No, but it is restricted. On 30 April 2026 the Federal Supreme Court dismissed an appeal against the partial revision of the city’s building and zoning code (Bau- und Zonenordnung). The city may therefore no longer count flats used permanently and commercially for short-term letting towards the prescribed minimum residential share (Wohnanteil). In zones with a residential-share requirement that amounts to inadmissibility. According to the city, around 5,320 temporarily let units are affected. Expressly not affected is the occasional letting of your own home while you are away — holidays, longer trips, a room alongside the space you live in yourself. What matters is therefore not the platform but whether anyone still lives in the flat. For your address the answer depends on the zone: the building and zoning code states the residential share that applies there, and in case of doubt the building authority (Bauamt) does.
In its media release of June 2026 the city named autumn 2026 as the expected date of entry into force, provided no appeal follows. Two duties take effect with legal force: builders must declare the type of residential use in the building application, and permanently commercial uses become subject to a notification duty. Anyone planning today should therefore work from the coming position, not the current one. The reason is economic: a property that may no longer be let permanently under the new rule has to be valued on a long-term rental calculation — and that changes the purchase price you can justify considerably. Anyone paying a price today that only adds up with short-term letting carries that risk alone. Whether existing uses receive a transition period was not publicly settled at the time of our research. The city of Zurich states the current position itself. You have to obtain the information for your address there — we provide operational letting services and do not advise on permit questions.
Do I need a building application for Airbnb in Zurich?
For a change of use (Nutzungsänderung) to permanently commercial short-term letting, yes — and according to the city that holds even where no building work is involved. This surprises many people: a building application without building sounds contradictory, but it follows from the zoning code attaching to the type of use, not to the fabric of the building. Anyone switching a flat from long-term rental to short-term letting changes the use, even if all they do is put furniture in. This does not apply to the occasional letting of your own home while you are away. Exactly where the line between «occasional» and «permanent» falls will emerge in practice — the city has so far named no figure in days. The building authority (Bauamt) is responsible for the individual case.
Which municipalities around Lake Zurich have their own rules?
Kilchberg is the case you need to know. On 16 June 2026 the municipal assembly adopted a revised building and zoning code prohibiting hotel-like operations in purely residential zones. In the canton of Zurich that is new — a municipality going further than the city. Approval by the cantonal authorities is pending; the code is not yet legally binding. For the other lakeside municipalities: each has its own building and zoning code, and you cannot infer from the city’s rule to theirs — in either direction. Some are more open than Zurich, others stricter. The only reliable information comes from the building administration concerned. That clarification rests with the owner; we do not take it on and cannot assess admissibility.
Only with the landlord’s consent. Article 262 paragraph 1 of the Code of Obligations (Art. 262 OR) permits subletting in whole or in part, but with that consent. Paragraph 2 limits when it may be refused: if you do not disclose the terms of the sublease, if those terms are abusive compared with the main tenancy, or if the landlord suffers material disadvantage. Other grounds do not count. A February 2024 ruling of the Zurich tenancy court holds that occasional subletting via booking platforms can be admissible within the agreed residential purpose. Conversely: commercial subletting without consent is a breach of contract and can justify extraordinary termination. The line runs not at a number of nights but at the character of the use.
For the canton of Zurich there is no statutory number of days — unlike cities such as Amsterdam or Berlin, where an upper limit is written into the law. That is more uncomfortable for owners than it sounds: a clear figure gives certainty, an indeterminate limit does not. What matters instead is whether the use still falls within the agreed residential purpose or has a commercial character. The reference points are whether anyone still lives in the flat, whether it is let to changing guests in a planned and permanent way, and whether it is available all year. Someone letting their own home during three weeks of holiday is clearly on one side; someone offering an empty second home all year round is on the other. In between lies an area where the assessment depends on the individual case.
Can the condominium owners’ association ban Airbnb?
Yes, in certain circumstances. In ruling 5A_436/2018 of 4 April 2019 the Federal Supreme Court upheld such a ban. In the case decided, an owner’s daughter regularly let one of two flats in a high-end residential building in Stansstad on Lake Lucerne via Airbnb; the guests made intensive use of the roof terrace, gym, sauna and swimming pool. The association changed its rules to require long-term letting, the owner sued, and the Federal Supreme Court found for the association. The ruling cannot be generalised — it concerned an individual case with pronounced communal facilities. The principle remains: short-term letting in condominium ownership (Stockwerkeigentum) is neither generally permitted nor generally prohibited. It depends on the character of the property and on the rules. Which is why reading the rules belongs before the purchase, not after.
This is the risk that appears in no calculation. A condominium owners’ association can change its rules, and if it does, a use that was admissible until then can become inadmissible — the case the Federal Supreme Court decided in 2019 ran exactly that way. You can only guard against it to a limited extent: before buying, check not only what the rules say but also whether a change is in the air. One indicator is the mood in the association. Where there are complaints about guests in the communal areas, a change of rules is more likely than in a building where nobody notices the use. The minutes of the last few meetings say more about this than the rules themselves — you obtain them from the property management.
Do I have to register my guests with an authority?
Yes, and in the canton of Zurich this runs through a dedicated portal. Hosts must register at hotelkontrolle.zh.ch and file every guest notification there electronically. The Zurich city police have issued a guidance note that states expressly: anyone who uses an online platform to let private flats and lets commercially for payment is also subject to the notification duty. One detail is frequently misunderstood: the duty does not concern foreign guests only. The Zurich system records all overnight guests. Registration belongs before the first booking, not after the first inspection — an omitted notification is not a formality and can be a criminal offence. The notification duty rests with the host and is not transferable. We do not take it on — not for managed properties either.
Four different consequences, depending on which rule is affected: a prohibition of use by the building authority, an extraordinary termination by the landlord, a penal provision for failing to register guests, and a retrospective tax assessment. They run on separate tracks. Under the zoning code a restoration order is possible: the authority can prohibit the use, which hits current bookings and the calculation. Where the landlord’s consent is missing, extraordinary termination is in prospect; tenancy law provides for it expressly in cases of commercial subletting without consent. Where guest notification is omitted, a criminal provision may apply. And where income is not declared, tax law comes into play. None of these consequences follows inevitably, and it usually starts with a letter rather than an order. But they do not arrive simultaneously — so you can let unnoticed for a while and then be caught up with from several directions at once.
Does the Zurich rule also apply to business apartments?
Yes, and they were a main reason for the revision. The city rule covers flats in permanent commercial use regardless of the channel through which they are let — a business apartment let through its own website or directly to companies falls under it just as an Airbnb flat does. Reporting on the Federal Supreme Court ruling described it in exactly those terms, and the figure of around 5,320 affected units covers both forms. Something practical follows for owners: the escape route of letting to companies instead of via Airbnb does not solve the zoning problem. What counts is the use — a flat without residents, let for limited periods to changing people. A furnished flat that goes to expats on a three-month cycle can fall under it too, even though it touches no booking platform. Anyone planning such a use has to check the zone, not switch the sales channel. The building authority gives that information free of charge.
