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Corporate Housing Switzerland

Corporate Housing Switzerland

Furnished company apartments sourced, contracted and managed for employees on assignment.

When a company relocates an employee to Switzerland, the first weeks rarely fit a standard rental timeline. Landlords ask for local guarantees, long notice periods and a permanent address that a newcomer does not yet have. Corporate housing in Switzerland closes that gap: a furnished apartment held under a flexible agreement, ready before the employee lands, and billed in a way your finance team can process.

My Swiss Relocation sources and manages corporate housing on behalf of employers across Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and the surrounding cantons. One consultant handles the search, the contract terms, the check-in and the ongoing coordination with the landlord or operator, so your HR and mobility team is not chasing paperwork alongside everything else a transfer requires.

What counts as corporate housing

Corporate housing sits between a hotel stay and a standard unfurnished lease. It is a fully furnished apartment or serviced unit rented under an agreement built for a company or an assignee rather than a long-term local tenant, typically for a period of one to six months while the employee finds a permanent home.

The unit can be a serviced apartment operated by a hospitality provider, or a privately owned furnished flat let on a short-term basis through an agency or a landlord willing to work outside the usual local lease format. Both options exist in Switzerland; which one fits depends on the city, the budget and how long the assignment is expected to last.

Why companies use corporate housing for a Swiss assignment

A permanent Swiss lease usually asks for a security deposit, proof of local income, sometimes a Swiss guarantor, and a notice period of several months. An employee arriving from abroad rarely meets all of these on day one, and a company does not want its transfer stalled on a rental technicality.

Corporate housing removes that bottleneck. The employee has a real address to register with the commune, a functional home to work from, and the time to search for a permanent property without pressure. For the employer, it also means one predictable arrangement instead of negotiating a full lease for a stay whose exact length is not yet certain.

  • No Swiss guarantor or long-term deposit required at arrival
  • Move-in possible within days rather than weeks
  • A registered address for commune formalities from day one
  • Flexibility to extend or shorten the stay as the assignment evolves
  • One point of contact instead of separate hotel, agency and utility arrangements

What we handle for your company

We manage corporate housing as a service, not a one-off booking. Your mobility team gives us the brief; we return with options, a signed agreement and a move-in date.

  • Sourcing furnished apartments and serviced units matched to the employee's family situation, budget and preferred location
  • Negotiating the agreement terms directly with the landlord or operator, including duration and extension conditions
  • Coordinating check-in, keys, inventory and any building or concierge formalities
  • Setting up utilities, internet and basic amenities where the unit does not already include them
  • Acting as the single point of contact for the duration of the stay, including any issue with the landlord or operator
  • Consolidating billing so your finance department receives one invoice structure rather than several

How the process works

The process starts as soon as your company confirms the assignment dates, so the apartment is ready before the employee travels.

If your company has a transfer date already set, the sooner we receive the brief, the more corporate housing options remain available in that city.

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Common mistakes companies make with corporate housing

Most problems with corporate housing in Switzerland come from timing and mismatched expectations, not from the housing itself.

  • Waiting until the transfer date is fixed before starting the search, when demand in Geneva and Zurich means good units are booked weeks ahead
  • Booking a unit sized for one person when the employee is relocating with a partner or children
  • Assuming corporate housing can extend indefinitely without confirming the operator's or landlord's terms in advance
  • Treating corporate housing as the final home and skipping the parallel search for a permanent lease, which then starts too late
  • Not clarifying in advance who manages issues during the stay, leaving the employee to deal directly with the landlord or operator

What's Included

  • Sourcing of furnished apartments and serviced units matched to the brief
  • Negotiation of duration, extension terms and price with the landlord or operator
  • Coordination of check-in, keys and inventory
  • Set-up of utilities and internet where not already included
  • Single point of contact for the company and the employee throughout the stay
  • Consolidated billing for your finance department

Steps and Timeline

1

Brief and budget

We confirm the assignment dates, household size, target city and budget agreed with your company.

2

Sourcing and selection

We shortlist available furnished units and present options with location, availability and terms.

3

Contracting

We negotiate the agreement and confirm the billing arrangement with your finance team.

4

Check-in

We coordinate the handover on arrival, including keys and a walkthrough of the apartment.

5

Ongoing support

We remain the point of contact for the stay and help plan the move to permanent housing.

Common Mistakes

  • Starting the search only once the transfer date is confirmed, losing the best-located units in high-demand cities
  • Booking a unit that does not match the employee's actual household size
  • Assuming an open-ended extension is possible without checking it with the landlord or operator first
  • Skipping the parallel search for permanent housing until the corporate housing agreement is close to ending
  • Leaving the employee without a named contact for problems that come up during the stay

Also Worth Reading

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a company book corporate housing in Switzerland?
Corporate housing agreements typically run from one to six months, renewable depending on the landlord's or operator's terms. It is designed as a bridge before a permanent lease, not a long-term substitute for one, so we recommend starting the permanent home search well before the agreement is due to end.
Is corporate housing more expensive than a standard rental?
Corporate housing usually costs more per month than an equivalent unfurnished lease, because it includes furniture, utilities and flexible terms. Compared with an extended hotel stay for the same period, it is generally the more cost-effective option once the assignment runs beyond a few weeks.
Can corporate housing accommodate a family, not just one employee?
Yes. We source units by household size, and family-sized furnished apartments are available in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and other cities we cover, though availability for larger units can be tighter and benefits from an earlier search.
Who deals with the landlord or operator once the employee has moved in?
Your assigned consultant remains the point of contact for the duration of the stay. If an issue comes up with the apartment, the building or the billing, the employee or your HR team contacts us directly rather than negotiating with the landlord or operator themselves.
Can the company be billed directly instead of the employee?
Yes. We set up the agreement and invoicing so your company is billed directly, with a structure your finance department can process, rather than asking the employee to pay and claim expenses back.

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