thermostats are turned off. Not sure what the temperature is though or where the heat is coming from. 17.9 sounds nice though. Can I come over?

http://www.hausinfo.ch/home/fr/droit...chauffage.html
Hopefully you can read french..?
The text mentions that a normal temperature should be considered between 20 to 21 deg in all rooms. If i where you, i'd check the article mentioned in the code des obilgations suisse (it is available online), and using those facts write to the owner, adding the average temp in your apt and the fact that the is a baby in the house; that you are worried that with colder temperatures coming in the next months (snow actually keeps temperatures around zero, but it can drop 10 deg lower...), the inside temp may became a hazard.

Also, contact local chapter of asloca... They have good advice.

Is it underfloor heating or heated by radiators? Maybe there is air in the system and it needs bleeding out. Do your neighbours have similar problems? If they are also cold (or maybe not if they are Swiss and hard as nails ), you could get together and try to get a result out of the landlord.

Tell him you want to try to sort it as soon as possible or you'll be heading for the renters' association. That might get him to pull his finger out.

I can actually hear my father saying this... I heard it many times when I was growing up...

You might find that your radiators have got some air in, in which case they need bleeding, if you look at the top of the radiator on the opposite side of where the thermostat is you will see a little square indent, if you go to a hardware store and ask for a radiator key (they are usually standard) you can put it into the indent and twist it a little, you will feel air being released and then water.

Caution :

If you open it too much you will get soaked with hot water, do it very gently...

If you cannot find a key the tip of a pair of thin pliers works, you could always say to the agency you are with-holding a certain amount of rent until they sort the problem if you don't fancy doing it yourself.

I recently had the same problem, now we are too hot

I also suspect that this is an air somewhere in the tubes, last winter the temperature was a little bit higher.

Unfortunately there are no radiators accessible, they are somewhere under the floor. Searching in the apartment also didn't reveal anything that could look like a valve. Any ideas?

Thank you for the tip, withholding some amount of monthly payment will of course make them pay more attention to this issue. The problem with this approach is that this is Switzerland, and I'm not a citizen. I think for me now it's better to be a good boy and pay all the rent. Otherwise I may trap in a weaker position.

You may well be right, I can be a bit of a Maverick sometimes, my future lies in somewhere warmer so I'm not too frightened of treading on a few toes, that doesn't mean that you should be scared to stand up for your rights, Swiss or not !

I think you might find yourself in a less "strong" position if you withhold rent. If it doesn't improve, definitely try the renters' association. I've heard of (and read on this forum) loads of success stories where the renter has come out with a fair solution to such issues.

Definitely stick to the official channels to resolve it or it will weaken your case.

You are already in a strong position - the temperature is uncontrollable and below what it should be and you have a young baby.

As I asked in an earlier post; is it just your apartment that's cold or are your neighbours also shivering?

you must be British. Was visiting a friend in London one January, he was extending his house so half of it was missing at the time. He didn't see a problem either.

Haven't yet asked, will do. I suspect though that their rooms are little bit warmer. My flat is on the last floor and occupies the corner of the building.

Thank you for the article! This is what I'm going to do next.

Regarding the "des obilgations suisse" available at (Deutsch):
http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/220/index2.html#id-2-8-1

Articles 256 and 259 expectedly state that it's landlord's responsibility to repair equipment that were used properly (i.e. heating). However there is no reference to the actual list of equipment/conditions.

Maybe try telling the landlord/agency in writing that silence from their part implies that they assume the situation is normal, so you would withold a portion of the rent to pay for a visit of a certified plumber (or whoever repairs heating systems).

As I am a dishonest Easter European, I would simply inform the landlord that piping (I would check first if the floor is not heated using electricity) under my floor is making strange noises during the night, so I can not sleep and they immediately must call someone who will come and repair the heating system that presumably is responsible for this (any such repairs will be a huge issue during the winter). And suggest that maybe the low temperature is somewhat related to this issue?

Or I would just email the insurance asking what should done if I think that heating is malfunctioning and pipes might possibly burst and damage the apartment. Just to check if they will pay if this happens. I assume they would be quick to contact your landlord and ask for further details.

I mean, you can pretend you are an idiot. It is cold in the apartment, pipes are occasionally making noises. So you in your not so clever mind figured out the heating system is malfunctioning, who can blame you for that?

Bad landlords deserve no pity.