Can I apply for a permit if the zone does not allow it?
The route runs through a building application for the change of use — but an application is not an assurance. In zones with a residential-share requirement the rule stands against permanent commercial use; an application there would probably be refused. It does make sense in zones with no or a low residential-share requirement, or in mixed zones. What we advise owners: establish the zone before spending money on an application and on support for it. Information from the building authority about the zone is free; a refused application is not. And allow for time — a building application is not a matter of days. If you want to make the purchase conditional on it, that belongs in the purchase contract as a condition, not as a hope.
Does anything change if I live in the flat myself?
Considerably — this is the most important distinction in the Zurich rule, and it runs through several areas of law. The rule is directed at flats in which nobody lives and which are let to changing guests all year round. Anyone who lives in the flat and lets it while away, or offers a room alongside, is according to the city expressly not affected. The same pattern in tenancy law: occasional subletting within the agreed residential purpose is more likely to be admissible than commercial subletting, and a February 2024 ruling of the Zurich tenancy court confirmed this. It comes through in tax too — anyone letting owner-occupied property temporarily may reduce the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) by the letting period, which is out of the question for an empty second home. And in insurance: household contents policies regularly exclude commercial use, but usually not occasional subletting. Owner occupation is therefore not a side issue but the feature at which four areas of law attach at once.
Is there a difference between a whole flat and a single room?
Yes, and it comes out in favour of the room throughout. The city of Zurich names the letting of a room alongside owner-occupied space expressly as not affected by the zoning rule. In tenancy law partial subletting lies closer to the agreed residential purpose than complete subletting — Art. 262 OR mentions both forms, but the assessment is regularly milder for a room. One particularity applies for tax: where owner-occupied property is let in part, the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) has to be adjusted for the rooms let and the letting period, which presupposes an apportionment by area and time and therefore clean records. Economically, however, the room is the distinctly weaker case: lower nightly rates, constant contact with guests in your own home, a shared kitchen and bathroom — and cleaning that is hard to outsource, because a cleaner will not come into an occupied flat. Anyone doing the sums on legal grounds alone overlooks that.
We do not examine it — and we say so plainly, because the boundary matters. Permits, zoning questions, house rules and tenancy agreements rest with the owner. The reason is not convenience: only information from the municipality is binding. If we say «that will be fine» and the authority later prohibits it, your flat stands empty and our assessment does you no good. What we do: tell you where you have to ask. You learn the zone from the building authority, free of charge. With condominium ownership, read the rules and the minutes of the last few meetings — a planned change appears there before it appears in the rules. With a tenancy, you need the landlord’s written consent. Keep these answers in writing; a verbal assurance helps nobody in two years. We start letting once you have confirmed to us that it is admissible.
The range is wider than you would expect. For full service, market rates in Zurich run from 20 to 30 per cent of rental income; premium providers charge up to 40 or 45 per cent of the booking total. Half service — listing and pricing without cleaning and guest support, say — sits at 10 to 15 per cent. Individual providers name concrete figures: GuestReady starts at 20 per cent, UpperKey works with a 20 per cent model, AlpineKeys names 20 per cent as its standard rate. We start at 18 per cent of booking turnover for the same scope of service. When comparing, it pays to look at the basis of assessment: 20 per cent of rental income and 20 per cent of the booking total are not the same thing, because the booking total can include cleaning fees and incidental charges.
For a studio or one-room flat, CHF 80 to 130 per clean; for three rooms, CHF 160 to 250. Billing is usually by time spent at hourly rates of CHF 70 to 90; flat rates by floor area are also common. Laundry and replenishing consumables increase the amount. Here is the figure that surprises people: this item arises at every guest changeover, not monthly. At twelve changeovers a month, cleaning becomes the largest running cost block — larger than any management commission. Something practical follows: at the same nightly rate, longer stays are distinctly more profitable than short ones, because they mean fewer changeovers. Anyone who aims pricing at occupancy alone and overlooks changeover costs is optimising at the wrong end.
From 13 October 2026 the host-only model applies in Switzerland: 15.5 per cent on the booking subtotal, borne by the host. Previously it was around 3 per cent from the host and 14 to 16.5 per cent from the guest. At Booking.com it is about 20 per cent. The important difference from the earlier model: guests no longer pay a separate service fee — the price shown is the final price. In practice this means the fee has to be built into the nightly rate rather than added on top for the guest. Anyone who leaves the price unchanged loses around 13 per cent of the payout; and raising it by 15.5 per cent is not enough, because the fee applies again to the increased amount. For your own calculation a sequence follows: booking turnover minus platform commission, minus cleaning and laundry per changeover, minus consumables, minus management. What remains is the return before tax. Anyone looking at booking turnover alone overestimates the return by a substantial amount.
Is short-term letting worthwhile compared with long-term renting?
That can only be answered for a specific property, and the answer comes out in favour of long-term renting more often than providers admit. Short-term letting achieves higher nightly rates but carries cleaning costs of CHF 80 to 250 at every changeover, platform fees of 15 to 20 per cent, vacant periods and an administrative burden that long-term renting does not have. Four figures decide it. The achievable occupancy at the specific location. The average length of stay — it determines the number of cleaning changeovers and therefore the largest cost block. The initial investment in furnishing, which does not arise with long-term renting. And whether the use is admissible under zoning law at all: if that comes out negative, the other three are moot. One point that rarely comes up: long-term renting ties the flat up under tenancy law, short-term letting does not — which makes things easier for anyone wanting to use or sell the flat in two years. We work through both variants and say so when long-term renting comes out better.
Are there hidden costs with you?
No, and you can check that on three points. First: no basic fee and no set-up costs. If the flat stands empty you pay us nothing — our commission is measured on booking turnover, not on a month. Second: cleaning and laundry run as a flat rate per changeover, staged by size of flat and known before the first booking. You see every changeover individually, not one aggregate figure — and no item that changes after the fact. Third: no minimum term and no notice period beyond one month. What we do not claim: that no costs arise apart from the commission. Consumables, wear on textiles and small appliances, minor repairs and the platform commission all arise — with us as with anyone. We name them in the calculation instead of hiding them under «other costs».
What return can I expect from my flat?
We do not name a percentage, and that is deliberate. The return depends on location, size, fittings, length of stay and season — two flats with the same turnover can produce very different returns, because the number of cleaning changeovers differs. What does serve as a guide: Swiss hotels reached room occupancy of 51.1 per cent in 2025 at an average room rate of CHF 268; in Zurich the price increase exceeded 5 per cent and was therefore above the national average. Those figures concern hotels, not short-term letting, but they indicate how demand is developing. For your flat, the calculator on this site gives a first approximation of turnover; we work through the cost side, and therefore the return, in conversation with your figures.
