Checklist for the walk-through
| Area | What to check | Write down |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and ceilings | Holes, stains, marks, mould | Room and exact spot |
| Floors | Scratches, burns, loose parquet, cracked tiles | Size, add a photo |
| Windows, shutters, doors | Open and close each one, check glass and seals | What sticks or is damaged |
| Kitchen | Oven, hob, fridge, dishwasher, extractor, worktop | Works or not, missing trays and shelves |
| Bathroom | Taps, shower, toilet flush, drains, joints, chips in enamel | Leaks and chips |
| Electrics | Sockets, switches, lamps | Any that do not work |
| Keys | Count every key | Number per type |
| Meters | Electricity, water, heating where they exist | Reading and date |
Moving in
- Ask for the previous tenant's return protocol. If one was made, the landlord must show it to you at the handover on request (Art. 256a OR).
- Note every defect, however small. What is in the protocol cannot be charged to you later.
- Defects you find in the days after: report them to the landlord in writing, by registered post, and keep a copy. Your lease or the protocol may set a deadline for this list.
Moving out
- Condition. You return the flat as it is after normal use under the contract (Art. 267 OR). According to the Swiss tenants' association (Mieterinnen- und Mieterverband), normal wear is at the landlord's expense, and for excessive wear you owe the current value, worked out with a table of useful life.
- No lump sums. A clause in which you promise in advance to pay more than the actual damage at the end of the lease is void (Art. 267 OR).
- Landlord's duty. The landlord checks the flat at the return and reports your defects at once. Later claims remain for defects a normal inspection could not show, and those must be reported at once when found (Art. 267a OR).
- Signature. The tenants' association advises not to sign a protocol that makes you accept costs you dispute, or to add a note that it is no acknowledgement of debt.
- Keys. Get a confirmation that you returned all keys.
How aptari helps
aptari's part ends before the handover: it helps you find the flat and apply. When an agency offers a Live Tour, you see the rooms live from phone or laptop before you apply, so you know what to look at in the walk-through.
This is general information, not legal advice.