Finding a Flatmate Successor in Switzerland — Without Stress, With a System

In a professionally managed shared flat like Bovita, there are three parties in the successor search: the outgoing tenant, the remaining flatmates, and Bovita as the main leaseholder and landlord.

Bovita as landlord is responsible for the final decision. We check the documents, create the contract and make sure everything is legally correct. We also carry the financial risk. If a room is vacant, we still pay the rent to the property owner.

You as the outgoing tenant have a legal notice period of three months in Switzerland (Art. 266c OR). This means: if you want to move out by the end of June, you must give notice by the end of March at the latest. But if you present a suitable successor that Bovita accepts, you can leave the contract earlier. That's your biggest lever.

Our tip: Inform your flatmates early that you plan to move out. Ask them to spread the word in their circle: friends, work colleagues, fellow students. The faster a suitable successor is found, the sooner you can leave. Report any contact to Bovita so we can check the person and invite them for a meet-and-greet. Through the referral programme, you or your flatmate receive a CHF 200 bonus if the recommended person actually moves in.

Your flatmates have an advisory role. They meet the candidate during the meet-and-greet and give their feedback. But they can do even more: actively help search. You live together in a shared flat, and someone who asks around in their own circle often finds a better fit faster than an anonymous listing. The final decision is Bovita's, but we take the flatmates' feedback seriously. If everyone says it's not a good fit, we factor that into the assessment.

This model ensures the successor search runs professionally, the flat has a voice, and nobody is left alone with the pressure.

The debt register extract is clean, the employment contract is there, the move-in date works. And yet things can go wrong when daily life doesn't work.

In a shared flat you share the kitchen, bathroom, living room and sometimes even walls with other people. It's not papers that determine success or failure, but habits.

What flatmate fit means:

• Daily rhythm: Someone who gets up at 6am and someone who comes home at 2am, that needs to be compatible or at least tolerated
• Cleanliness: Different standards cause the most common flatmate disputes. Who cleans the kitchen? How often is the flat cleaned?
• Noise level: Music, phone calls, visitors. What is normal, what is disruptive?
• Community vs. privacy: Some want an active flat, others just want a room. Both are fine, but it needs to match
• Language and communication: When conflicts arise, you need to be able to talk about them. Openly, directly, constructively

That's why at Bovita we don't just look at documents during the meet-and-greet, but also at the personal impression. And we specifically ask the existing residents about their feeling.

Our goal is a stable flat where everyone feels comfortable. Not the fastest rental, but the right one.

Before someone can move into a Bovita flat, we systematically check four things. This is not mistrust, it protects you, your flatmates and us as the landlord.

1. Debt register extract

The extract must be no older than three months and must come from the current municipality of residence. We don't just check whether entries exist, but also whether there is a pattern. A single entry from the past is not an automatic exclusion, but an ongoing proceeding is. You can find everything about this topic in our article Ordering a debt register extract.

2. Valid ID or residence permit

We need a copy of the ID or residence permit. For EU citizens, a national ID or passport together with a valid residence permit (B or L) is usually sufficient.

3. Employment contract or proof of studies

We want to see that the person has a stable income or is in education. Fixed-term contracts or freelance work are not an exclusion, as long as the financial situation is understandable.

4. Reference (if needed)

If we are unsure about the documents, we ask for a reference from the previous landlord. This rarely happens, but provides clarity in borderline cases.

Only when all four points are in order do we create the subletting contract. We make no exceptions on documents. This protects the entire flat.

You already live in the flat and a new candidate is being introduced. What should you look for?

During the meet-and-greet:

• First impression: Does the person arrive on time? Are they open, friendly, interested? Do they ask questions about the flat or just talk about themselves?
• Ask questions: Ask about their daily routine, hobbies, work situation. Not to interrogate, but to get a picture
• Daily life check: Ask specifically about cleanliness, cooking, visitors. Sentences like "How do you handle the kitchen?" reveal more than "Are you tidy?"
• Trust your gut feeling: If something feels off, tell Bovita. Better to flag it once too often than to be annoyed every day afterwards

What you don't need to assess:

• Checking documents (Bovita does that)
• Clarifying contract questions (Bovita does that)
• Making the final decision (Bovita does that)

Your task is to give honest feedback. We ask you right after the meet-and-greet. A simple "I think it's good" or "I have concerns about X" is perfectly sufficient.

Important: Every flatmate has equal weight. If one person is uncomfortable, we take that seriously and continue searching if necessary.

At Bovita, the meet-and-greet follows a clear process. This way, both residents and candidates know what to expect.

Step 1: Give notice and start the successor search

Give written notice for your room. Ideally by registered letter to: BoVita Herbst, Burgstrasse 19, 5634 Merenschwand. Alternatively, notice by email is possible by arrangement, but the postal route is preferred. The legal notice period in Switzerland is three months to the end of a month (Art. 266c OR). Want to leave earlier? Suggest a suitable successor. If Bovita accepts the person, an early move-out is possible. Talk to your flatmates and ask them to spread the word among friends and colleagues. Report any contact to Bovita so we can check and invite them.

