What belongs in a rental dossier in Switzerland?

A complete rental dossier has three parts: first a personal cover letter that refers to the apartment, second a short profile or self-disclosure with details about person, profession and income, and third an attachment checklist. Typical attachments include the debt collection register extract (not older than three months), the last two to three pay slips or an employer confirmation, a copy of your ID, and if needed a rent confirmation from your current property management.

Do I need a debt collection register extract for the rental dossier?

In Switzerland, almost always yes. Most property managers and landlords ask for a current debt collection register extract that is not older than three months. You get it from the debt collection office of your municipality, either in person, by post or online. The fee is usually 17 to 25 francs. Order it early, because processing can take a few days.

Can I create my rental dossier as a Word template?

Yes. The Rental Dossier Express creates your cover letter, short profile and attachment checklist directly as an editable Word document (.docx). You can then open it in Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages, adjust it and send it either as a Word file or as a PDF.

What is better for the apartment application: Word or PDF?

For the property management, PDF is often the preferred format, because it looks the same on every device. For you as the applicant, Word is the better starting point: you can adjust the text, fix typos and tailor personal details to the specific apartment. The recommended way is therefore: create and edit the dossier in Word, then export it as a PDF before sending.

What should go in a cover letter for an apartment?

A good apartment cover letter is short, concrete and personal: start with a clear introduction (who you are, what you do), explain why you want this apartment and briefly mention when you could move in. Avoid generic phrases like «I hereby apply» and instead write directly and with reference to the apartment. Keep it to one page maximum. Based on your details, the tool automatically generates a suitable draft that you can then adjust.

What should go in a rental dossier for a shared-flat room?

For a shared-flat room, the same basic requirements apply as for a whole apartment: cover letter with a short self-portrait and your housing wish, short profile with profession and income, and the most important attachments (debt collection register extract, proof of salary, copy of ID). For shared-flat applications, the human impression often counts as well. A short paragraph about what you are like as a flatmate can make the difference.

Which documents do you need for an apartment application?

Swiss property managers usually ask for: a completed application form or self-disclosure, a current debt collection register extract (max. 3 months old), the last two to three pay slips, a copy of your ID or residence permit, and if needed a rent confirmation from your current property management. Some property managers also ask for a photo. Which documents you need specifically is shown by our attachment checklist at the end of the tool.

What data do you store?

By default we store nothing: your wizard entries stay in your browser, and to render the Word document they are briefly sent to our server and not stored afterwards. For the application text the prompt is sent once to OpenAI, without us persisting it. We create no central applicant file. Only if you explicitly create a shareable link or attach documents to it are those contents stored for the validity you choose (encrypted, in the EU) and permanently deleted afterwards.

Is the BoVita rental dossier really free?

Yes, the Rental Dossier Express is completely free and can be used without sign-up. There is no subscription, no hidden costs and no watermark in the finished Word document.

BoVita Tools

1’200 dossiers created

Create a Swiss rental dossier for free

A convincing rental dossier in 5 minutes: cover letter, short profile and attachments checklist, ready as PDF and editable in Word.

The apartment often goes not to the best applicant, but to the fastest one with the cleanest dossier.

Free
No sign-up
PDF & Word
Attachments checklist

What do you start with?

Takes about 5 minutes · free, no sign-up

Patricia, BoVita dossier coach, helps with the rental dossier for Switzerland

PDF & WordSwiss focus

Standard ProfiEmpfohlen

About you and the apartment

A few questions about the apartment and about you. After that we build your application text.

What are you looking for?

When would you like to move in?

Who is moving in?

Address or description of the property (optional)

Just start typing, we suggest real addresses from Switzerland.

Listing link (optional)

Paste the link to the listing you're applying for. It appears in your dossier, so the management sees the exact apartment.

Your details

Only name and email are required. Profession and place of residence make your letter more personal.

First name *Last name *

Email *

Profession / occupation (optional) Current place of residence (optional)

Both fields are optional. When filled in, they make the letter noticeably more personal.

