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Request to lower the rent after the reference rate fell, in German (Switzerland)

Switzerland · in German · for tenants

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For tenants in Switzerland whose rent rests on a higher reference interest rate than today's: the written request to the landlord to lower the rent under Art. 270a of the Code of Obligations (OR), for the next possible termination date. It states the reference rate behind your current rent, today's rate, the reduction you ask for and the 30 days the landlord has to reply, and names your canton's conciliation authority in case of a refusal. Work out your claim first with the tenants' association's free calculator. Signed by every tenant and sent by registered post. In German.

  • Last updated November 4, 2026

Published byDocMuse

When to use this document

  • The reference interest rate has fallen, and you want a lower rent for your flat in Switzerland.
  • Your rent has stayed the same for years although mortgage rates have dropped.
  • Your agency did not pass on the lower reference rate of its own accord.
  • You want to ask your landlord in writing for a rent reduction before going to the conciliation authority.

What you fill in

The details the document asks for.

  • Tenant
  • Tenant's address
  • Landlord
  • Landlord's address
  • City
  • Date
  • Address of the property
  • Date of the contract
  • Date the rent was last set or adjusted
  • Reference rate your current rent is based on, in % (for example 1.75)
  • Reference rate published by the Federal Housing Office today, in %
  • Who asks for the reduction: the only tenant, or all tenants together (all of them sign)
  • Current net rent a month, without service charges (for example CHF 1'850.00)
  • Rent reduction you ask for (in % or CHF a month)
  • Next possible termination date from which the reduction applies
  • Canton of the flat: tenancy conciliation authority

Common questions

Can a tenant in Switzerland ask for a lower rent at today's reference rate?
Yes, if your rent rests on a higher reference rate than today's; your lease or the last rent adjustment names it. The rate has been 1.25% since 2 September 2025; the Federal Housing Office (BWO) publishes it every quarter, next on 1 December 2026. A fall of 0.25 percentage points gives a claim to a 2.91% reduction, a fall of 0.50 points 5.66% (Art. 13 para. 1 VMWG). The landlord may deduct 40% of inflation (Art. 16 VMWG) and cost increases since the last adjustment. Check with the tenants' association's (Mieterverband) free calculator at mieterverband.ch/senkung. An indexed or a stepped rent does not follow the reference rate.
From when does the lower rent apply after a request in Switzerland?
From the next possible termination date (Art. 270a para. 1 OR). The request must therefore reach the landlord before the notice period begins, as a notice would: with three months' notice to the end of March, by the end of December at the latest. If it arrives later, the reduction applies from the following date. Every tenant signs the request, and it goes to the landlord or the agency by registered post.
What can a tenant in Switzerland do if the landlord refuses the reduction or does not reply?
The landlord must reply within 30 days. If they refuse in whole or in part, you can apply to the tenancy conciliation authority (Schlichtungsbehörde) within 30 days of receiving the reply; if they do not reply, within 30 days after their period ends (Art. 270a para. 2 OR). You apply in writing or in person; many authorities offer their own form free. Conciliation in tenancy matters costs no court fees (Art. 113 para. 2 let. c ZPO). Until an agreement or a decision, keep paying the current rent.

How you can sign this document

  • Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
  • Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked

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