← Glossary
Defined term
Rental contract / lease (Mietvertrag).
Mietvertrag · Contrat de bail · Contratto di locazione
Contract between tenant and landlord, typically in writing and fixed-term or open-ended.
The rental contract is the legal basis of the lease. Swiss law does not require written form, but in practice every lease is written.
Minimum content:
- Parties (landlord, tenant)
- Property (address, rooms, m²)
- Rent (net), utilities
- Lease term (fixed/open-ended)
- Termination conditions
- Security deposit
- Handover condition
Fixed vs. open-ended: a fixed-term contract (e.g. 1 year) ends automatically. An open-ended contract runs until terminated and is the more common form in Switzerland.
Before you sign: don't sign anything you don't understand. When in doubt, consult the Mieterverband (for members, for a yearly fee). aptari helps you find the flat and apply; the lease itself is signed directly with the landlord or agency.
General information, not legal advice.
General information, not legal advice.