Reckon with furnishing, textiles, kitchen equipment and an electronic lock. The amount depends heavily on size and condition, and part of it can be taken over from existing furniture. What experience shows pays off and what does not can be ranked by effect: an electronic lock makes key handover independent of anyone being present and is therefore the purchase that relieves you most. A washing machine in the flat saves logistics at every changeover. A workspace with a desk, chair and light — not the kitchen table — widens the guest circle to business travellers, who stay longer. Conversely, expensive design achieves less than solid textiles in duplicate: bed linen has to be ready at the changeover, not in the wash. We put a list together before you buy anything.
What does an initial consultation cost?
Nothing, and it commits you to nothing. We look at the flat, assess what is achievable with short-term letting, and work through the cost side. We do not examine the zoning position — the building authority (Bauamt) is responsible for that, and information there is free. We tell you where you have to ask. At the end you have a figure you can work with — or the view that we advise against working together. The latter does happen: with strict house rules, with layouts that have no separable sleeping area, or where long-term renting comes out better. We say so at the initial consultation, not after three months of operation. The reason is simple: a property that does not add up costs us more effort than it brings in — our commission depends on turnover, not on a basic fee.
When do I get my money?
The platforms pay out booking turnover after the guest checks in, usually within a few days. With us a monthly statement follows: you receive a breakdown with all bookings, the platform fees, the cleaning costs per changeover and our commission — every item individually, not as a balance. What you also see: bookings, income and costs are available continuously, not only in the annual statement. The reason for this is practical: anyone who first learns in January how the previous year went can correct nothing during it. For your tax return we supply the documents in a form your tax adviser can use — broken down into income, deductible costs and occupied days for the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert).
Can you guarantee me an occupancy rate?
No, and we consider any such assurance disreputable. Occupancy depends on factors nobody controls: how demand develops, competition in the neighbourhood, the events calendar, the weather, the economy. Anyone guaranteeing an occupancy rate either sets it so low that the guarantee is worthless, or charges a premium that prices in the risk — and then you are paying for security you could have afforded more cheaply yourself. What we do instead: adjust prices continuously to demand, season and events. That is the lever which actually influences occupancy. And we do not tie you in: if the figures do not convince you, you cancel monthly. That is a more honest form of security than a guarantee in the small print.
Why is your commission lower than the others?
Because we are a small team and do not have to finance a structure that justifies itself through the price. Market rates for full service in Zurich run from 20 to 30 per cent of rental income, and premium providers charge over 40 per cent of the booking total. We start at 18 per cent of booking turnover, and for the same scope of service: listing, photography, ongoing pricing, guest support, cleaning arrangements. You file the cantonal guest notification yourself — the duty is not transferable; we supply you with the occupancy data for it. What that means we say just as plainly, because it belongs to the decision. We are not a customer service centre reachable around the clock in five languages. We do not manage a hundred properties at once, and when someone is on holiday or ill there is no team of ten to step in. We answer guest enquiries around the clock — they are time-critical. Your enquiries within one working day. Anyone who needs a large organisation behind them, or who has several dozen properties, is better served by one of the large providers and pays the higher commission for it.
Then you pay us nothing. Our commission is measured on booking turnover; with no booking, no claim arises. Cleaning does not arise either, because it is tied to the guest changeover. What continues are your own fixed costs: mortgage interest, service charges, insurance, internet. This is exactly why vacancy is the item most often missing from income calculations — it produces no invoice but an absence of income, and that is less noticeable. In practice this means, for planning: do not reckon with full occupancy. There is no such thing as 100 per cent occupancy, and anyone calculating with it is planning past reality. It is more realistic to set fixed costs against a cautiously assumed occupancy and check whether the calculation still holds.
Does short-term letting add up for a small flat too?
Often better than for a large one — which surprises many people. The reason lies in cleaning costs: a studio costs CHF 80 to 130 per changeover, a three-room flat CHF 160 to 250. Nightly rates rise with size, but not in the same proportion, because the number of guests is limited and demand for small units in Zurich is high. On top of that: one- and two-room flats meet the most frequent demand — business travellers, couples, individuals on project assignments. What matters is not the floor area but the usability: a separable sleeping area turns a two-room flat into an offer for two people who are not related to each other, and that widens the guest circle considerably. A room you have to walk through does not.
Do I have to invest in furniture if the flat is empty?
Yes, short-term letting is not possible without furnishing — but the amount can be steered. What is strictly necessary: beds with proper mattresses, bed linen in duplicate, towels, a working kitchen with crockery for the maximum number of guests, a table and chairs, curtains or blinds. What has effect without being expensive: good lighting, enough sockets in the right places, a workspace. What is expensive and achieves little: designer furniture. Guests rate cleanliness, fittings and location — not where the sofa came from. One practical note from the calculation: textiles in duplicate are not waste but a precondition. At the changeover one set has to be ready while the other is in the wash. Anyone economising there pays at every changeover with time pressure.
What does a letting mandate cost in Zurich?
A letting mandate for short-term rental costs between 18 and 30 per cent of revenue in Zurich. The published rates of Zurich providers are 20 to 21 per cent for full service; internationally the range goes higher. With us it is 18 per cent on the basic package and 25 per cent on full service, in each case on accommodation revenue after deduction of platform fees, with no base fee and cancellable monthly. The term «letting mandate» (Vermietungsmandat) comes from long-term letting, where a management company charges four to five per cent of rental income — that figure cannot be compared with short-term letting, because there one tenant change a year arises and here around seventy-eight stays. In any case percentages are only comparable together with the basis of calculation.
From how many flats is a management company worth it?
It depends on occupancy, not on the number of properties — put that way, the question misleads. A single flat let continuously in the city of Zurich justifies a management company sooner than three properties occupied eight weeks a year each. The reason lies in the cost structure: the commission arises on revenue, not per property — when the flat is empty you pay nothing, but neither do you save anything. Where the number of properties really tells is in your own workload: from the second property onwards, cleaning and laundry can hardly be coordinated on the side, because the changeovers overlap. Anyone self-managing hits a limit there that no amount of care will solve.
Yes, with no de minimis threshold. Income from short-term letting is taxable income and is declared as income from furnished flats — with all rental income actually received, including cleaning fees passed on. There is no amount below which declaration falls away; even three weeks of holiday letting belong in the tax return. Deductible are debt interest, maintenance costs and, in many cantons, a flat rate for wear on the furnishings. With furnished letting this point weighs more heavily than with long-term renting: textiles, crockery and small appliances wear out faster under changing use. Two particularities. Anyone letting owner-occupied property temporarily may reduce the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) by the letting period — which presupposes evidence of the occupied days. And if the property does not lie in your canton of residence, an inter-cantonal tax apportionment may become necessary: the canton and municipality where the property lies then have a say in the taxation.
