IIG strongly recommends that if accommodation is available through its Student Housing Services, students should take up the offer due to the extremely tight housing market in the Geneva region and the unfortunate increase in the number of ‘scam artists’ taking advantage of those seeking accommodation; especially foreign students searching from overseas.
For students not wanting to be accommodated or are unable to be accommodated in IIG student housing, please consider the following when searching for housing in the Geneva region:
1. Always go through an official Real Estate Management:
Usually, Real Estate Managements accept only one application at a time and is not obliged to respond to you within a certain time frame. Even if you are the only person applying or if you are friends with the current tenant, be aware that the approval process can take months. Once you have signed for the apartment/house, you will be asked to set up a deposit account in a Swiss bank where you will deposit 3 to 4 months' rent in a trust account. Neither you nor the management of the Real Estate Agency can access this money until you have both signed after your departure.
Household insurance is required by law. You will have to subscribe to one insurance before moving in.
You will also need to prove that you are legally staying in Switzerland for a longer period of time. For this, the IIG Student Services will help you to apply for your student residence permit as soon as you arrive in Geneva.
If you are not working, the Real Estate Management will ask you to have a guarantor. The guarantor may reside abroad, but some Real Estate Companies require that the guarantor resides in Switzerland. The property management company will do an inventory of fixtures at the end of your lease. Make sure they note any defects in the flat, however small, otherwise you will be charged for them when you leave.
Dealing directly with these agencies, whether you are fluent in French or not, can be time consuming and frustrating. If you can afford it, it is worth hiring someone to help you communicate and complete the paperwork.
2. ‘Too Good to be True’ Advertisements:
Advertisements for flats/apartments with 200sqm marble floors overlooking lake Geneva for a cheap price should raise a red flag. If there is a picture attached to the advertisement, the chances are it is not real. Use Google Earth & Google Maps to check out the address mentioned and its authenticity. Also, you can check with your consulate in Switzerland for further advice on living in the country.
3. Advance Payments
Never give credit card details over the phone or via email for accommodation payment purposes to unknown third parties.
AVOID MAKING ANY ADVANCE PAYMENTS BEFORE YOU HAVE SEEN THE PROPERTY.
If you receive the following message it is likely to be a scam: I can only accept money via Western Union money transfer, however I can provide you with a shipment tracking number. This is just a way to make potential victims feel safe before sending their money; the tracking/reference number is usually fake, yet it appears to be real. If you visit the
Western Union website, it clearly states Western Union is NOT to be used for sending money to people you do not know.
In addition to the information provided above, here are some further useful websites to help search for accommodation in Geneva through official Régies and also useful forums regarding scams and how to best avoid them:
Official Régies Websites:
Scam Forums:
https://www.englishforum.ch/housing-general/269503-renting-scam-worries.html
