House management
Managing your single-family house in Zurich
You are keeping your house in Zurich, on the left shore of Lake Zurich or in the surrounding area and want to let it without tracking every payment and repair yourself. alphakey lets and manages the house itself.
Enquire about management- Fee by agreement
- Victoria and Artur Pfeifer in person
- Rent payments checked monthly
- Also for owners abroad
alphakey manages let single-family houses in the city of Zurich, on the left shore of Lake Zurich and in the surrounding area and does the work itself; your contacts are Victoria and Artur Pfeifer. Management covers a monthly check of rent payments, the ancillary cost statement, maintenance and looking after the tenants; when tenants change, alphakey conducts the viewings itself. alphakey agrees the fee individually. Rent adjustments due to changes in mortgage interest are based on the reference interest rate, except for index-linked and stepped rents, subsidised housing and luxury houses with six or more rooms; it stands at 1.25 % and was unchanged at the announcement by the Federal Office for Housing on 01.09.2026.
alphakey GmbH, Wettswil am Albis · 09.11.2026
What does alphakey take on when managing a single-family house?
alphakey's management of a single-family house covers the ongoing care of the tenancy and the house: checking rent payments, settling ancillary costs, coordinating maintenance and dealing with tenants' requests. alphakey does this work itself and does not pass it on to another management company.
alphakey agrees the scope and the fee individually for your house before it starts. What management covers for smaller properties and let condominium flats is described under property management in Zurich.
- Check rent payments every month and send reminders for arrears
- Prepare the ancillary cost statement; you see receipts and rent payments in an online overview
- Follow the reference interest rate and prepare an adjustment of the rent
- Coordinate maintenance and tradespeople, keep tenants informed
- Deal with tenants' requests
- Take over existing contracts and documents
- When tenants change: tenant search for owners with viewings conducted by alphakey
What is different about letting a single-family house rather than a flat?
A let single-family house usually has a single tenant party with sole use of the house, garden and heating. Tenants pay ancillary costs only if these are specifically agreed (Art. 257a para. 2 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO). A single-family house needs no allocation key, so the lease must state all the more precisely which ancillary costs and which upkeep the tenant takes on.
The lease must list each service precisely; according to the courts of the canton of Zurich, collective terms are not sufficient, and without an agreement all services are included in the net rent. Only actual expenses may be charged (Art. 257b CO); where ancillary costs are charged on the basis of a statement, the statement must be prepared at least once a year (Art. 4 para. 1 VMWG).
| Topic | What applies | What the lease should say |
|---|---|---|
| Ancillary costs | Owed only if specifically agreed; actual expenses only (Art. 257a, 257b CO) | Each item separately: heating, hot water, water and waste water, refuse; payment on account or flat rate; what the tenant pays directly |
| Garden | Without an agreement, only minor upkeep according to local custom (Art. 259 CO); garden care transferable by a supplementary agreement (HEV Schweiz); the landlord's maintenance obligation cannot be varied to the tenant's detriment (Art. 256 para. 2 CO) | Which tasks the tenant takes on, who provides the equipment, condition of the garden at the start of the tenancy with photos in the handover report |
| Upkeep of the house | The landlord keeps the house fit for use (Art. 256 CO); minor cleaning and repairs are the tenant's task (Art. 259 CO) | Who defects are reported to, servicing of heating and appliances, access for tradespeople |
| Deposit | At most three months' rent, held at a bank in a savings or custody account in the tenant's name (Art. 257e CO) | Amount of the deposit and bank |
| Initial rent | In the canton of Zurich the form is mandatory when a new residential lease is concluded, as long as no more than 1.5 % of dwellings stand empty (01.06.2026: 0.52 %; Art. 270 para. 2 CO, § 229b EG ZGB); since 01.10.2025 it states the reference interest rate and consumer price index that applied to the previous rent (Art. 19 para. 3 VMWG) | Official form or a form approved by the canton, stating the previous rent and the initial rent |
| Large luxury house | The rules on abusive rents do not apply to luxury single-family houses with six or more rooms, not counting the kitchen (Art. 253b para. 2 CO, Art. 2 VMWG) | Clarify before letting whether the house falls under this exception |
Manage your single-family house yourself or hand it over?