None in law — and this is the point where many guides get it wrong. Unlike most Swiss cantons, the canton of Zurich has no accommodation levy in its legislation. What guests pay on an Airbnb booking as «city tax» is CHF 3.50 per person per night, and that rests on an agreement between Airbnb and the canton, not on a duty to pay a levy. One consequence follows that is rarely mentioned: anyone letting through a channel without such an agreement — their own website, say, or direct bookings — does not have to collect this amount. It is not a claim of the canton against the host. The visitor’s tax is to be distinguished from the guest notification duty: that is not a levy but a statutory obligation, and it exists regardless of the booking channel.
There are two thresholds, and they are frequently confused. The first is at CHF 40,000: from that annual gross rental income including service charges, holiday-flat letting counts as a business in its own right for VAT purposes. The second is at CHF 100,000 of worldwide annual turnover — from then on VAT registration is compulsory. For accommodation services a special rate of 3.8 per cent applies in 2026, instead of the standard rate of 8.1 per cent. It covers the accommodation including any breakfast, even where that is invoiced separately. Important for planning: the special rate is limited until the end of 2027 and rises to 4.2 per cent from 1 January 2028. Anyone calculating over several years should allow for that.
3.8 per cent in 2026 — the special rate for accommodation services. It was raised from 3.7 to 3.8 per cent in 2024 and therefore sits distinctly below the standard rate of 8.1 per cent and above the reduced rate of 2.6 per cent. The special rate covers the accommodation together with any breakfast; other services, such as a separately sold parking space, may have to be treated differently. Two figures belong in multi-year planning: the special rate is limited until the end of 2027, and in April 2026 the Federal Council adopted a dispatch on extending it. From 1 January 2028 it is to rise to 4.2 per cent. Anyone drawing up a five-year calculation should not work with a constant rate.
What happens to the imputed rental value if I let temporarily?
You may reduce it by the letting period — and this is the point where clean records are worth money directly. Anyone letting owner-occupied property by the day or week pays tax on the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) only for the period in which the rooms were available for their own use. Without evidence of the occupied days the basis for the reduction is missing, and the tax administration will then apply the full imputed rental value. In practice: keep a list of the days let, with booking records. Where letting is partial — a room alongside owner-occupied space, say — the imputed rental value has to be adjusted for the rooms let and the letting period, which presupposes an apportionment by area and time. We supply the occupancy data in a form your tax adviser can use.
Debt interest, maintenance costs and, in many cantons, a flat rate for wear on the furnishings. With short-term letting the last point carries more weight than with long-term renting: bed linen, towels, crockery and small appliances wear out distinctly faster under changing use, and anyone claiming them individually as maintenance keeps a longer list than under a long-term tenancy. Cleaning costs, platform fees, management fees and insurance premiums for the let property can also be deductible. Not deductible are value-enhancing investments: they count as capital costs and take effect only on a later sale, through the property gains tax. The distinction between value-preserving maintenance and value-enhancing investment is the point at which a question to your tax adviser pays for itself — a new floor covering replacing an equivalent old one is maintenance, an air conditioning unit installed for the first time is not. Anyone with both on one invoice should have the items shown separately.
What does guest notification cost and who files it?
You file it, and apart from your time it costs you nothing. Notification runs through the portal hotelkontrolle.zh.ch: hosts register there in advance and then file every guest notification electronically. The Zurich city police have issued a guidance note that states expressly: anyone who uses an online platform to let private flats and lets commercially for payment is also subject to the notification duty. Two points are frequently misunderstood. First: the duty does not concern foreign guests only — the Zurich system records all overnight guests. Second: registration belongs before the first booking. An omitted notification is not a formality; it can be a criminal offence. The duty rests with the host and is not transferable — we therefore do not file the notifications, not for managed properties either. What we do supply: the occupancy data with names and stay dates that you need for the notification.
Is Airbnb income reported to the tax authority automatically?
Do not rely on it not being. The international exchange of platform data with tax authorities has expanded considerably in recent years, and the assumption that income from short-term letting goes unnoticed is out of date. Independently of that, your duty to declare stands: it does not depend on whether the authority learns of the income anyway. What counts in practice: a complete declaration with proper records is also the basis for deducting costs — anyone who declares nothing can offset nothing either. With several properties, or income in several cantons, the matter becomes complex enough that a tax adviser is cheaper than a back tax assessment. We supply the documents for it monthly, not only in January.
review by 31 July 2027
What is the property transfer tax on purchase?
In the canton of Zurich it does not arise — which distinguishes it from most other cantons. Zurich has abolished the property transfer tax; on acquiring a property, notarial and land registry fees arise instead, and they are distinctly lower. What does arise: the property gains tax on sale, on the gain. In the canton of Zurich it is graduated by holding period — the longer you hold, the lower the rate. For the calculation of a short-term letting this is a point at the margin, but one with weight: anyone buying a flat to sell it again after two years pays a distinctly higher rate than with a longer holding period. For your case, the notary and the municipal tax office give binding information.
review by 31 July 2027
Do I need accounts for short-term letting?
Formal accounts only if you operate as a business — for private letting a proper set of records is enough. What it has to contain follows from what you do with it: income per booking, occupied days for the imputed rental value, cleaning and laundry costs per changeover, platform fees, management fee, consumables, repairs with receipts. With these records you can complete the tax return and, more important day to day, check your own calculation. Two thresholds change the requirements. From CHF 40,000 of annual gross rental income, holiday-flat letting counts as a business in its own right for VAT purposes. From CHF 100,000 of turnover, VAT registration arises, and with it invoices showing the tax rate and quarterly returns. From that size an accounting solution is cheaper than the rework. We supply the data monthly in a form that can be processed further — not as a PDF someone has to retype.
review by 31 July 2027
How does short-term letting affect my mortgage?
You should tell your bank before you start — and in writing, so that it is documented. Mortgage contracts regularly contain provisions on the use of the property, and a switch from owner occupation or long-term renting to commercial short-term letting can be a change of use within the meaning of the contract. The consequences range from a simple acknowledgement to an adjustment of terms: banks sometimes assess the risk of a commercially used property differently from an owner-occupied one, and in an affordability calculation fluctuating rental income can be weighted differently from a fixed rent. What argues against staying silent: an unreported change of use can be a breach of contract, and that typically becomes relevant precisely when something is going wrong anyway — with a claim, a refinancing or a sale. A call to your relationship manager costs nothing and settles in ten minutes whether written notification is required.
review by 31 July 2027
What applies for tax if I live abroad?
