One sample is this link:

http://www.referenz-zinssatz.ch/download

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004_muster-mietzinssenkung1.pdf (13.0 KB, 399 views)

2.25% as of 4th September 2012

Source: http://www.bwo.admin.ch/themen/mietr...x.html?lang=de

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I got reply yesterday from my landlord that they will lower my rent from 1 Feb 13.

It will take some time but anyway it worked.

Thanks

Great! Let us know how much it saved you percentagewise.

Cross posted from here.

So I used the form letter at the top of this thread submitted a copy to the company to which I pay rent, which happens to be HEV.

On 28.06.12 I received a letter from HEV telling me I was entitled to a rent reduction from October first of CHF 146.00. So far, so good.

But just now I translated the last paragraph (quoted below) and this is the part that I am wondering about:

"We draw your attention that this lease modification or other unilateral contract amendment be submitted within 30 days."

As I did not submit an application for rent reduction, does that mean the whole application is now void? Do I just start again by writing to the property management company? Or can I still apply for a rent reduction, but just put up with the fact I will lose a few months of rent reduction?

Hmmm...

At my last apartment, rent reductions were offered by the landlord without the need of a formal request from our side but I suspect the same cannot be said of the current landlord.

Our contract refers to a "Basisindex" of 99.3% but the "Referezzinssatz" field is blank; does anyone know what the difference is please?

Thanks,

Rachel

If you are renting a flat, it may be of interest to you that the reference interest rate has been lowered to 2% - meaning that a number of you will be able to ask for lower rent.

Here is some info in German from the renters association - if you would like me to do some translating let me know.

This is good news that this came out...I can request a reduction per End of September and if its accepted i get a lower rent from the first of next year. I already got a reduced rent in april...so this will be extra nice

Does everyone get this? If the landlord has no mortgage, and hence isn't affected by any rate change, do they still need to adjust the rent?

Yes they do.

My application is in the post... your rental will also be increased soon enough, so you should apply NOW for a reduction.
I have only been here a year, but I should get Fr 30,-- per month reduction!

I think we could all give International some green reputation, don'tcha think?

Note that the reduction is effective on the next date of resignation, so that might be in 3 months time. But send the letter a.s.a.p.

As per the following article we should apply again for rent reduction by 2.91%

http://www.thelocal.ch/20130902/lowe...er-swiss-rents

Sorry, but no, they don't. Not everyone is in line for a rental reduction.

Check your tenancy contract. If there's mention of the reference interest rate, then you MAY be entitled to a reduction. There are many factors to be taken into consideration, including any increased costs for the landlord.

If your tenancy agreement does not show a link to the reference interest rate, then unfortunately there'll be no reduction for you.

We got one last year. It was balanced against increased maintenance costs, although we still received a reduction.

There are no threads that I can see dealing with this. I read recently about the fact that lower interest rates means a knock-on decrease in rents. I wrote a letter to the management company responsible for my apartment but they said that any possible rent decrease would not happen until next February (the end of the "nächstmöglichen Kündigungstermin"). Is this how it works? What happens if interest rates rise again before February? Usually, the system here in Switzerland seems to be pretty fair to everyone but this strikes me as a rare example where the system is weighted in favour of the landlord/owners.

Here's a long running thread on this topic - http://www.englishforum.ch/housing-g...reduction.html

Hope that helps.

My rental contract from 1999 shows 3 3/4% reference interest, looks like Christmas will come early this year

Some contracts will also include the "Landesindex", so the reference rate may be balanced against that by the landlord, so it would good to check one's contract first. In most cases, though, according to the Mieterverband, it would definitely be worth requesting it.

Actually, no, because this index went down, details here:

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/d...men/05/02.html

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/d...y/aktuell.html

You are right when looking only at the past few years, however if you are looking at fourteen years, it has fluctuated also on the upside since 1999 which is the date fatmanfilms has his contract....

http://www.hev-schweiz.ch/vermieten-...asis-mai-2000/

the link above shows the development as of 2000 without the basis adjustment in 2005 and 2010