Subletting Switzerland: How a fair shared room price is calculated

When you're looking for a furnished shared room in Switzerland, you usually see one number: the gross rent. Maybe CHF 900, maybe CHF 1,100. But you don't know what's behind it.

And that's exactly where the problem begins. You wonder: Is this fair? Or is someone profiting at my expense?

Why this mistrust arises:

• Most providers show only a flat price — without explanation
• You can't see how much the actual base rent is
• You don't know whether utilities, internet or cleaning are included
• You can't judge whether the furnishing surcharge is reasonable
• There's no inventory list, no breakdown sheet, no traceability

This means that even a fair price looks unfair. Not because it's too high — but because nobody explains what's included.

That's why we decided to disclose the calculation. Not because we have to, but because we believe: Fair doesn't mean it looks cheap. Fair means it's traceable.

In this article, we show with a real example how a room price is composed, which cost components are behind it, and how you as a tenant can check whether an offer is reasonable.

To make it concrete, we calculate with a real example. No fantasy numbers, no simplified models.

Starting point: 8.5-room apartment in Aarau

• Main rent for the entire apartment: approximately CHF 5,000 per month (incl. utilities)
• 7 rooms are rented out, the living room is separately furnished and used communally
• Total furnishing: approximately CHF 35,000 (acquisition cost)
• Monthly cleaning of communal areas, internet, administration and emergency service included
• Marketing and finding replacement tenants is handled by Bovita as the main leaseholder

The simple calculation:

• Proportional main rent per room: CHF 5,000 divided by 7 = approximately CHF 714
• Gross rent per room: CHF 950
• Difference: CHF 236 — this is the amount that must cover all services and the furnishing surcharge

7 rooms times CHF 950 equals CHF 6,650 total income. Minus CHF 5,000 main rent leaves CHF 1,650 for the entire apartment — from which furnishing, cleaning, internet, administration, marketing and provisions for vacancy must be financed.

What this means for you as a subtenant — planning security:

In a regular shared flat, the total rent is split proportionally among all residents. If someone moves out and the room stands empty for a month, your share of the rent increases — or you have to actively find a replacement tenant yourself. This can quickly become expensive and stressful.

With Bovita, you don't have this risk. Your rent is fixed by contract and stays the same — regardless of whether 7 people or only 4 are currently living in the flat. The vacancy risk is carried by Bovita as the main leaseholder, not by you. You always pay only the agreed subletting rent and have full planning security.

How tightly this is calculated is shown in the next section.

Here are the individual cost components as they arise for an 8.5-room apartment with 7 rented rooms:

1. Proportional base rent and utilities

• Base: CHF 5,000 main rent incl. utilities
• Per room with 7 rooms: approximately CHF 714
• This is by far the largest item and cannot be influenced

2. Furnishing surcharge

• Furniture acquisition costs: approximately CHF 35,000
• Depreciation over 5 years: CHF 583 per month for the entire apartment
• Per room: approximately CHF 80 to 100 (depending on room size and furnishing intensity)
• Includes: bed, mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe, bedside table, lamps — plus proportional costs for living room and kitchen

3. Cleaning of communal areas

• Bathroom, WC, kitchen, hallway — based on effort
• Example: 3 hours per month at CHF 30 per hour = CHF 90 for the apartment
• Per room: approximately CHF 13 to 15

4. Internet

• Depending on provider, CHF 50 to 80 per month for the apartment
• Per room: approximately CHF 8 to 12

5. Administration and operations

• Move-in, move-out, key handover, coordination, communication, contract management
• These are the things nobody likes to do but everyone expects
• Per room: approximately CHF 10 to 30

6. Emergency service and coordination

• Availability for urgent problems (heating failure, water damage, lock replacement)
• Not handyman services but organisation and coordination
• Per room: approximately CHF 5 to 15

7. Marketing and re-letting

• Creating listings, screening, viewing appointments, handover
• Provision for vacancy risk (if a room stands empty for one month, CHF 950 is missing)
• Per room: approximately CHF 10 to 30

Added together:

• Base rent: CHF 714
• Furnishing: CHF 80 to 100
• Cleaning: CHF 13 to 15
• Internet: CHF 8 to 12
• Administration: CHF 10 to 30
• Emergency service: CHF 5 to 15
• Marketing: CHF 10 to 30
• Total: CHF 840 to 916

The gross rent of CHF 950 is therefore close to the pure cost basis. The margin is slim — and is immediately eaten up by any room that stands empty for even one month.

Looking for a furnished shared room in Aarau, Wohlen or St. Gallen with a transparent calculation and fixed rent? Check out our current room listings or submit an enquiry directly.

A room price can only be fairly assessed if you know what you get for it. So here is specifically what is included in the price at a professionally run shared flat.

Each room contains:

• Bed (140 cm or 160 cm) with quality mattress
• Desk with sufficient workspace
• Office chair or desk chair
• Wardrobe (at least 2-door)
• Bedside table with lamp
• Ceiling light or floor lamp
• Curtains or blackout blinds
• Bed linen set for move-in

Communal kitchen — fully equipped:

• Refrigerator, oven, hob
• Coffee machine, kettle, toaster
• Microwave
• Pots, pans, baking trays
• Plates, cutlery, glasses for all residents
• Chopping boards, kitchen utensils, can opener
• Waste separation (general waste, cardboard, PET, aluminium)

Living room — separately furnished:

• Sofa or seating group
• Coffee table
• TV (in some apartments)
• Shelves or sideboard

General equipment:

• Washing machine (in the apartment or building)
• Vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies
• Ironing board and iron
• Clothes drying rack
• WiFi router (internet included)

Why this makes the difference:

If you rent an empty room and have to buy everything yourself, expect CHF 3,000 to 5,000 for basic equipment (bed, mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe, kitchen utensils). Then there's the effort: ordering, delivery, assembly, selling or disposing when you move out.