The property is taxed where it lies — that is the principle in international tax law and in the Swiss double taxation agreements. Income from a flat in Zurich is therefore taxable in Switzerland, regardless of your residence. In practice this means limited tax liability in the canton of Zurich: you declare the property and the income here, while your country of residence either exempts or credits it depending on the agreement. Something further needs clarifying: the permit requirement for the acquisition of real estate by persons abroad — the Lex Koller can restrict or exclude the purchase of a flat for short-term letting. That question belongs before the purchase contract and with a specialist, not on a website.
If the flat is furnished and ready to occupy, we usually set up the listing, photographs and platform profiles within two weeks. The sequence in detail: initial conversation and site visit, photography, creating the listings on the platforms, setting up pricing and the calendar, handing over access. Three things regularly extend the timetable. Missing furniture: then the start depends on procurement, with beds and textiles having the longest lead times. An unclear zoning position, where information has to be obtained from the municipality — allow two to four weeks for that; you obtain that information. And missing landlord consent for rented properties: it should be in writing before the first listing goes online, not after. We plan the sequence with you so the flat does not stand empty unnecessarily.
What do you need from me to start?
Five things, and none of them is laborious. First: access to the flat for a visit and photography. Second: details of the property — floor plan or area, number of rooms, fittings, parking, floor and whether there is a lift. Third: the legal basis — with ownership, the condominium rules (Stockwerkeigentümergemeinschaft) together with the minutes of the last two meetings, because a planned change of rules appears there before it appears in the rules themselves; with a tenancy, the tenancy agreement and any consent to subletting under Art. 262 OR. Fourth: an existing Airbnb account if you have one — we carry on with it rather than creating a new one, because accumulated reviews attach to the account, not to the property: an account with fifty good reviews commands higher prices than a new one. Fifth: bank details for settlement. What you do not need: a finished plan, photographs, texts or a view on pricing. That is our work, and it is what you pay commission for.
Who owns the Airbnb account?
You do. We work as co-hosts on your account instead of building our own — and this is not a detail but the most important point for your independence. Reviews accumulate on the account, not on the property: an account with fifty good reviews commands higher prices and a better position than a new one. If the arrangement ends and the account belonged to the manager, you start again from zero with the next provider or in self-management. That is a form of lock-in that appears in no contract and is therefore easy to miss. Ask every provider you are considering who owns the account and what happens to it when the arrangement ends. The answer tells you more about the business relationship than the percentage rate does.
Can I use the flat myself?
At any time — it is your flat. You block the dates you need and we remove them from availability. It makes sense to allow some lead time: bookings sometimes come in months ahead, and a confirmed booking cannot simply be withdrawn — host cancellations affect your position on the platforms. In practice this means: block the holiday you are planning as soon as you know about it, not two weeks beforehand. For regular own use — every other weekend, say — we set availability accordingly from the outset. It costs occupancy, but it is exactly the freedom for which many owners forgo long-term renting.
How do I terminate if I am dissatisfied?
Monthly, without giving reasons, in writing by email. No minimum term, no notice period beyond one month, no exit fee. What is settled at the end: confirmed bookings are honoured — it would be wrong towards guests to cancel them at the last minute, and a host cancellation damages your account’s position on the platforms, sometimes for months. Access, listings, photographs and the account stay with you; we step back as co-hosts without taking data with us. We return keys and access codes and reset the electronic lock code. The final statement follows in the month after the last departure. Why we do it this way: lock-in you later regret creates an arrangement in which we no longer need to make an effort. Anyone who wants to stay has to convince. In practice, monthly termination is a stronger incentive for us than any contractual clause protecting us.
Who is my contact person?
A permanent person, not a call centre. We are a small team, and that has two sides. The advantage: you explain your property once, not afresh with every enquiry, and decisions do not need clearing at three levels. The disadvantage, which we name openly: we are not reachable around the clock in several languages, and when someone is on holiday or ill there are not ten people to step in. For your enquiries: a reply within one working day. For guest enquiries something else applies — those we answer around the clock, because an enquiry left unanswered at 11 p.m. is a lost booking. Anyone who needs a large organisation behind them is better served by one of the large providers, and will pay 20 to 30 per cent for it.
What happens if there is an emergency in the flat?
We arrange for it to be dealt with and inform you — in that order, not the other way round. With a leak on a Sunday evening, asking first does not help; what matters there is that someone reaches a tradesman and limits the damage. For amounts below a limit agreed with you we act and report; above it we obtain your consent, if the damage allows the time. We set that limit together at the start — usually an amount at which nobody calls you about every washer, but you decide on every repair. What we document: the condition before and after the event with photographs, the time, the measures taken, the costs with receipts. You need these records for insurance, a warranty or a claim against a guest — without them a claim is hard to substantiate. What we are not: a building firm. With major damage we coordinate tradesmen and timing but do not decide on the repair. That stays with you, even if it takes longer.
How do you select guests?
Through requirements in the listing and a check on every enquiry. The platforms provide reference points for this: verified identity, previous reviews, completeness of the profile. We additionally look at the purpose of the stay and at the number of guests relative to the size of the flat. What we decline: enquiries with no comprehensible purpose, bookings for substantially more people than the flat provides for, and stays that sound like a party — with properties under strict house rules that is the most frequent cause of trouble with neighbours. This cannot be controlled entirely: booking platforms limit how strictly a host may select, and anyone declining too many enquiries loses position. We weigh that up instead of claiming a certainty that does not exist.
Can I specify who I do not want?
Substantive requirements yes, personal characteristics no. Rules on the stay are permissible and customary: no parties, no pets, no smoking, a maximum number of guests, quiet hours, a minimum length of stay. Such requirements can be set out in the listing, and guests see them before booking — which is the condition for a breach being enforceable at all. Not permissible are exclusions by origin, nationality, religion, sex, age or family status: that breaches the platforms’ terms and, depending on the case, anti-discrimination law. An account that repeatedly refuses on those grounds risks suspension. What works in practice and remains permissible is the minimum length of stay. It filters more effectively than any list of prohibitions, because guests staying a week have different intentions from those looking for a single night — and it simultaneously reduces cleaning costs, because there are fewer changeovers. Of all the levers, it has the best ratio of effect to effort.
Will you manage several properties for me?
Yes, and with several properties the calculation usually improves for you. The reason lies in the fixed costs you bear yourself: anyone with two flats in the same building or neighbourhood shares laundry logistics, cleaning trips and the store of supplies. Our effort per property also falls, which can be reflected in the rate — with several properties we talk about the commission. What you should bear in mind: from annual turnover of CHF 100,000 across all properties, VAT registration arises, and the CHF 40,000 threshold for a «business in its own right» is reached earlier still. With two or three flats in Zurich that is not a remote possibility but a planning point. We will tell you when you are approaching it.
What if I want to sell the flat?
