Three names, one organisation
- Mieterinnen- und Mieterverband (MV) · German-speaking Switzerland
- ASLOCA · French-speaking Switzerland
- ASI (Associazione Svizzera Inquilini) · Italian-speaking Switzerland
All three are part of the same Swiss Tenant Federation but operate locally.
What membership gets you
Free legal advice - Phone consultation with rental lawyers - In-person consultations at cantonal offices - Email Q&A for simple questions
Letter templates - Rent challenge (Mietzinsanfechtung) - Termination notice - Defect notice (Mängelrüge) - Deposit return demand
Schlichtungsbehörde representation - They represent you at the conciliation hearing - Free for members - ~70% of disputes settled here without going to court
Specialised lawyers - When conciliation fails, member rate at partner law firms - Often cheaper than going alone
Cost-benefit
CHF 50-100/year is a small price compared to: - One Schlichtungsbehörde representation (CHF 500-1,000 if you hire a lawyer) - One successful rent reduction (often saves CHF 100-500/month for years) - Avoiding wrongful termination (priceless if you're in Zurich)
Most Swiss tenants don't join until they have a problem. Joining BEFORE you have a dispute is recommended.
And before any of that: finding the flat
The Mieterverband protects you inside a tenancy. aptari is the easiest way to get into one: one open feed of listings from across the market (aptari, Homegate, ImmoScout24 and Flatfox) and a Tenant Passport you fill once, so you apply with one click instead of re-sending the same dossier to every agency.