Procedure, mediation and arbitration

How much can the rent be increased? As I'm about to sign a new lease, I was wondering if there was a limit to how much the rent could be increased compared with the previous rent. Are the rules the same for commercial tenancies? "Yacine, Geneva In tenancy law, when it comes to...

I'm getting married. Am I entitled to paid leave? "I'm getting married in June. I informed my employer of this and asked him how many official days of leave I was entitled to on this occasion. He told me that I was entitled to two days, but that I would probably not get them...

Legal hypothec The legal hypothec for craftsmen and contractors provided for in articles 837 et seq. of the Civil Code allows a craftsman or contractor who has taken part in the construction or destruction of buildings or other works, the erection of scaffolding, the securing of an excavation or other similar work to make a claim against the...

Rent increase for nothing in return "In September 2007, I agreed to a monthly rent increase of CHF 200 because the owner of my building had told me that the boiler, which was in a terrible state, needed to be repaired or replaced immediately! The boiler is still in place and, according to the heating engineer who came to...

Rent increase: should I accept? "I've been "informed" by the new owner of my building of a substantial rent increase, with the threat of termination of the lease. My rent, which is very low, has not been increased since 2000. The new owner is now in a hurry to increase the rent drastically, which...

How can I give up some of my space? "I run a business that I'd like to develop in synergy with someone to whom I'd like to give part of my space to offer a complementary activity to my own. Can the landlord object to this transaction if I am still responsible for paying the rent?

How do I remove a cable from my terrace? "A cable used for computer connections runs from the roof of my building to the roof of the building opposite. When I moved into the penthouse flat I rent, I asked for the cable to be removed, and the answer was that it would be soon....

Bail à bien plaire Article 253 of the Civil Code defines a lease as a contract under which the lessor undertakes to transfer the use of an asset to the lessee, in return for rent. In order for a contractual relationship to be classified as a lease, three conditions must be met: the transfer of the use of an item, during the term of the lease, and the transfer of the use of the...

Lift breakdown: what are my rights? I live on the 9th floor of a block of flats and, for the last twelve days or so, the only lift has broken down. This is a major inconvenience for all the tenants on the upper floors: just imagine the effort it takes to get to work, go shopping or use the laundry room in the basement. When contacted, the company...