Step 2: Bovita activates the search

In parallel, we post the listing on Flatfox, on our website and through our channels. We handle photos, description and the initial screening of applications.

Step 3: The meet-and-greet in the flat

Selected candidates come to the flat for 15 to 20 minutes. Not a formal viewing, but a real get-to-know-each-other. The remaining flatmates are present and can ask questions. Bovita moderates the appointment.

Step 4: Feedback and decision

After the meet-and-greet, Bovita asks the flatmates who were present for their impression. This feedback is factored into the assessment. If documents and flatmate fit are right, we create the contract. The move-in is coordinated, including key handover, inventory protocol and welcome email.

This process typically takes one to three weeks. With good recommendations from the flat, often significantly shorter.

You're moving out and want the handover to go smoothly? Here are practical tips that make the process easier for everyone.

Before giving notice:

1. Check the legal notice period of three months (Art. 266c OR). Review your subletting contract, the exact date is stated there. Send your notice ideally by registered letter to: BoVita Herbst, Burgstrasse 19, 5634 Merenschwand. By arrangement, email is also possible, but the postal route is preferred
2. Inform your flatmates personally before you send the notice to Bovita. Ask them to spread the word in their circle: friends, colleagues, fellow students. The faster a successor is found, the sooner you can leave
3. If you or your flatmates know someone who could be a good fit: report the contact to Bovita early via the referral programme
4. Want to move out before the three months are up? Then you need a suitable successor that Bovita accepts. Without an accepted successor, the full notice period applies

Before moving out:

1. Clear your room completely. Personal belongings you leave behind need to be disposed of, and that costs time and money
2. Clean the room thoroughly: windows, floor, inside the wardrobe, vacuum the mattress
3. Check the inventory: is everything still there and functional? Report damages or missing items to Bovita
4. Return all keys: front door, room door, letterbox

On handover day:

1. Hand over the room together with Bovita or the designated flatmate
2. Sign the handover protocol
3. Set up mail forwarding at the post office and deregister at the municipality

A clean departure helps you (deposit), the successor (good start) and the flat (less hassle).

At Bovita, you don't need to worry about the listing as an outgoing tenant. We handle the entire process, professionally and efficiently.

What Bovita does:

• Professional photos: We photograph the room after cleaning and before move-in. Bright, tidy images that show the room realistically
• Flatfox listing: The ad is posted on Flatfox, Switzerland's largest rental platform. Including floor plan, location description and flat details
• Our own network: We also look within our personal network. Jens Herbst is regularly invited as a guest lecturer and for panel discussions, giving him direct contact with students and young professionals. Bovita also maintains partnerships with various companies and institutions, such as the Cantonal Hospital Aarau. This is a valuable source that goes well beyond Flatfox
• Website entry: The room appears on our property page with all details
• Pre-screening: We filter incoming applications, check the basics and only invite suitable candidates for the meet-and-greet

What we don't do:

• Post ads on Tutti, Facebook groups or other private channels. We rely on Flatfox and our own channels because the quality of applications is higher there

What you can do:

• Keep your room tidy and clean for the photos
• Remove personal items before the photo appointment
• Ask in your circle of friends or colleagues if someone is looking

Tip: The better the room looks in the photos, the faster you find a successor. A tidy room attracts more applications than a cluttered one.

Do you know someone looking for a shared room? Then use our referral programme.

How it works:

1. You share the contact with Bovita. Name, email or phone number is enough
2. Bovita contacts the person and invites them for a meet-and-greet
3. If the person moves in and signs the contract, you receive CHF 200 as a thank you

Who can refer?

• Current residents of a Bovita flat
• Former residents
• Anyone who has our personal referral link

Important:

• The bonus is paid after the new tenant moves in, not at the time of referral
• Maximum 5 referrals per year
• The referred person goes through the same screening process as any other candidate

Personal recommendations are the best source for new flatmates. Someone recommended by a friend or colleague is typically a better fit for the flat than an anonymous applicant from a platform.

The successor search varies by location. Here's a brief overview of what you should know for our locations.

Aarau

Aarau has an active shared flat market, especially due to its proximity to Zurich and the FHNW university. Demand for furnished rooms is stable, particularly among young professionals and commuters. You typically find a successor within two to three weeks. Bovita is present at multiple locations in Aarau, check out our available rooms. You can apply directly or join the waitlist if all rooms are currently taken.

Wohlen

Wohlen is more affordable than Aarau or Zurich and therefore attracts students and career starters. The successor search can take a bit longer than in Aarau, as the market is smaller. Personal recommendations are particularly valuable here. Find our flat in Wohlen here. You can also apply directly or join the waitlist there.

St. Gallen

St. Gallen is a university city with seasonal demand. At the start of semester (September and February), rooms go particularly fast. Outside these periods, it can take three to four weeks. Bovita is also present in St. Gallen, find our offer here. If no room is available right now, you can join the waitlist there.

Regardless of location: the referral programme works the same everywhere. CHF 200 for every successful successor tip.