Not a problem, and the current letting may even help. You terminate with one month’s notice; confirmed bookings are honoured, after which the flat is free. What is useful in a sale process: a summary of income over the last few months. For a buyer who wants to continue that use it is a solid basis — considerably more than an estimate. We will produce it if you wish. What you should bear in mind: viewings need access, and that sits badly with current bookings. It therefore makes sense to reduce availability a few weeks before the sale begins. And the property gains tax in the canton of Zurich is graduated by holding period — selling early costs more.
Do you work with several platforms?
Yes, and it is more than a question of reach. Airbnb, Booking.com and other channels address different guests: Booking.com brings more business travellers and older guests, Airbnb more city tourists and longer stays. Anyone present on only one channel forgoes part of the demand. Two relevant points. First: the commissions differ — from 13 October 2026 Airbnb charges 15.5 per cent of the booking subtotal in Switzerland, Booking.com about 20; that bears on pricing, because the same night on two channels produces a different result. Second: calendar synchronisation — a double booking is the most expensive mistake in this business, because a host cancellation damages your position. That is the real reason multi-channel distribution is work rather than just a tick in a box.
Monthly, with every item shown separately. The summary contains all bookings in the month with dates and number of nights, the platform fees per booking, the cleaning costs per changeover, consumables, any repairs and our commission. Not a balance but a calculation you can follow and set against your own. In addition, bookings and income are available continuously, not only at the end of the month. The reason for this is not transparency as a value in itself but something practical: anyone who first learns in January how the summer went can no longer correct it. Anyone who sees in July that occupancy is behind last year can react through pricing while the high season is still running. For the tax return we provide a summary at the end of the year with income, deductible costs and — important for the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) — the number of days let. Without that evidence the tax administration will apply the full imputed rental value.
What documents do I need in order to let my flat?
To start with us, four things are enough: proof of identity, proof that you are entitled to dispose of the flat, the bank details for payouts, and access to the flat for photography and handover. Entitled to dispose means, depending on the case: an extract from the land register or the purchase contract for ownership, the landlord’s written consent for a rented flat, and for a condominium the association’s rules as well. What is needed beyond that depends on the municipality and rests with you: in the city of Zurich a change of use can require a building application, even without building works. The binding answer on that comes from the building authority; we provide operational letting services and do not advise on permit questions.
How long does handing over to a management company take?
With a furnished flat, around two weeks from the go-ahead to the first booking. In that time come: the visit and inventory, photography, listing and profiles on the platforms, pricing, keys or an electronic lock, a cleaning schedule. It takes longer if the flat has to be furnished first — then the delivery time of the furniture sets the date, not we. And the timing matters too: a new listing does not reach market occupancy at once but sits at around 82 per cent of established operation over the first year. Starting in spring puts May and July ahead of you while the listing collects reviews.
Cancelling an Airbnb management: what happens to bookings and reviews?
With us, reviews and listing stay with you, because the account is yours: we work as a co-host on it and step back when it ends. Existing bookings we either see through or hand over to you, whichever you prefer — we would not cancel them, because that damages your account’s standing. With another provider the answer hangs on a single question: whose account the listing runs on. If it runs on the provider’s, the reviews stay there and you begin at zero — regardless of what was promised, because on Airbnb reviews are tied to the account and not to the property. That is the most important question before signing, and it appears in no price comparison.
How do I find a reputable Airbnb management company in Zurich?
By four answers that cost nothing and take ten minutes together. First: what does the percentage refer to — the booking amount, the payout, with or without the cleaning fee? Between two readings lies a difference of over 40 per cent at an identical figure. Second: whose account does the listing run on, and do the reviews stay with you? Third: how long is the minimum term? Fourth: who is liable for what, and what is insured? Anyone who dodges one of these questions has already answered the comparison. «Airbnb management» is not a protected designation in Switzerland; there is neither a licence nor supervision, and what is delivered is set out solely in the contract.
What does an Airbnb manager actually do — day by day?
The largest part is guest communication: answering enquiries, checking bookings, sending arrival information, dealing with questions during the stay. Experience values from the German-speaking area put that alone at around 180 hours a year. Daily on top comes price maintenance — demand, days of the week, events in Zurich — because a price adjusted once a month is wrong in both directions. At each changeover, around six and a half times a month in Zurich, follow cleaning, laundry, consumables and a check. Then the irregular things that make the difference: a broken washing machine on a Sunday, a noise complaint, a damage case, a review that has to be answered. At the end of the month comes the statement.
Which areas do you cover?
The city of Zurich, the municipalities on both shores of the lake as far as Thalwil and Meilen, and the nearer surroundings including Wettswil, Bonstetten and Birmensdorf. Outside that area we do not work, and the reason is not convenience: cleaning, handover and being reachable when something goes wrong all depend on somebody being able to get there in reasonable time. At around 78 arrivals a year that is not an exceptional situation but normal operation — and an hour’s drive turns a jammed lock on a Friday evening into a lost guest. A provider who names half of German-speaking Switzerland either does not run those properties itself or does not run them well. Whether your address is included we tell you in the first conversation in one sentence; if it lies outside, we say so just as plainly instead of trying.
I am still looking for a flat — what should I watch for when buying?
Check permissibility before price. A flat in a zone that does not allow short-term letting is useless for the purpose however good the price — and following the Federal Supreme Court judgment of 30 April 2026, what matters in the city is whether someone still lives in the flat. With a condominium, the by-laws come on top: the owners’ association can prohibit the use, including after the fact. Only then economics, and there the floor plan counts for more than the area — a separable sleeping area widens the pool of guests, a walk-through room does not. Count the furnishing as capital tied up, not as a question of fit-out, and budget the first year at around 82 per cent of the later revenue level. Two detailed articles work this through: the buying checklist and the location analysis for Zurich.
One- and two-room flats with a separable sleeping area meet the most frequent demand in Zurich — and often add up better than large flats. The reason lies in cleaning costs: a studio costs CHF 80 to 130 per changeover, a three-room flat CHF 160 to 250. Nightly rates rise with size, but not in the same proportion, because the number of paying guests is limited. What decides it is not the floor area but the layout: a separable sleeping area turns a two-room flat into an offer for two people who are not related to each other — two business travellers from the same company, say. That widens the guest circle considerably. A room you have to walk through does not, even at the same floor area.
In the city of Zurich usually not; around Lake Zurich and in the surrounding area, yes. City guests arrive by train or from the airport; a parking space barely raises the nightly rate there, whereas in Wettswil or Thalwil it can decide a booking. One middle course is often overlooked: where there is no private space but public parking is available nearby, that belongs in the listing — with the cost stated. Guests arriving by car filter on this feature, and missing information is read as «no parking». Conversely, for the city: good transport links are the stronger selling point. Two tram minutes to the main station weigh more than a parking space nobody needs.
What fittings do guests expect?