Whether you manage your let single-family house yourself or hand it over depends on whether you can handle six recurring tasks yourself: checking rent payments, settling ancillary costs, adjusting the rent, organising maintenance, handling changes of tenant and being reachable for the tenants. Anyone who hands management over passes these tasks to alphakey; which decisions stay with you is agreed with you.
If another company currently manages your single-family house, the page changing property manager describes giving notice and handing over the documents.
| Task | If you manage it yourself | With alphakey |
|---|---|---|
| Rent payments | Check every month that the rent has arrived; in the case of arrears, set a payment deadline of at least 30 days in writing (Art. 257d CO) | alphakey checks incoming rent payments every month and sends reminders for arrears |
| Ancillary costs | Collect receipts; where ancillary costs are charged on the basis of a statement, prepare it at least once a year (Art. 4 para. 1 VMWG); let the tenant inspect the receipts on request (Art. 257b para. 2 CO) | alphakey prepares the statement; you see the receipts in the online overview |
| Rent adjustment | Follow the reference interest rate; notify and justify an increase on the form at least ten days before the notice period begins (Art. 269d CO) | alphakey follows the reference interest rate and prepares the adjustment |
| Maintenance | Receive defect reports from the tenant (Art. 257g CO), instruct tradespeople, arrange appointments | alphakey coordinates maintenance and tradespeople and keeps the tenants informed |
| Change of tenant | Listing, viewings, checking application files, form for the initial rent (Art. 270 para. 2 CO), handover with a report | alphakey advertises, conducts the viewings itself, checks application files and creditworthiness and hands over the house with a report and keys. The initial rent form is the landlord's obligation (Art. 270 para. 2 CO); the management contract sets out who completes it. |
| Tenants' requests | Be reachable for the tenants' questions and reports | alphakey deals with the tenants' requests; you reach alphakey by phone, WhatsApp and e-mail |
Can I let my house in Zurich and have it managed if I move abroad?
Yes: alphakey lets and manages your house in Zurich even if you live abroad; you reach Victoria and Artur Pfeifer by phone, WhatsApp and e-mail. You see receipts and rent payments in an online overview. alphakey handles what is hard to do from a distance: viewings with applicants, reminders for arrears and coordinating tradespeople.
If you plan to return, it is best to take that into account when choosing the lease: a fixed-term lease ends on the agreed date without notice (Art. 266 CO), but the tenant can still request an extension if ending the tenancy would cause a hardship not justified by your interests; for residential premises by at most four years (Art. 272, 272b CO). Clarify tax questions on leaving with a tax specialist; alphakey does not provide tax advice.
- Before the move: choose a fixed-term or open-ended lease and find tenants
- Clarify bank, insurance and tax questions with the relevant specialists
- Hand over keys, documents and service contracts
- Ongoing: rent payments, statements and maintenance through Victoria and Artur Pfeifer
How does management of your single-family house begin?
Management of your single-family house begins with a short, non-binding enquiry and a conversation about the house, the tenancy and your goals. Scope and fee are agreed with you before alphakey takes anything on.
Enquiry
You tell alphakey the location, the size and whether the house is currently let, empty or owner-occupied.
Conversation
alphakey clarifies with you the tenancy, the documents and what you would like to hand over.
Agreement
alphakey agrees services and fee individually for your house.
Takeover
alphakey takes over contracts and documents; from then on rent payments, ancillary costs and maintenance run through alphakey.
What does alphakey not take on?
alphakey does not manage condominium owners' associations (Stockwerkeigentümer-Gemeinschaften) and does not provide legal or tax advice. alphakey does take on the rental management of an individual let condominium flat. In the canton of Zurich, legal information on tenancy law is provided by the district conciliation authorities.
