I have been offered a transferred to Geneva, and need some advice on renting with a bad credit record - unfortunate situation resulting in bankruptcy. None of the financial problems relate to poor servicing of rental payments.

Is it possible to obtain rental accommodation in geneva under these circumstances, i.e. by paying a higher security deposit?

bad credit in switzerland or in england? we where never asked for a copy of our UK credit history when renting, only the swiss version (kinda silly when we had only been here a few weeks)

Exactly the same here. They only asked for a copy of the debt register in Switzerland. Nothing from anywhere else.

You could offer a higher security rental, but by law the maximum that can be held is the equivalent of 3 months rent.

As it's in UK, shouldn't matter too much

Thank you everyone. This has been helpful. I assume most people love in hotel or furnished accommodation for a while before renting long term, which allows some (rather brief I guess) credit record to exist in Switzerland?

You don't need a good credit rating, the 3 month deposit is enough.

They just check you are not on the record as a bad debtor in CH.

So no need for furnished/hotel etc.

No, most people don't. See Fish Paste's answer for why it's not necessary - your credit chec, as someone new, will simply say "no problems found" - they don't have positive credit scoring like the US.