There is a basic standard whose absence leads to poor reviews, and extras that raise the price. The basic standard includes: reliable Wi-Fi with adequate bandwidth, a working kitchen with crockery for the maximum number of guests, bed linen and towels in duplicate, curtains or blinds that actually darken the room, and enough sockets where you need them — beside the bed and at the workspace. What raises the price: a washing machine in the flat, a real workspace with a desk and light, a balcony. What achieves little: expensive designer furniture. Guests rate cleanliness, fittings and location, not where the sofa came from. A frequent mistake is having only one set of textiles — at the changeover one set has to be ready while the other is in the wash.
Is an electronic lock worth it?
It is the purchase that relieves you most, and we recommend it almost always. The reason: it detaches key handover from anyone being present. Without an electronic lock someone has to be on site at every arrival — and with guests arriving late in the evening from another time zone, that is the point at which self-management fails in practice. With an access code that changes with each booking, it falls away entirely. Two points on implementation: with condominium ownership, replacing a lock cylinder can require the association’s consent, because the building’s locking system is affected. And a battery-powered lock needs its charge monitored — a dead lock at midnight is worse than no electronic lock. We check both before proposing one.
How important are professional photographs?
They are the one item of expenditure we advise spending on — because the guest’s decision is made in the results list, not on the detail page. A guest sees a picture and a price first; everything else comes afterwards or never. What makes a good shot: daylight rather than a ceiling lamp, cleared surfaces, a wide angle without distortion, and a first image showing the main room in its full depth. What harms: phone shots under artificial light, sloping horizons, personal items in frame. We take the photographs ourselves and replace them when the flat changes — a listing with pictures from three years ago leads to disappointment on arrival, and that comes through in the review.
Do I have to furnish the flat if it is empty?
Yes, short-term letting is not possible without furnishing — but the amount can be steered, and part of it can be taken over from what is already there. Strictly necessary: beds with proper mattresses, textiles in duplicate, a working kitchen with crockery, a table and chairs, blackout. What has effect without being expensive: good lighting, sockets in the right places, a workspace with a desk and chair. We put a list together before you buy anything, and also say what we advise against: seating groups that narrow the room, delicate surfaces, rugs in circulation areas. With furnished letting, wear is moreover deductible for tax as a flat rate in many cantons — that belongs in the calculation.
Which location works best in Zurich?
There is not one best location but several that appeal to different guests — and that matters more for pricing than any ranking. The old town and Seefeld live on sights and location; guests stay longer and pay more if the flat delivers what the address promises. Oerlikon depends on dates: trade fairs, the Hallenstadion, the universities. Occupancy there is high during major events and quieter in between, which requires a look at the events calendar. Zurich West attracts a younger crowd active in the evening — good weekend occupancy, but house rules play a larger role in guest selection. Around Lake Zurich longer stays predominate: expats between flats, project assignments. Location therefore determines not just the price but the whole way the property is run.
Is a flat without a lift suitable?
Suitable yes, but it costs more permanently — and that item appears in no listing. The reason is cleaning: every change of linen on the fourth floor without a lift is manual work up stairs, and cleaning firms factor that in when they bill by time. Over a year with twelve changeovers a month that makes a measurable difference. On the guest side there is more: families with a pram and older guests filter for a lift, which narrows the guest circle. And anyone arriving with large luggage — business travellers on a multi-week assignment — rates the climb worse than a weekend guest does. It is not a disqualifying criterion, but it belongs in the calculation, and the listing should state the floor along with a note that there is no lift.
What about noise and neighbours?
This is the most frequent reason an arrangement ends — not the figures. Neighbours annoyed by changing guests turn to the property management, and with condominium ownership that can turn into a change of rules prohibiting the use. In 2019 the Federal Supreme Court upheld such a ban; the case decided concerned intensive use of communal areas by guests. What helps in practice: clear house rules in the listing with quiet hours, a ban on parties, a maximum number of guests, and a minimum length of stay that makes weekend parties unattractive. What also helps and is rarely done: telling the neighbours beforehand. Someone who knows guests are coming, and whom to turn to, complains to the management less often.
Guests like them, and they are more demanding to run. In their favour: high ceilings, stucco, parquet — features that photograph well and stand out in the results list. Against them are practical matters: sound insulation between flats is regularly weaker in older buildings, which leads to complaints with changing guests. Windows are often single-glazed, which means heating costs in winter and street noise in summer. Plumbing is older and more prone to failure. And house rules in older buildings are frequently stricter, because the buildings have been lived in longer. We would not rule out a period flat — but we check sound insulation and windows before agreeing, because both are hard and expensive to change afterwards.
How many guests should I allow?
As many as can sleep properly — not as many as theoretically fit. The temptation to list a sofa bed as an additional sleeping place is strong, because the nightly rate rises with the number of guests. The price for it is worse reviews: someone sleeping on a sofa bed in the living room rates the stay differently from someone in the bedroom. And reviews last longer than a single supplement. Two practical points: the maximum in the listing should match reality, because overcrowding is the most frequent occasion for complaints from neighbours. And the fittings have to match the number — crockery, towels and seats for full occupancy, not half. Where that is missing, you get exactly the reviews that push the price down.
What do I do with personal belongings?
Clear them away, and completely. That applies not only to valuables but to everything personal: photographs, documents, clothing, medicines, post. Two reasons, the second of which is frequently overlooked. First, security: what is accessible can disappear, and the insurance position on theft during a letting is not settled in every case — household contents policies regularly exclude commercial use. Second, the effect: guests in a flat with someone else’s family photographs behave differently from guests in a neutrally furnished one. They feel like intruders, and that comes through in the review. What has proved itself in practice is a lockable cupboard or cellar compartment for whatever is to stay. Everything else belongs out of the flat.
Answering guest enquiries alone adds up, according to hosts’ accounts, to around 180 hours a year — more than a month of full-time work. In high season the total effort rises to 15 to 25 hours a month; in quieter months it runs at 2 to 3 hours a week. On top of that come cleaning coordination, damage reports, complaints and maintaining the listings. These figures come from German-speaking countries, not from Zurich in particular; as an order of magnitude they serve, because the effort depends on the number of bookings, not on the location. What they do not capture is availability. The problem is not the sum of the hours but their distribution — guest enquiries arrive in the evening, at weekends and from other time zones, and an enquiry left unanswered at 11 p.m. is a lost booking.
Around the clock, and that is not a service formula but an economic necessity. The platforms rate response time and let it feed into placement; anyone who answers slowly is displayed worse. More important still: guests looking for a flat usually write to several hosts and book with whoever answers first. An enquiry left for twelve hours is generally lost — not because the guest is dissatisfied but because they have booked elsewhere in the meantime. For your own enquiries a different undertaking applies: a reply within one working day. The difference is intentional. A guest enquiry at midnight is time-critical; your question about a statement is not — and we do not claim to be equally fast at both.
