Buying property by foreigners "I'm not Swiss, but I work in Geneva for an international organisation that has given me a legitimation card. I'd like to buy a house and I've heard that there are special rules; is that true?" Peter, Geneva There are indeed special rules for buying...
Accident in dispute: the injured party must prove fault "I had a car accident with another motor vehicle. In my opinion, it was the other driver who was at fault. This person's civil liability insurance company tells me that it is up to the injured party to prove that the other driver was at fault. Is this correct?
What is the Criminal Court? The press has mentioned that the attackers in Saint-Jean were tried by the Criminal Court. I'd like to know what exactly that means. Do the courts have the same names and jurisdiction in each canton? Isn't there a federal law that regulates these matters? The press has mentioned that...
30 km/h zones: who has priority? "I was driving in a "30 km/h zone" when a pedestrian insulted me for not letting him pass. He claimed that he had the right of way. Is this the case? And what about limited zones...
Blue zone, white lines: compliant? "I received a ticket for forgetting to put my parking disc in a blue zone in a shopping centre car park. This zone is signposted, but the parking lines are white. Don't the lines have to be blue? Can I dispute this?
Company cars: who is liable for fines? "I received a "notice to the keeper" for our French company car for exceeding the speed limit by more than 15km/h when it was limited to 40km/h. The offence was recorded in November 2007. The offence was recorded in November 2007, so isn't it time-barred? Yes, it is.
Second-hand car: a fool's bargain I recently bought a second-hand car for CHF 7,500. After buying it, I went to a number of different garages and was told by everyone I spoke to that the car had been recalled and was no longer in production due to gearbox problems...
Smelly neighbours: what are the legal options? "The ventilation from my neighbours' kitchen leads directly under my canopy, which is partly enclosed. That's where my front door and parking space are. On a daily basis, we have to put up with the smells and it's becoming really unpleasant. So I'm asking you...
Neighbours and smoking It's well known that tobacco smoke has harmful effects on health. For this reason, passive smoking should not be taken lightly, and you have every right to be protected from exposure to it.Every tenant has rights - and freedom of movement is certainly one of them...
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