Common questions

Only once the heirs are established. Whoever has estate items disposed of or sold during the three-month renunciation period interferes with the inheritance and loses the right to renounce it. Pure preservation is allowed: locking the flat, turning down the heating, disposing of perishable food.

Nobody may enter a sealed flat, not even the heirs. The authority lifts the seal once the heirs are established. In the meantime we sort out what can be done without access, and we visit after the seal has been lifted.

Yes. On the death, the lease passes to the heirs. Heirs can give notice with the statutory period of three months to the next statutory date, regardless of longer contractual periods. Give notice early: notice is an act of administration, not an acceptance of the inheritance.

A death must be reported within two days to the civil register office at the place of death. If someone dies in a hospital or care home, the institution will usually report the death itself.

No. Anyone who disposes of, sells or removes items from the estate may thereby interfere in the estate and lose the right to disclaim it. Until the three-month disclaimer period has expired, only essential items should be moved.

There is no substantive difference. "Erbschein" is the term used in German law. In Switzerland, the document is called an Erbbescheinigung, or Erbenschein in some cantons. It confirms who is recognised as an heir.

The single-judge division of the district court at the deceased person's last place of residence. It issues the certificate when the period for disclaiming the inheritance has expired or all heirs have declared their acceptance of the inheritance.

No. A sale is a disposal of estate assets and requires the consent of all heirs. Before the period for disclaiming the inheritance expires, it counts as interference and causes the right to disclaim to be lost. Buyers and auction houses will require the certificate in any event.

You may take steps to safeguard it: lock up, dispose of perishables, care for pets, move personal papers to a safe place, terminate the tenancy jointly and arrange an inspection for clearance. Sale, gifting and clearance must wait.

Yes, if one has been ordered. Until the notary's office has completed the inventory or waived it, the heirs may not dispose of estate assets without its consent. Ask the notary's office before setting a clearance date.

In straightforward cases without a will, around three to four months after the death, because the period for disclaiming the inheritance must be observed. It is quicker if all heirs declare their acceptance. It takes longer where there is a will, an international element or unknown heirs.

The bankruptcy office. Once all the closest heirs have declined the inheritance, it liquidates the estate under Art. 573 of the Swiss Civil Code (ZGB), realises the household contents and clears the flat. Relatives do not have to clear it or pay.

Three months under Art. 567 ZGB. For statutory heirs, the period starts when they learn of the death. For appointed heirs, it starts with official notification of the will. In the canton of Zurich, you submit the declaration to the district court at the deceased person's last place of residence.

Only with great caution. Anyone who appropriates estate property loses the right to decline under Art. 571 para. 2 ZGB. The bankruptcy office will usually release photographs or letters with no market value later on request. Ask the office and do not take anything yourself.

The bankruptcy court discontinues the liquidation for lack of assets under Art. 230 of the Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Act (SchKG). In practice, the landlord is then often left to arrange the clearance. The landlord should obtain written confirmation of release from the bankruptcy office.

Only subject to the ordinary notice periods. The tenant's death does not give the landlord grounds for extraordinary termination. The tenancy passes to the heirs. Once all the heirs have declined the inheritance, the bankruptcy estate becomes the other party.

No. Instructing a clearance company is a disposal of estate property and requires the person giving the instruction to have authority. Before the period expires, all heirs must act jointly. Once all heirs have declined the inheritance, the bankruptcy office has authority.

In principle, no. The heirs form a community and dispose of the estate jointly. A clearance requires everyone's consent unless an executor or an estate representative appointed by the authorities is in place.

Apply to the competent authority for the appointment of an estate representative. This person administers the estate for the community and may issue instructions without every heir having to sign.

The deadline is three months. For statutory heirs, it begins when they learn of the death; for appointed heirs, when the testamentary disposition is officially notified. Anyone who lets the deadline pass has accepted the inheritance without reservation.

Usually, yes. Anyone who intervenes in the affairs of the estate, for example by selling, giving away or arranging the disposal of furniture, may no longer disclaim the inheritance. Purely protective measures such as locking the flat do not cause any harm.

If all the nearest heirs disclaim, the estate is liquidated by the bankruptcy office. The bankruptcy office handles the realisation of the assets. The heirs then neither arrange nor pay for the clearance.

Once it is clear who the heirs are. This means that the three-month disclaimer period has expired or all heirs have accepted, any official sealing has been lifted, and all heirs consent to the clearance.

It is not a legal requirement, but in practice it usually is needed. Banks release accounts only on presentation of the certificate of inheritance. Property managers and clearance companies require it as proof of authority. In the Canton of Zurich, it is issued by the district court.

No, unless that person has authority from the other heirs, is the executor or is an officially appointed representative of the heirs. The community of heirs may dispose of the estate only jointly (Art. 602 ZGB).

The heirs are jointly and severally liable (Art. 603 ZGB). The costs are paid from the estate. If it is insufficient, the heirs who accepted the inheritance are liable with their own assets.

No. It passes to the heirs, who may terminate it with the statutory three-month notice period to the next statutory termination date (Art. 266i OR). Giving notice does not constitute acceptance of the inheritance.

