Hello,

Can anyone tell me how you go about getting legal advice in Switzerland. Something similar to the citizens advice bureau in England? I bought my house 18 months ago, it is a new build, and paid the "mehrkosten" and now the electrician is asking for more money because they didn't bill correctly so I'm wondering where I stand.

thanks a lot
Paul

Hi here is a link to a "expert-advice-office", for family, social, imigration and legal matters which should be for free as far I can see... and they do speak english. I have now idea if it is good but I think you should give it a try.
In Switzerland every Gemeinde (as far as I know) offers for free legal advice, at least once a month...I hope this may help.
http://www.zefzh.ch/kontakt.html

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the Swiss construction world! I've been through it a few times now and I can tell you this is normal!!! I don't know what the legal situation is but I think it goes something like this - you paid on the estimate and now the real bill has arrived!

In both my cases I just said down with the builder and went through the invoice item by item and came to an agreement based on:
- Some cases he had used better materials that originally estimated
- Some cases it seemed that I had verbally agreed to a change
- Some cases he had done things were not agreed and so on.
In the end we were both happy. I guess it is a regular game in the Swiss building industry.

Good luck,

Jim.

The following legal assist services exist in and around Zürich:

1. Unentgeltliche Rechtsauskunftsstellen des Zürcher Anwaltsverbands (Free Legal Advice from the Zürich Bar Association)
www.zav.ch

Offers up time with legal professionals in 15min intervals for free legal advice. No advance appointments - first come first served.

Office in Zürich is in Hottingen, Kreisgebäude 7, Gemeindestrasse 54, 8032 Zürich. Open Mon/Thurs (14:00 - 16:00) and Tues/Wed (17:00 - 19:00). Additional offices exist in Oerlikon, Bülach, Dübendorf, and Niederhasli with their respective addresses and opening times avail from the zav website (http://www.zav.ch/service/dienstleis...sauskunft.html). Although their website includes english, I suspect the sessions are conducted in German.

2. Rechtsauskunft Anwaltskollektiv (Legal Advice)
www.anwaltskollektiv.ch

Legal information without an appointment. Also first come first served.

Monday through Friday, 12:30–6:30 p.m.
Kernstrasse 8
8004 Zurich
Phone 044 241 24 33
Fax 044 241 22 88
auskunft@anwaltskollektiv.ch

We provide information in practically all areas of law. As a rule, we counsel clients in German. Do you speak another language? In that case, bring along another person who can translate for you or inquire at our secretariat.

A consultation costs, as a rule, CHF 60 and lasts a maximum of 30 minutes. Bring with you all necessary documents (correspondence, contracts, decisions, judgments, etc.).

As needed, we can put you contact with the necessary attorney. You can find a lawyer (male/female) yourself on our website.

URGENTLY looking for a lawyer regarding our new build. We used Swiss haus and it has been a nightmare. We have had so many problems and now non of the contractors have been paid and so refuse to work. We are living on a building site with so much outstanding work and nobody doing anything about it or responding to our messages at their main office. We live in Chatel st Denis so anthing in the vaud or Fribourg area would be appreciated many thanks
Jane Whitfield