Contents
This article reflects the state of our research and is not legal or tax advice. What applies to your property depends on the zone, the municipality, the house rules and your contract; only the competent authority gives binding information.
Key facts
- Five checkpoints that cannot be changed after the signature.
- Zone and residential share first: since the ruling of 30 April 2026 the city may no longer count commercial short-term letting towards the minimum residential share.
- In a condominium the regulations have a say; for rented property you need consent under Article 262 of the Code of Obligations.
- In the floor plan what counts is a separable sleeping area, a desk, your own washing machine and an electronic lock.
1. Zone and residential share
Since the Federal Supreme Court ruling of 30 April 2026 this is the first check in the city of Zurich: in zones with a residential-share requirement the city may no longer count permanently commercial short-term letting towards the minimum residential share.
The question is therefore not «is Airbnb allowed» but: which zone is the property in, what residential share applies there, and what use is compatible with it. The building and zoning code gives the answer, and in case of doubt the building authority (Bauamt).
2. The condominium association’s rules
With condominium ownership the association’s rules have a say. In 2019 the Federal Supreme Court upheld a prohibition on short-term letting imposed by an association — in an individual case, but the possibility exists.
What has to be checked is not only what the rules say but also whether an amendment is on the table. An association irritated by guests in the communal areas can amend the rules — and then the calculation collapses.
3. With rented properties: the lease
Anyone renting rather than buying needs the landlord’s consent under Article 262 CO (Art. 262 OR). Commercial subletting without consent can justify extraordinary termination.
The consent belongs in the lease or in a supplementary agreement, in writing — before the first listing, not after the first objection.
Your figures, not our examples
The calculator takes the number of rooms, the neighbourhood and the fit-out and shows you a range — with the arithmetic beside it, not as a single figure you have to take on trust.
Estimate the return4. Layout and fittings
For short-term letting what counts is not the floor area but the usability. A bedroom that can be closed off turns a two-room flat into an offering for two people who are not related to one another — and widens the range of guests considerably.
A workspace with a screen appeals to business travellers, who book longer stays and exert less price pressure than weekend guests. A balcony or a view affects the booking rate more than additional square metres.
- A bedroom that can be closed off rather than a connecting room
- A workspace with a table, chair and light — not the kitchen table
- A washing machine in the flat, not in a shared laundry room with a booking rota
- An electronic lock, so that the key handover does not require anyone to be present
5. Accessibility — for the cleaning too
The transport links count twice: for guests on arrival, and for the cleaning between two bookings. A property that is logistically hard to serve with the change of linen and the cleaning causes permanently higher costs.
With a flat on the fourth floor without a lift, every change of linen is carried up stairs by hand. That appears in no listing but makes a measurable difference over a year.
Frequently asked questions
One- and two-room flats with a bedroom that can be closed off cover the broadest demand. What matters is less the floor area than the usability of the layout.
In the city usually yes: guests come by train or from the airport. In the surrounding area a parking space weighs more heavily.
Then the property has to be valued on the calculation of a long-term tenancy. We say so before the purchase where we see it — an honest refusal is cheaper than an attempt that does not pay.
And for your property?
Sources
State of our research: 4 March 2026. Official rules change — check the current position with the competent authority.
