How many photos do I need for a good replacement tenant listing?

At least 4, ideally 6 to 8. All main rooms, one of the entrance or stairwell, one of the neighbourhood. Bright pictures in daylight. Flat tidy, no personal items in the picture.

On which platforms should I advertise?

For whole flats: Homegate, Flatfox, Immoscout24. For flatshare rooms: WG-Zimmer.ch, Flatfox, ronorp.net. Students: additionally university notice boards or student Facebook groups. Using several channels strongly increases your reach.

What has to go in the listing title?

Size, location, move-in date. Example: 'Bright 2.5-room flat in Zurich Aussersihl, from 1 October'. Generic titles like 'Great flat available' are often not picked up by search filters.

Should I state the rent in the listing?

Yes, definitely. Listings without a rent price are clicked on less often, and you get many unsuitable enquiries from people whose budget does not fit. A clear statement saves everyone time.

How do I respond to 30 enquiries at the same time?

Prepare a standard reply (key facts, viewing slots, document requirements). Then sort: solvent candidates with a complete rental dossier first. Bundle appointments into slots (e.g. Saturday 10 to 12 every 15 minutes), it saves an enormous amount of time.

May I change the rent or the contract conditions in the listing?

No. Rent, service charges and notice periods are fixed in the main tenancy agreement and should not be changed on your own authority. If you want to present something differently (e.g. new furnishing, changed conditions), coordinate this with the management or landlord beforehand. Otherwise you risk the management rejecting the proposed replacement tenant or you being liable as the main tenant.

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Successor tenant

Free

Replacement tenant listing template Switzerland, how to find a successor quickly

Your listing gets no responses, either key facts are missing, the photos are weak or the text seems impersonal.

In short

A good replacement tenant listing has five parts: a meaningful title, clear key facts (size, rent, from when), 4 to 8 bright photos, a short description and concrete contact details. In our experience, those who deliver all five receive 5 to 10 times more enquiries than listings that are missing one element.

For whom?

· Tenants
· Flatshare residents
· Landlords

When do you need this?

As soon as you want to move out early and need a replacement tenant, or when you as a landlord have to re-let a flatshare or an apartment.

What should you do now?

Step 1: Compile the key facts: size, rent (with/without service charges), location, move-in date, fixed-term/open-ended.
Step 2: Take 4 to 8 photos: during the day, tidy, all main rooms.
Step 3: Write the title concretely ('Bright 3-room flat in Zurich Wiedikon, from 1 July 2026').
Step 4: Draft the description: the flat, the neighbourhood, who it suits.
Step 5: Publish the listing on at least 2 platforms (e.g. Homegate, Flatfox, WG-Zimmer.ch).
Step 6: Clear contact details: WhatsApp, email, phone, and a response time window.
Step 7: Collect enquiries and forward pre-selected candidates to the management.

Free checklist

Work through the points directly in your browser. Or download them as a clean Word document (.docx), one A4 page, ready to print.

Concrete title with size and location
Key facts: m², rent, service charges, move-in date
4 to 8 bright, tidy photos (during the day)
Description: max. 200 words, honest
Platforms: at least 2 (Homegate, Flatfox, etc.)
Contact: WhatsApp + email + response time
Clear conditions (furnished/unfurnished, fixed-term?)

Matching next steps

These tips and tools help you carry on right away, free of charge and without sign-up. Not legal advice.

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Common mistakes

Dark photos in the evening or with people in them, looks unprofessional.
No concrete rent or square metres given. Enquiries stay away.
Exaggerated advertising language ('unique opportunity'), seems implausible.
Only one platform, drastically reduces reach.
No response to enquiries within 24 hours. Interested people keep searching.

Frequently asked questions

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Moving out early

In Switzerland you have the right to leave your tenancy agreement earlier if you propose a reasonable replacement tenant to the management. 'Reasonable' means: solvent, willing to rent on the same terms, no grounds for refusal. The management does not have to accept the first proposal, but it may not reject reasonable candidates without good reason. As soon as the replacement tenant moves in, you are out of the contract, even in the middle of the notice period.

Terminate a flat lease

In Switzerland a three-month notice period to a locally customary termination date applies to most flats. The termination should be made in writing, arrive before the deadline (receipt counts, not sending) and, for married or registered couples, be signed by both persons. Otherwise it may be considered formally invalid in individual cases.

Handover protocol

The handover protocol records the condition of the flat at the moment of handover. Room by room, with photos and meter readings. Anyone who records it cleanly has a clear basis in the event of a dispute. Without a protocol it becomes much harder to prove later what was already damaged beforehand or what values the meters showed.

This content is for practical guidance and does not replace legal advice. For binding legal information, please contact a qualified specialist office, a conciliation authority or the tenants' association.