Lease for a Furnished Room
A complete contract with an inventory list, a clear ancillary cost provision and the choice between fixed-term and open-ended. For both sides, to sign together.
Checked on 21.08.2026 by Jens Herbst, BoVitaWe keep every document current and check it regularly against the sources.
Who is this document for?
For anyone letting or renting a furnished room who wants more than a handshake: shared-flat rooms, sublet rooms, temporary rooms.
What is inside
- Inventory list with the condition of every item, the counterpart of the handover protocol
- Ancillary costs set out clearly, including all-in rent and what it covers
- Deposit fields under Art. 257e CO, account in the tenant's name
- Two variants for the term, fixed or open-ended, with the tacit-continuation trap
- House-rule fields for smoking, pets, guests, cleaning and quiet hours
How to fill it in
- 1Open the file in Word, Pages or Google Docs and replace every field in square brackets.
- 2Go through the inventory list together and record the condition of each item.
- 3In part 4 choose ONE variant and delete the other entirely.
- 4Both sign, each side keeps a copy including the inventory list.
- 5The deposit belongs in an account in the tenant's name.
Frequently asked questions
For both sides of a furnished room: shared-flat rooms, sublet rooms, temporary rooms. It also works when the landlord lives in the flat themselves.
Yes, fully. A lease arises from making the property available against rent (Art. 253 CO), with no formal requirement. Notice periods, deposit rules and defect rights therefore apply even when nothing was ever signed. Putting it in writing is still wiser, because otherwise nobody can prove what was agreed.
It becomes an open-ended lease (Art. 266 para. 2 CO), with the ordinary notice periods. This is the most common dispute in furnished-room lettings: both sides assume the lease simply stays fixed-term, and that is not the case.
For residential premises at most three months' rent, and it belongs in an account in the tenant's name (Art. 257e paras. 1 and 2 CO). Cash in hand is not a valid deposit.
Yes, the main landlord's consent. Without it the subletting tenant risks their own lease. The library has a separate sublease pack for that case.
If the template alone is not enough
Looking for a room, not just documents?
BoVita rents furnished shared rooms with all-in rent in Aarau, Wohlen, St. Gallen and Brugg. Reply within 48 hours on working days.
See locations and available roomsRelated documents
Rental Application Dossier
The complete Word folder for your rental application: cover page, cover letter, self-disclosure and the right order of attachments.
Application Without a Debt Register Extract
Apply while the debt register extract is still missing: three cover-letter variants, alternative proofs and a parental guarantee template.
Scam-Safe Apartment Search
Spot rental scams before money moves: red-flag checklist, verification steps and six ready-made messages for when it gets serious.