Hello all,

I am thinking about moving cantons and if so, I would need to find a new apartment. When I took the one I am now, I had a contract at a local company. I cannot remember if I had to provide documentation showing my salary or not since it has been almost 5 years and the company helped with some of the paperwork, so it is possible that they did that for me.

For the last year and a half, I have had my own company. I presume that I have to prove my income somehow by more than just telling them? What else is needed? As a consultant, my income goes up and down depending on the amount of work that I do. Is that a problem for some landlords?

You could use last year's tax-declaration. You don't need to show them all of it (but it's not really a secret anyway ).

Yes, that is what I thought and that will be a problem. It is only for 3 months and I had so many expenses and deductions starting my business, that it looks like I made very little money. Is that the only way?

If the numbers need a story to be interpreted properly ask them to have a conversation in which you explain the situation and try to convince them of your liability. They might however see a fresh company that has not yet gained a stable income and has not yet established itself as a liability and have extra demands.

I do understand. So I might be stuck.

You should be able to show them numbers from 2017.

In the form they usually just ask for yearly incom. You state it there. And when they ask for an employer you mention "selbstständigerwerbend" and mention the name of your company (if you have a website, add the site).

If they do ask you for more, get a reference from your current landlord.

I wouldn't worry too much in advance. Do the trial and error thing, apply for a flat - you might just get it (saved a lot of worrying) or you'll find out what they ask for