Getting a rental guarantor in Switzerland

Almost every rejection we see has the same cause, and it is not the rent. It is that the agency wanted a guarantor and the student did not have one.

What a Swiss agency means by "guarantor"

They mean somebody who lives in Switzerland, earns a Swiss salary, and will pay your rent if you do not. Usually a parent or an employer. A guarantor abroad is almost never accepted, because suing someone in another country over eleven months of rent is not worth anyone's time.

This is separate from your deposit. The deposit is your own money, capped at three months' rent, blocked in a bank account in your name. A guarantor is somebody else's promise. Agencies frequently want both.

Why international students get stuck

You arrive with no Swiss payslips, no debt-collection extract and no rental history here. Those three documents are what an agency reads first. Without them your file is not weak, it is incomplete — and an agency with forty applications does not chase the incomplete one.

This is why a flat you can easily afford still goes to someone else.

What your options are

A family member or employer already resident in Switzerland. Free, and the best option if you have it.

A deposit guarantee company. They cover the deposit so you do not block the cash — useful, but it does not solve the guarantor question.

A company that co-signs the lease with you. That is what we do: we sign alongside you so the agency accepts the file. We charge

months' rent, we read your file first, and we do decline applications.

Student residences. Most do not ask for a guarantor at all, which is why they are worth applying to even with a long waiting list.

A word on the paperwork

Swiss law treats these promises differently depending on how they are written. A cautionnement by a private individual above CHF 2,000 must be signed in front of a notary or it is void; an engagement solidaire needs no such formality but carries fuller liability. If a friend offers to sign something for you, the wording matters more than the goodwill.

Common questions

Can my parents abroad be my guarantor in Switzerland?

Almost never. Agencies want a guarantor resident in Switzerland with Swiss income, because that is who they could realistically pursue.

Is a guarantor the same as a deposit?

No. The deposit is your own money, capped at three months' rent and blocked in your name. A guarantor is a third party promising to pay if you do not. Agencies often want both.

How much does a guarantor service cost?

We charge 3 months' rent, once. For a CHF 1,000 room that is CHF 3'243.

Do I still pay a deposit if someone co-signs?

Yes. Co-signing gets your application accepted; it does not replace the deposit.

Do I still pay a deposit if someone co-signs?

Yes. Co-signing gets your application accepted; it does not replace the deposit.

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