Accommodation
Generally speaking, the conditions for renting an apartment in Switzerland are as follows:
- contracts are signed for at least 1 year and are renewed automatically. Termination of the contract must take place by registered mail at least 3 months before the date of renewal of the contract, Otherwise, the lessor will be obliged to find a replacement.
- a guarantee deposit is required which is equivalent to 2 or 3 months rent and which must be paid before the contract is signed along with the first month's rent. Once the rental contract has come to an end the deposit will be refunded provided that the apartment is in excellent condition.
- rent is paid by the end of the month for the following month (i.e. always in advance)
- the number of people who can live in an apartment may not exceed the number of rooms in the apartment. In other words, in general, if an apartment has 3 rooms, a maximum of 3 tenants are allowed.
- It is not always permitted to play musical instruments in the apartments. Whenever possible, specific times for musical practice are specified in the contract
Taking these conditions into account, we recommend that you also make use of the information below.
Where to look
To make it easier to search for an apartment, we suggest you use the following classified ad portals:
Accommodation and apartments for students
Portals
Other resources
Student Union Facebook Group: “Studenti e Alumni del Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana”
Areas near the Conservatorio
The areas closest to the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana are Lugano-Besso, Sorengo, Breganzona and Massagno, while Lugano-Centro, Molino Nuovo and Pregassona can be reached easily by bus.
Students looking for accommodation in the area around Lugano must take public transport timetables into consideration. This information can be found on:
Prices
Standard prices, depending on the number of rooms in the apartment, are as follows:
- studio: > 650 CHF
- 2 rooms: > 1000 CHF
- 2 1/2 rooms: > 1200 CHF
- 3 1/2 rooms: > 1500 CHF
- 4 ½ rooms: > 2000 CHF
Useful information
Monthly rental payments usually include the actual cost of renting the property as well as some ancillary costs. When signing a rental contract it is important to clarify with the landlord which costs are included and which are not, and whether there is an adjustment of expenses.
Ancillary costs usually include:
- heating
- water
- cleaning and maintenance of the building
- snow clearance
- cable TV connection
However ancillary costs usually DO NOT include:
- electricity: local companies send an invoice every 3 months, which includes an average flat-rate amount based on the previous year's electricity consumption. In the twelfth month, companies make an adjustment based on actual electricity consumption and send the invoice to the tenant.
- internet and telephone: the lessee is solely responsible for the landline and internet connection
- municipal waste disposal fees: if charged in the town of residence
- compulsory radio-TV licence fee
