Picked up the keys to our new flat yesterday, and going through the formalities to hand over the old one.

Trying to put myths out of my mind, but when we moved in we found that unlike other places, the ceilings had light bulb sockets attached to the wires already in most cases.

I had to remove these in most cases as the lights we bought came with their own integrated sockets as you'd expect. I retained the ones I removed, but wonder whether not replacing them is likely to be an issue, or if I should try and replace the originals or buy replacements?

The originals don't look like they will be easy to put back on as they were crimped in and I more or less pulled them out.

Thanks!

S

what do you recon?

if you took the place with lights then you have to give it back with lights, unless you want the landlord to pay an electrician to reattach all the holders, and take it off your deposit.

Do'h - why didn't I think of that?

But seriously, I am asking because the majority of flats and house I have seen rented do not have this, with loose wires trailing from the ceiling. It would seem that it may be unusual in this case, and that perhaps these were left as a courtesy when moving in to a brand new, newly built apartment but there is no expectation for them to put back after we'd installed lights like would be reasonably expected, as the next tenants would not expect these, as we did not.

I know the rules, I am just asking for opinion. It's not on the inventory.

I'm not like I am asking if it's okay that I removed a wall, or a kitchen cupboard when I moved in and am wondering if it's okay not to put it back.

If its not on the inventory and they make a fuss, I'd say 'prove they were there in the first place'

Wow, thanks for the groan! WTF

have you seen the price of electricians here??? but fine, do whatever you please, its your money, and it seems any answer you don't like you'll just ignore anyway.

Typically, and universally, the rule is to hand a place back as you found it.

I'd say that if the lights were in when you got there. Put them back when you leave.

If you think that it's OK to leave the dangly wires from the ceiling because it's consistent with other places - this maybe a point you will want to raise with the landlord during the inspection.

Chances are they won't agree with your suggestion.


Realistically, I think it's just going to be cheaper and easier for you to reinstall the original lights.
(there is nothing more a Swiss landlord loves than to pocket bond coin from an äuslander)

then wait the full 12 months for your deposit back, good move

And make it much more difficult for other foreigners to rent.

To the OP:

Most places come without lamps. Our last rented place came without. We put lamps in and left them there for the next occupant when we moved out, out of kindness - she was a single mother with children.

There are two ways of going through life...

Do unto others etc etc...

Just better to put in a few and the cost of those attachment thingys is not going to break the bank but will save you a "discussion" about it when you move out and boy as some others said, do the Swiss love to dispute stuff, especially when it's about apartments..

Sorry, slip of the mouse, I intended to thank you as even though you were stating the obvious in a "rules are rules: end of discussion" kind of way which wasn't what I was gunning for, I appreciate anybody taking them time to reply.

As to ignoring answers I don't like - that's a bit of an unfair bit of a generalisation isn't it? I followed up your post with a response expanding on my original question.

This place can be useful but it deserves it's reputation for making you walk around on egg shells sometimes with people lying in wait wanting to trip you up. I'll get my coat.

there are lots of things not on the inventory, plug sockets for example, so you can remove those, the glass in the windows, take that too, doors - I bet they didn't list how many doors the place had, take them too.

They where there when you moved in, put them back, what the hell is wrong with people???

Wow. I think you are having a bad afternoon. I'm not pulling the copper out of the walls.

I am out of here.

brace yourself - a bit of a radical suggestion here: why not ask the landlord if it's ok to remove them and bin them or whether he wants the lights back in the ceiling when you move out?

maybe get this in writing?

quick, while there is still daylight, otherwise you'll trip over in the dark

On a related note, has anyone offered to leave all the lights for the next tenant? Frankly, I'm just as happy leaving them all installed. It saves me the hassle of pulling them out and repairing any damage/marks to the paintwork.

Are landlords normally receptive to such an offer, or do they insist on everything being pulled out so that the next tenant can put their personal touch on the place?

FWIW, we're talking about decent quality Lumimart fixtures, not Ikea cheapies....

Thanks Tom - that's actually a very useful suggestion - we are not attached to the lamps at all so we may do that. I'd ask if it would be okay to leave slightly different fixtures than the ones we moved in with, but, you know...

You are just sooooo naive....

(...but that's what I was going to write...)

Yes, I have done both.

When I moved here, the tennant offered to leave one light for me as I didn't know you had to have your own lights. We discussed this with the landlord, and he was cool with this when we moved out.

I was instructed by the landlord that I will be responsible for removing all lights when I leave though.

When I left, again, the new bloke had a disaster with his transported goods from Germany. I again offered to leave all my lights until his arrived to help the guy out.

Again, we just informed the landlord that both parties were OK with this arrangement and it wasn't a problem.

I guess the rule is - Don't assume. Tell your landlord in writing what's going on, and then it's OK.

Just to update this for future searchers.

The regie laughed at me when I asked if we need to replace the bulb sockets. They said that they were not part of the fittings as they were just cheap temporary units and happened to be on the end of the wires - the builders could have just as easily bought them without the sockets. They said it was pointless to pay to replace them as the new tenants would just cut/pull them off, as 99.9% of new light fitments would wire straight into the wires and not need the sockets, and due to the particular sockets used the originals could not be replaced once removed anyway.

Maybe this is not usual, as were not charged a dime on the check out and got everything back either despite plenty of things they could have insisted on (plus we went 50:50 on selling windows and plug sockets down at the local market).

So there you go folks, the "why not just ask your regie" folks have it, and I don't feel like I deserve a flogging in the town square or a prison sentence for theft any more. Better to ask instead of replacing every speck of dust just because it was there when you moved in.

We left our light fitments anyway as we purchased them intending them to be temporary, and I just want to reiterate that I was talking about a socket which takes a screw in bulb, not a whole light fitting.

I assume every landlord is different; I mean has different views?