Phone (optional)

Professional details (standard path)

These details significantly increase the chance of being accepted. Everything is optional, leaving it empty is always fine.

Dossier strength

Basic0%

3× rule open

Profile 0/7

Photo no

Next: An applicant photo noticeably lifts the response rate. It is still missing.

Marital statusResidence status

Reason for moving

Income (structured)

Landlords often calculate using the Swiss 3x rule (gross rent ≤ 1/3 of gross income). Your factor is calculated live below.

Gross income per month (CHF) Salary payments

The apartment's gross rent (CHF) Bonus / variable share per year (CHF, optional)

What's included

What you get

Three clear building blocks in one editable Word document,from BoVita's everyday rental practice.

Application cover letter

A polite text in your chosen tone, ready to send to the property management.

3 tones
Salutation automatic
Editable in Word

Short profile

An overview of person, housing situation and profession, neatly structured.

Table layout
Optional fields
1 page, readable

Attachments checklist

What you should attach to your application, from the debt-collection register to your payslip.

Adapted to property type
Official sources
With instructions

Preview

What your rental dossier can look like

Anonymised example preview. Your details will be inserted automatically later.

3 documents · 1 click

Example

Application cover letter

Dear Sir or Madam

«… I would be glad to apply for the advertised apartment at Musterstrasse 12 …»

Kind regards

Johannes M.

Example

Short profile

Name: Johannes M.
Contact: [email protected]
Move-in: By arrangement
Housing situation: Currently in Zürich
Profession: Employed, full-time

Example

Attachments checklist

Debt-collection register extract
Proof of income
ID or residence permit
Property management's application form

Voices

What other applicants say

„Within a few minutes I had a clean cover letter and knew exactly which documents I still needed to attach. The checklist in particular helped me not to forget anything.
Anonymised feedback · Apartment search Switzerland

„Done quickly"

I did not have to register and had a Word file right away.

„Not too stiff"

The text sounded professional, yet still personal.

„Checklist was worth its weight in gold"

Afterwards I knew exactly what belongs in a rental dossier.

Anonymised user voices from the first dossiers created.

Why a good rental dossier helps

Property managements often receive dozens of applications per apartment. A complete, clearly structured folder is reviewed faster and leaves a professional impression, even without an extraordinary CV.

Why Express

No sign-up, no forced upload, instantly as a Word file

A rental dossier does not have to be complicated. You need no account and no forced upload, just a clean application document that you can adjust and send in minutes. Attaching documents stays optional, you decide.

6 benefits at a glance

No account needed

Get started right away, without registration, without login, without password.

No forced upload

The wizard requires no sensitive documents, your entries stay in your browser. Attaching documents is entirely optional.

No central file

We create no central applicant file. Any documents you attach live only on your link, encrypted in the EU, and are deleted with it.

Editable instead of fixed

Word document for editing. Fine-tune tone, order and content yourself.

Ready to use immediately

A finished application document in just a few minutes, no lengthy onboarding.

Optionally as PDF

Export it yourself as a PDF from Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages at any time, you keep control over the format.

New

Your own shareable applicant page

Instead of a file attachment, the management gets a link to your own application page, whether they open it on their phone or on a computer. That makes it as easy as possible for the management, and it makes you stand out clearly from other applicants who all just send a PDF. The link is private, does not show up in any search engine and expires automatically, with a validity you choose.

Your own application page instead of a PDF attachment
Everything neatly online
Contact form optional
Attach documents optional
Edit, extend, delete anytime
Preview like the management

See a live example

Frequently asked questions

What you should know

A complete rental dossier consists of three parts: first a personal cover letter with a reference to the apartment, second a short profile or self-disclosure with details on person, profession and income, and third an attachments checklist. The typical attachments include the debt collection register extract (no older than three months), the last two to three salary statements or an employer confirmation, a copy of your ID as well as, if needed, a rent confirmation from your current property management.

Free & without sign-up

Ready for your clean rental dossier?

Create your application dossier now with cover letter, short profile and checklist.