Obligations and contract law

The restaurant's attitude struck me as unfair: the prices were displayed in both Swiss francs and euros, with a surprisingly favourable exchange rate. At the end of the meal, I told the waiter that I would pay for the meal in euros (in cash). He refused. The discussion with the restaurant manager did not go well...

Villa in Ticino rented to a third party "I wanted to go on holiday in Ticino this summer, so I looked into renting a villa on the shores of Lake Lugano. After exchanging emails with the owner of a charming house about the terms and conditions of the rental (price, deposit, location, furniture available), the owner...

The calculation of time limits "There's a question that's been bothering me for a long time. How are expressions such as 'payable in eight days, thirty days, one month' to be understood, and what happens when nothing is written down? Jessica, Carouge When a payment is due, it's essential to know at what point the creditor can...

Can a lawyer withdraw from a client at any time? "My lawyer recently decided to stop defending me, citing an allegedly aggressive tone in one of my letters. Did he have the right to do this while the proceedings were still in progress? Is there anything I can claim? Richard, Geneva The lawyer is bound...

The travel agency won't reimburse me for my holiday as a COVID-19 "Last February, I went through a travel agency to organise a getaway for a few days during the Easter holidays. Unsurprisingly, our flight was cancelled due to a health crisis. The airline refunded the...

How responsible is an uncle? "My neighbour's nephew, who is about 12 years old and has come from Germany to spend a few months with his uncle's family, broke my window playing ball too close to the house. Can I ask my neighbour to compensate me? Robert, Versoix The parents respond by...

I was ill on holiday! "I fell ill during my two-week holiday. I had to go and see a doctor and I couldn't fly. Can I get those sick days back? Mélissa, Carouge In Switzerland, the Code of Obligations (CO) guarantees four weeks' holiday a year...

I paid too much for my purchase. What should I do? A week ago I bought a television with a curved screen from a major retailer in Switzerland, but it still hasn't been delivered. I've just discovered that a rival shop is selling the same model for much less. Is it correct that I have a delay...

Unordered parcel: instructions for use I've received a parcel containing food supplements that I never ordered. I'm not quite sure what to do with it, and especially with the invoice that came with it, which is full of spelling mistakes and has an address in Switzerland that seems a bit dubious, but it's a good...