Queries

Member since 15 May 2010

mrheroMember15 May 2010 17:31:59

My husband and I along with our 7 month old baby are considering relocating to Zurich but before we make the leap there are a few things that we would like to gain more knowledge on.

My husband has been advised that the amount of tax a person pays can depend on the area a person lives and if a person is an expat that this maybe brought into consideration also. If anyone can give more indepth information as we have tried to goole this but it is very confusing.

Another thing that we find confusing is the rental system. In Ireland and England we are used to searching for properties by way of the number of bedrooms but in Zurich it seems apartments are listed by the number of rooms total. This may seem like a silly question but in general are the kitchen and the bathroom counted as a room. Do apartments come with internet access. Also where is the best area outside the city centre to look for an apartment considering it would have to be on a tram line and within 10 to 15 minutes of the airport.

What are the water and electricity rates like in Zurich and are they charged monthly. Is there any city or council tax and if so is that a monthly or annually charge and how much is it.

Are there any other costs that we would not be fimilar with in Ireland and England.

If anyone can help us with any of our queries we would be very grateful.

internationalandrea Guest

internationalandreaGuest06 July 2010 14:08:02

Hi Mrhero,

To find an appartment in Zurich - I suggest looking at the website homegate.ch - this is the best way to find a decent place, unfortunately it's in german or french. Beware of agents, most of them use homegate as their tool and then try to charge you a commission.

To answer some of your questions:
The number of rooms do not include kitchen and bathroom. For example a 2 room appartment = to a one bedroom flat, a 3 room would be a two bedroom flat, etc... It always consists of one living room space + additional rooms. Sometimes it gets complicated when 1/2 rooms are involved, this can be anything from a wide entrance to a Victorian style bay and gable...

Water and electricity are usually included in the rent as so-called "Nebenkosten" (translated as running costs)- They are pre-estimated charges. An actual calculation is done either annually or bi-annually and compared to the estimate - at the end of the year or period you may either have to pay more or receive some money back. Landlords are usually honest about it as they can be audited.

Basic cable TV or Internet access is not a given, make sure you ask about it.

As for other costs, you will need to pay about 2.00 CHF for every garbage bag you produce. Official bags are usually purchased at the local store. 20pcs per package. Furthermore there is a broadcasting tax which every household has to pay 3 or 4 times a year for the right to view TV and listen to radio, unfortunately something you have to pay regardless of whether you listen or watch.

Hope this information helps.
Some good websites include xpatxchange.ch Check out various expat groups on facebook.com as well.