Who takes care of the cleaning?
It is carried out by partner companies we engage and check — not by us. It is billed as a flat rate per changeover, staged by size of flat: CHF 110 for a studio, CHF 160 for three rooms, CHF 215 for 4.5 rooms. The amount is fixed in advance and does not change if a clean takes longer; that risk is ours, and that is where our margin sits. Market amounts run from CHF 80 to 130 for a studio and CHF 160 to 250 for three rooms; billing is usually by time spent at hourly rates of CHF 70 to 90. What belongs to it and is often missing from the calculation: laundry, replenishing consumables, and checking the condition before the next arrival. That last point is where one clean differs from another — a changeover without a condition check means damage is first discovered by the next guest, and then it can no longer be attributed. Which is why we document the condition at every changeover; you need that record if you want to bring a claim.
We document the damage and report it through the platform, within the deadlines that apply there — they are short, and a late report can cost you the claim. Airbnb’s AirCover covers property damage on its terms, up to USD 3 million, plus liability cover up to USD 1 million for injury or loss suffered by guests. Also covered are damage by guests’ pets, lost income from cancellations due to guest damage, and deep-cleaning costs. What AirCover expressly does not replace, Airbnb says itself: building insurance, tenant’s insurance and liability insurance. It comes in addition, not instead — and household contents policies regularly exclude commercial use. What decides enforcement is the documentation: condition before and after the stay with photographs, the time, the items affected. Without those records a claim is hard to substantiate, because it cannot be shown when the damage arose. Which is why the condition check at every changeover is the basis of any later claim.
Does my household contents insurance cover letting?
Not as a matter of course, and this is the insurance gap most people are unaware of. Household contents policies as a rule exclude commercial use — and anyone letting a flat to changing guests in a planned way is operating in commercial territory. It does not automatically follow that there is no cover, but the existing policy does not necessarily cover the new use. And you notice that in the event of a claim, not before. Swiss insurers are clear on this point: the advice is consistently to establish with your insurer whether adequate protection exists. With subletting there is a subtlety: your own contents remain protected, provided the damage was not caused by the person subletting. Contents a subtenant brings with them are normally not covered by your policy.
We answer factually and publicly, and we do not claim there are none. A single bad review does less harm than a defensive answer to it: anyone who justifies themselves or contradicts the guest does not convince future guests — they show how they deal with criticism. What works: acknowledge the criticism, name what has been changed, and leave it there. More important than handling a bad review is avoiding one, and the most frequent causes are avoidable: cleanliness, a gap between the listing and reality, unreachable hosts. The second is the underestimated one — a listing with photographs from three years ago leads to disappointment on arrival, and that comes through in the review even where the flat is objectively fine.
What happens with a double booking?
It is the most expensive mistake in this business, and therefore the reason multi-channel distribution is work. Anyone offering on Airbnb and Booking.com without synchronising the calendars risks two bookings for the same night. The consequence: one has to be cancelled, and a host cancellation affects placement on the platform — sometimes for months. At Airbnb, fees and a note on the profile come on top. In practice this means calendar synchronisation is not a tick in the settings but something that has to keep working, with short update intervals. We therefore work with a central calendar rather than mutual synchronisation between platforms — the detour via two channels querying each other is exactly where gaps arise.
How is the price set?
Continuously, not once — and this is the lever with the strongest influence on the return. The starting point is a base price by location, size and fittings. Acting on it: season, day of the week, how far ahead the booking is, events in Zurich, and the prices of comparable properties nearby. An example of the order of magnitude: during a trade fair in Oerlikon the achievable price sits distinctly above the weekly average — anyone who does not know the calendar leaves money on the table on precisely those days. Conversely, for weakly booked periods: a price that has produced no booking three weeks before the date is too high. Anyone who does not adjust prices does not lose visibly — no invoice arises, just a booking that does not come.
What is the best minimum length of stay?
It is the most effective lever, and most people underestimate it — and the answer depends on cleaning costs. At CHF 80 to 250 per changeover, a single night is distinctly less profitable than three nights at the same nightly rate: the same clean, three times the turnover. Two nights minimum is a customary and usually sensible setting in Zurich. In favour of longer minimum stays: fewer changeovers, less laundry, less coordination, and a guest selection that follows by itself — someone staying a week is less likely to be coming to party. Against: lower occupancy, because short bookings fall away. The right number depends on the location: in Oerlikon with its trade fairs, short stays are the demand; around Lake Zurich, the longer ones are.
Prevent them, because there is little to be done afterwards. Three measures that work together: a minimum length of stay that makes weekend parties unattractive — that is the most effective. Clear house rules in the listing with quiet hours and an express ban on events, so that a breach can be evidenced. And checking every enquiry for its purpose and the number of guests relative to the size of the flat; a booking for six people in a two-room flat is declined. What we do not claim: that it can be prevented entirely. Booking platforms limit how strictly a host may select, and anyone declining too many enquiries loses placement. If a party does happen, we document it and report it to the platform — rules apply there that we could not enforce ourselves.
How does handover to guests work?
Best without anyone present, via an access code that changes with each booking. The reason is practical: guests arrive at times that cannot be planned — delayed flights, other time zones, late-evening arrivals. Anyone who has to be on site at every arrival ties themselves to their guests’ travel plans. What belongs to the handover even without personal contact: directions with pictures of the front door, clear details of the access code and when it is valid, Wi-Fi access, how to operate the heating and the cooker, waste disposal rules. What we additionally provide: a number that is actually reachable if there is a problem. An access code that does not work is the worst first minute of a stay — and the most frequent occasion for a bad review despite a good flat.
Can I see who stays in my flat?
Yes. You see the name and stay dates of every guest, because both arise in processing the booking. Further details come through the platforms: profile, previous reviews, purpose of the stay where it has been given. What you do not see and may not see: more than is needed for processing. The data is subject to data protection law, and collection beyond the purpose is not permissible. No guest database for marketing purposes arises from it. On the guest notification duty: in the canton of Zurich the recording of overnight guests is prescribed, and the duty falls on you as the owner. Which notification applies to your property, and by what route it is filed, you establish with your municipality. We provide you with the occupancy data you need for it — we do not file the notification itself.
Who is liable for damage — the owner, the management company or Airbnb?
Towards third parties the owner is liable, because they are the host and the owner of the property. A management company does not change that: we act in your name on your account. What differs is the order of cover. For damage a guest does to your furnishings, the deposit or the damage claim through Airbnb applies first, then AirCover for hosts. For damage originating from the flat — water damage at the neighbour’s — your building or private liability insurance applies, and that is where the most common gap sits: many policies do not cover commercial letting unless notified. For mistakes in our work we are liable. This delimitation belongs in the contract, and the cover is to be settled with your insurer before the first booking.
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