With a furnished room, you save this investment and can start productively on the day you move in — with everything you need.

How the move-in at Bovita works — including deposit, handover protocol and checklist — you can find in our separate article. What rights and obligations apply to subletting we have also covered in detail.

Art. 262 OR — the basic rule

Swiss contract law regulates subletting in Art. 262 OR. The central statement: the conditions of the sublease must not be abusive compared to the main lease. In concrete terms: the main tenant may not make an unjustified profit from subletting.

The 20% rule — what it really means

In practice, the following guideline has become established: for furnished subletting, a surcharge of up to 20% on the proportional rent is accepted as a furnishing surcharge. For unfurnished subletting, the maximum is 10%. These benchmarks come from case law and legal literature (including SVIT commentary, lexwiki.ch, Beobachter).

Important: The 20% refers to the pure furnishing surcharge — meaning depreciation and amortisation of the furniture. Actual additional costs such as internet, cleaning, administration and emergency service come on top and may be passed on separately, provided they actually occur and are demonstrable.

BGE 119 II 353 — the Federal Supreme Court ruling

The Federal Supreme Court clarified in this leading decision: a surcharge on the subletting rent is not abusive if it is justified by genuine services provided by the sublessor. The court does not examine whether the price is exactly appropriate — but whether there is abuse. The decisive factors are traceability and proportionality.

What this means in practice:

• Proportional main rent plus furnishing surcharge (up to 20%) plus actual additional costs = permissible
• No unjustified profit — total income must not significantly exceed actual costs
• Transparency protects: those who can disclose the calculation are in a better position than those who remain silent
• The landlord (property owner) must consent to the subletting and know the conditions

No fixed limits, but clear guidelines:

There is no law that says "exactly 20% and not a cent more." Case law works with the concept of abusiveness. In practice this means: as long as the price is covered by actual costs and services and is communicated transparently, it is within the permissible framework.

Bovita is a member of the Hauseigentümerverband Aargau (HEV) and is committed to transparency, professionalism and a solid legal foundation for every subletting arrangement. Our calculations follow recognised benchmarks and current case law.

If you want to know whether a shared room price is fair, these specific checkpoints will help:

1. Is there a transparent breakdown?

• Is it clear how the gross rent is composed?
• Is there a supplementary sheet or an explanation on request?
• Are base rent, utilities, furnishing and services listed separately?

2. Is the furniture actually present and in good condition?

• Is there an inventory list for your room?
• Does the list match the actual furnishings?
• What condition are the bed, mattress, desk and wardrobe in?

3. Are utility costs clearly regulated?

• Does the contract state what is included in the gross rent?
• Or does it just say "all inclusive" without explanation?
• Will you face additional costs (electricity, heating, water)?

4. What exactly is included in the service?

• Is internet included and how fast is the connection?
• Are communal areas cleaned regularly?
• Is there a contact person for problems?

5. Is the deposit properly arranged?

• Is the deposit in a blocked account or is there a deposit insurance?
• Is the amount reasonable (maximum 3 months' rent, in practice often 1 to 2)?
• More on this in our article about deposits in Switzerland

6. How does it compare to the market?

• Compare the price with similar offers on Flatfox, Tutti or WG-Zimmer.ch
• Pay attention to: location, room size, furnishing, included services
• A furnished room with services is naturally more expensive than an empty room without extras

7. Who carries the vacancy risk?

• In a regular shared flat, your share of the rent increases when someone moves out and the room stands empty
• You then either have to pay more or find a replacement tenant yourself
• With professional providers like Bovita, your rent is fixed by contract — regardless of whether all rooms are occupied or not
• The vacancy risk lies with the main leaseholder, not with you — this gives you genuine planning security

Rule of thumb: If the provider can explain on request how the price is composed, and the explanation is plausible — that's a strong signal of seriousness.

Most discussions about room prices don't arise because the price is too high — but because it isn't explained.

Every tenant can transparently request from us:

• A supplementary sheet breaking down the gross rent into its components
• A complete inventory list for the respective room
• Clear information about included services (internet, cleaning, support)

Why we handle it this way:

• It creates trust — before the rental contract is signed
• It reduces disputes — because both sides know where they stand
• It protects us legally — because we can demonstrate the calculation at any time
• It's fair — because an informed tenant is a better tenant

What you as a tenant can do:

• Actively ask for a breakdown if it's not offered
• Compare not just the price but also the included services
• Check the inventory list at handover and report discrepancies immediately
• Read our article about subletting rules in Switzerland for the legal framework
• Find out about the insurance requirement as a subtenant

Transparency is not a marketing trick. It's the simplest way to build a fair tenancy — for both sides.

Want to see for yourself? Here you can find our available rooms in Aarau, Wohlen and St. Gallen — with full details on price, furnishing and included services.