I am unsure the swiss law, I know in the USA they can not say no kids, can they say no kids in Switzerland? Just curious if I'm ok to argue it or if I need to just shrug it off

They can say no to anyone...

welcome to CH

Usually useless to compare. In the US, they would smile and tell you they decided not to put on the market, have a relative taking it...rather than be honest.

Lovely

I feel all warm and fuzzy already!

Well the people who I asked thought it was not possible, I do know sometimes they are caught in the USA doing this, not often enough. In the UK it's legal to say you want a white 35 year old male with a pink dog if that is what the owner wants. Sad world we're in!

I prefer to have someone telling me honestly that they do not want me rather than that fake smile and an excuse.
So yes, in Switzerland the landlord has the right to determine whether he/she thinks a party fits in.

Sad though! is it better to submit the dossier before viewing to save time and disappointment? Kind of sick of going to view and get denied as I am going 5 hours each way

Were you told it was because of kids? And was that clear from your application that you have kids?
Because that really would be nasty to have you drive that distance

Sometimes it's the opposite and landlords are really happy to have families with kids ( especially for bigger apartments) as they fit in well with the other tenants.
When we rented our place here the (private) landlord actually wanted to rent to a family as it was in a small close with lots of families.

Depending on where you're looking the number of rejections may be due to the high demand for property ( and therefore a surplus of prospective tenants) in the area rather than the kids.

The owner doesn't want kids I'm told, they said they can put my dossier forward anyway though.

There are apts that have been on the market for 4+ months in the area I am looking, they aren't moving fast, this place needs a good clean so I am assuming either last renter was a pig or it's been empty a while. It's a house, no reason to say "no kids".

I wonder why the owner does not want kids, given that it is a house. Often, though not always, houses are suited to families.


Just ask what is the reason for not wanting kids. Also, you might want to specify the ages of your children.


I knew of a house where the stairs were particularly dangerous for small children and the owner did not want to rent the house to families with small children.

Kids cause damage- our 2 year got ahold of a pen and did a number on the walls. He also spills water all the time on the floor. I can see a landlords point. We are going through process now of finding a new apartment and have been rejected twice based on our 2 year old.

Just to echo what Belgianmum said, I was actually rejected for not having kids, as in the landlord preferred to rent to a family than to a single 20-something. Whatever his reasons for it (maybe he thought I would be throwing crazy parties all the time and would damage the flat that way), that was his choice.

You say they (the agency?) told you before you applied that the landlord didn't want kids. I don't really know why you're getting your panties in a twist.

well mine never did that and are older, I have seen the destruction adults can do to a flat (ex landlady myself)

They didnt say it before we viewed the house and took a long trip to do so, or when we where mulling it over to decide which place to rent. They could have said it from the beginning to save time and money, no? Maybe put it in the listing, no children?

For real ? I know when I was a kid I did far more adventuresome things that go down a bit of tricky stairs !

I have seen some funky stairs over the years! This house isn't that though, but there are some out there that I'd be worried about.

I had 1 years ago refuse because there was a pool, 3 bed house with a pool but no kids

Try with landlords having many apartments. For whatever reason they seem more family-friendly that landlords having few apartments.

or was a family with kids...

Oh you're bad! Not all kids are messy! I have seen it all over the years and the kids are usually the least of the worries!

Usually they something like "ältere Leute bevorzugt" in the ad. Then you know it's hopeless - one elderly couple without kids and you're out.