Questions about managing a single-family house
What does alphakey charge for managing a single-family house?
alphakey agrees the fee for managing a single-family house individually before management begins; there is no standard price. It depends on the number of rental units, the size of the house and the scope of the tasks. The enquiry is non-binding.
Does alphakey also manage condominium associations?
alphakey takes on the rental management of an individual let condominium flat, but not the management of a condominium owners' association.
How high may the rent deposit for a single-family house be?
For residential premises, at most three months' rent. The landlord must place the deposit at a bank in a savings or custody account held in the tenant's name (Art. 257e CO).
Who pays for heating, water and garden care in a let single-family house?
Tenants pay only ancillary costs that are specifically agreed and listed individually in the lease (Art. 257a para. 2 CO); everything else is included in the net rent. Garden care can be transferred by a supplementary agreement that describes the tasks precisely.
Does a single-family house in the canton of Zurich need the form for the initial rent?
Yes, in the canton of Zurich the form is mandatory when a new residential lease is concluded, as long as no more than 1.5 % of dwellings stand empty; on 01.06.2026 the figure was 0.52 % (Art. 270 para. 2 CO, § 229b EG ZGB). The law provides an exception for luxury single-family houses with six or more rooms (Art. 253b para. 2 CO).
Does the rent for my house change automatically with the reference interest rate?
No. The landlord must notify and justify an increase on the form approved by the canton (Art. 269d CO), and the tenant must request a reduction in writing (Art. 270a CO). The reference interest rate stands at 1.25 %, valid since 02.09.2025 and unchanged at the announcement of 01.09.2026 (Federal Office for Housing).
Can I use the house myself again when I return?
Yes: by giving notice, when a fixed-term lease ends, or by agreement with the tenant. With an open-ended lease, the landlord gives notice on the official form (Art. 266l CO), and the tenant can challenge the notice. A fixed-term lease ends on the agreed date. In both cases the tenant can request an extension if ending the tenancy would cause a hardship not justified by your interests, for residential premises by at most four years (Art. 272, 272b CO); the authority takes your own need for the house into account (Art. 272 para. 2 CO).
How quickly is a single-family house in Zurich let?
alphakey does not promise a time frame. On 01.06.2026, around 700 single-family houses stood empty in the canton of Zurich, which is 0.58 % (Canton of Zurich, media release of 18.08.2026). How long the search takes depends on the rent, condition, location and move-in date.
Legal information as of 09.11.2026, checked against the wording of the CO and the VMWG. It does not replace legal or tax advice; legal information on tenancy law is provided by the conciliation authorities.
- Obligationenrecht (OR, SR 220), Art. 253b, 256, 257a, 257b, 257d, 257e, 257g, 259, 266, 266l, 269d, 270, 270a, 271–272b — fedlex
- Verordnung über die Miete und Pacht von Wohn- und Geschäftsräumen (VMWG, SR 221.213.11), Art. 2, 4, 12a, 19 — fedlex
- Bundesamt für Wohnungswesen: Verzeichnis Formularpflicht Anfangsmietzins für das Jahr 2026 (Fassung September 2026)
- Kanton Zürich: Formulare im Mietwesen
- Kanton Zürich: Leerwohnungsziffer bleibt tief (Medienmitteilung vom 18.08.2026)
- Gerichte des Kantons Zürich: Nebenkosten
- Gerichte des Kantons Zürich: Reinigung und kleine Ausbesserungen
- Gerichte des Kantons Zürich: Erstreckung des Mietverhältnisses
- HEV Schweiz: Gartenpflege bei vermietetem Einfamilienhaus (Ratgeber)
- Bundesamt für Wohnungswesen: Hypothekarischer Referenzzinssatz (veröffentlicht am 01.09.2026)
Enquire about managing your single-family house
Tell us, without obligation, where your house is and whether it is currently let. You will receive a proposal for scope and fee.
+41 76 539 56 98