Swiss Cities Restrict Business Apartments
In many Swiss cities, it has been difficult to find an affordable apartment for years. A new ruling by the Federal Supreme Court could now change the situation. It concerns so-called "business apartments." These are furnished apartments that are mostly rented out to business people for short periods and at high prices.
The city of Zurich has wanted to restrict this type of housing for some time in order to protect normal living space for the population. The Federal Supreme Court has now ruled that the city has the right to do so. In certain residential zones, the use of apartments as pure business apartments may be prohibited or limited.
This ruling has major implications for the whole of Switzerland. It is not only Zurich that is struggling with high rents and limited space. Other cities such as Bern, Basel, and Lucerne have also already shown interest. They now want to examine how they can use the ruling to introduce similar rules in their own cities.
The reason for the opposition to business apartments is the severe housing shortage. Many experts criticize that these expensive apartments take away space from families and local tenants. For landlords, business apartments are often more lucrative, but they are often a problem for social cohesion in cities.
In the future, property owners will therefore have to plan more carefully. If they want to rent out apartments exclusively to business travelers, they could soon encounter legal obstacles in many Swiss cities. The political goal is clear: there should once again be more space for people who live and work in the city permanently.