Renting an apartment in the summer

Real Estate
1

Does anyone have experience with short term rentals? I have an apartment that I would like to rent in the summer on Booking or Airbnb. But I have no experience about it in switzerland.

2

Both platforms drive a lot of users to your ad and impose a fee of 5% to 30% (Booking is more expensive). I used to rent out one of my rooms via AirBnB and usually restricted the rental period for a short duration (1-4 weeks) only. Then I would make a subsequent direct arrangement with a sub-lease agreement (*edited) with any potential long-term tenant and gifted them with the AirBnB margin. I blocked the ad on AirBnB during occupancy.

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3

to make everything right. Do I need to ask for special permissions? How does the tax system work?

4

If your local community has no ruling about AirBnB yet, there are existing rules about subletting:

  • You need the permission of your landlord
  • The sublease agreement needs to made made transparent, best let your landlord have a copy of it
  • You may not price your appartment too high, i.e. you may not make a profit out of it other than asking for an adequate amount for the use of furniture.
  • The subtenant(s) should not use the apartement differently from you (renting it out to for only a few days at a time could constitute a different usage)

As you will not make a profit, there is no income to be taxed, in my opinion.

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5

Actually I would like to do it to make a profit.

I would like to use my own property and maybe rent another one and then sub rent it for 2-7 days and make a profit.

I just don’t understand if it’s “legal” here in Switzerland, how much the taxes would be, which official body to ask for all this to be in order.

6

You have to ask the owner but if you’re making a profit, the owner can (and probably will) reject it.

7

Why should he refuse? I would pay the monthly rent and all expenses, he would not change a thing.
However, as I said at the beginning, I also own an apartment where I shouldn’t ask others.

8

Supposedly because you’d be “running a business” on a place which is not yours, and which is meant to be used as residence.
But I don’t know the law, just assuming.

9

Risk.

You (or the short-Term rental agency acting on your behalf) may not have vetted the occupants as carefully as they vetted yourself before renting out to you.

The occupants may cause more damage than you - the only contracting party in the view of your landlord - are able (or willing) to prevent, let alone pay back in time.

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