I arrived on Monday night and am staying in a hotel. I thought finding a room or apartment would be relatively easy. Find an advert, go and see the place, accept it if it isn't a shithole and move in (that's how it's worked for me in the UK and I rented in shared accommodation for 9 years before I had kids). Instead, I'm going through a 1 or 2 hour group interview process along with 3, 4 and sometimes more other candidates. It's harder than getting a job over here. I've seen 5 rooms and they've all said more or less the same thing, your names on the list (they all write your name on a list) and we'll let you know if you're getting in in a week or two. One even took a photo.

Does anyone know what I have to do (if its possible) to speed up this process? Or how I can endear myself to the Swiss? They all say they want interesting people, I'm thinking to myself well that's not a surprise all things considered, this won't be too difficult. Maybe they have a definition of interesting that I'm not previously aware of. I might get chosen yet, but I wanted this sorted by the end of this week if not before.

Alternatively, does anyone fancy putting me up for a week or two, or know anyone who wants a lodger? I'll happily pay to kip on a couch if necessary, I'll be working long hours most days so its only somewhere to sleep and shower, ande I'm home most weekends to see my kids.

Welcome to the wonderful world of flat hunting in the Helvetic Confederation.

Try searching in the EF for people wanting to get out of their lease early. But if you had read the threads here you yould realised that is not easy at all. Just have a perfect application put together and hope

Always a good idea is to call all rental agencies asking if they have something available and if you could leave your details.

Of course, in some area you will have a hard time to get something which you would like, e.g. Zug & Zürich.

Why dont you have a look here!?:http://immo.search.ch/

I have to put together an application pack? Maybe this is where I am going wrong. Please give me some advice as to how I might go about that

You can also try homegate.ch.

To be honest, the trains are that good (probably the best in the world maybe?) that I don't care where I live at the moment, just want somewhere cheap. I'm not at all fussy, I'm not going to be there that much and right now I've got other priorities than living in luxery. As long as there's no rats (can't stand vermin) I'm fine. And no area in Zurich is likely to be too 'rough' for me, either. I scared a load of Albanian teenagers hanging round lmy hotel ast night by barking at them in their own tongue. Only one of them understood me, poor kids, they all went white with shock.

What you have to bear in mind is:

• There are not the same number or free apartments and rooms as in the UK
• There are 30 other people all wanting the same apartment
• The landlord is likely to give preference to native Swiss and German-speakers
• You are not going to have anything sorted by the end of the week, think more towards the end of next month if you're lucky

Hire a relocation company if you have the cash, if not it could be a long and frustrating experience. Good luck!

Some things you might be required to provide:

• Credit worthiness ie no credit black-list
• Copy of permit
• Ability to pay ie copy of salary slip

Maybe some others, but other peeps might have better info

huh, my work censor didn't like that. hope this wasn't a joke. Don't famcy trying to explain it to the internet police if they come looking

Besides the above, a copy of your work contract as well as references from previous landlords (if any) will come in helpful as well.

No, not a joke.
www.homegate.ch is the best source for anyone looking for apartments here in Switzerland. Private landlords as well as housing agencies all advertise on there.

Good luck.

Yes it is difficult here. Maybe try sharing until you have found something?

Might also be a good idea to take a receipt and a few thousand in cash, and explain you want to leave them a deposit now?

http://www.mitbewohner-wg.ch/CityPag...FVkI3wodLm4heg

http://www.live2gether.de/register/start

http://www.wohnungen-immobilien.ch/S...che=Untermiete

http://www.google.ch/aclk?sa=l&ai=Ca...6ac%3Dgooglech

http://www.hevzurich.ch/ms-zeitschri...-200512-10.htm

http://www.beobachter.ch/wohnen/miet...er-einem-dach/

The last 2 links are advice to avoid pitfalls, good luck!

This should be a heading thread in the housing forum, along with any other brief synopsis of the state of the Swiss housing market.

I haven't got the money, one reason I accepted a job here. At the moment its costing me more to live than I'm earning. I've got family back home to support. I can't afford to stay in a hotel until the end of the month. Maybe I could try a homeless hostel/sheltered accomadation if it gets desperate. Do they have them here? Or do they just ignore poverty and hope it goes away...

Don't take this personally, but I don't think the Swiss authorities are to blame for you moving to the 6th most expensive city in the world with no money under your belt, having not done your research or planning prior to arrival.

What job are you going to be doing here?

I want to share, because its cheaper and I'll hardly be there most of the time, long hours and weekends back home, at least for now until my long term future is sorted.

I wondered about asking if I should leave a 'retainer', but thought the propisition of a bribe might upset their delicate sensibilities...and to be honest I'm not that way inclined, although I am getting a bit desperate.

Someone once offered me a bribe, I took it off them and when they mentioned it again, said 'what money?' ha ha ha

first of all you have low number of free flats in ZH. its a landlords market.

i have got mine today, saw 2 flats in total, both this week. and the flat i wanted i got. the point is you need to have your papers ready. read sticky post in housing thread etc.

what my landlord said is: we want to rent the place to solvent, non-smoking, quiet, no pets having tennant with the aim to rent for a long term.

and thats how was perceived obviously.

Surely you did some research before you hopped on a plane? CH has bigger salaries for a reason it's feckin expensive here, housing markets are tight and expats are generally at the back of the queue.

Sorry no magic wand for you dude, but hope it works out

With your attitude........the more people like you that stay & brighten this place up with some of that witty sarcasm the better!!!

I would put you up no problem for the cost of my weekly beer bill (about 20 SFr) until you are sorted but it would take you ages to get to work.

2 options:

1. someone pulls out their finger & helps you out (a lot of people on here live in massive apartments I'm sure).

or 2. COACHSURFING.COM

Seriously hope you manage OK & I know what it's like but very lucky to have a Swiss wife (or I wouldn't be here).

try this one out
http://www.wgzimmer.ch/
am sure you might find a temporary accommodation from here