The executor administers the estate and may commission the clearance alone and pay for it from the estate (Art. 518 ZGB). The heirs may not give the executor instructions, but are entitled to information.

The inheritance authority is responsible. In the Canton of Zurich, this is the notary's office at the deceased's last place of residence. It may seal the flat on its own initiative or at the request of an heir, creditor or authority.

No. Only the authority may remove the seal. Breaking an official seal is a criminal offence and may be treated as interference in the estate.

One month from learning of the death. This is shorter than the three-month deadline for renunciation and is therefore often missed.

The costs are charged to the estate and depend on its size and complexity. If the estate is insufficient, they are borne by the heirs who requested the inventory. An advance payment is usual.

The heirs. Upon death, the tenancy passes to them with all its obligations (Art. 560 ZGB, Swiss Civil Code), including the obligation to return the flat empty. Anyone who disclaims the inheritance is released from this obligation.

The estate. The clearance costs are paid from the estate assets before anything is distributed. If these are insufficient, the heirs who accepted the inheritance are liable with their own assets.

No. The household contents belong to the estate, and a landlord's right of retention applies only to commercial premises. Without the heirs' consent or an official order, the landlord is liable for items disposed of.

The bankruptcy office liquidates the estate (Art. 573 ZGB) and clears the flat. The relatives then organise nothing further and pay nothing.

There is no statutory entitlement to this. Anyone who has accepted the inheritance and cannot pay for the clearance should speak to the social welfare authority in their municipality of residence; it decides each case individually.

Proof of the right to dispose: a certificate of inheritance, an executor’s certificate, an instruction from the bankruptcy office or an order from an authority. With several heirs, all of them sign the instruction, or the others give a written clearance authorisation. These documents help us establish who may commission the clearance.

Then we cannot clear. The heirs form a community and dispose of the estate jointly. There are no majority decisions. Ways out of the deadlock: agreement, a representative of the heirs appointed by the authority, or an existing executor.

Yes, with your written authorisation. Calling, sending photos and arranging the visit can be done by anyone you ask. You sign the instruction yourself, or a relative does with a written authorisation from you. Any payout goes to the person the things belong to. For an estate we need the signature of all heirs or a clearance authorisation.

No, only with their express consent or on the instruction of an authority. Clearing an occupied flat against the will of the person living there is an interference with their rights, even with good intentions. If they are at risk, the social service, the KESB or the fire police are the right places.

For the visit usually within a few days. We set the clearance date according to your deadline, as far as the effort involved and our availability allow. Tell us your deadline when you enquire.

That depends on how much has to be cleared and how accessible the rooms are. The planned duration is stated in the quote.

You decide which items you want to keep. We take the remaining contents for resale or proper disposal.

We settle that when we agree the date. Tell us the date you would like. Whether it is possible depends on the effort involved and on our availability.

No. If we have agreed everything beforehand and we have access to the rooms, we can carry out the clearance without you being present.

Yes. Name the excluded items before the visit so we can calculate without them. They are listed explicitly on the quote.

Yes. We come round for that too, and you get a fixed price.

The visit and the quote carry no obligation for you. For an order that has been placed, the “Cancellation” section of the terms applies. It sets out the period for cancelling and the share that falls due if you cancel later.

Record the services, price, allowance for valuable items and payment date in writing. Check the company details and the cancellation terms. An advance payment alone does not indicate whether a provider is reliable.

Ask whether items are separated in the flat and what happens to paint, solvents, used oil and electrical appliances. A company that works properly will answer in one sentence without having to check with its main office.

For a residential tenancy, the statutory notice period is three months to a customary local termination date (Art. 266c OR). The tenancy agreement may specify a longer notice period or different dates (Art. 266a OR). These articles do not provide a separate ground for termination when moving into a care home. Anyone wishing to leave earlier may propose a solvent and reasonable replacement tenant to the landlord (Art. 264 OR).

Relatives do not have this right automatically. There must be an advance care mandate reviewed by the KESB, a spouse's or registered partner's statutory right of representation, or a deputyship. If a deputy acts, the KESB must consent to clearing the household and terminating the tenancy (Art. 416 ZGB). If in doubt, ask the KESB beforehand.

Some goes into the room at the home. The rest goes to the family or is sold, given away or disposed of. Ask the home which personal items of furniture are allowed and how much space the room has. Only then decide what to part with, and record the distribution in writing.

This may affect supplementary benefits: assets that someone has given up without a legal obligation and without receiving equivalent consideration are counted as income as though they had never been given up (Art. 11a ELG). Seek advice beforehand from the municipality, SVA Zurich or an advisory service for older people such as Pro Senectute.

The health insurer, resident and municipality contribute to care costs. Residents pay for accommodation, meals and support themselves unless the municipality voluntarily reduces the charges. If income and assets are insufficient, supplementary benefits may help finance the place. The Health Directorate's information dates from February 2021. The contributions may have changed.

Swiss Post can forward items for a specified period. The bank, health insurer, other insurers, doctors, compensation office, newspaper publishers and clubs need the new address. Whether you must deregister with the municipality depends on the person's place of residence. Ask the residents' registration office.

It may be worthwhile if there are many household contents, the flat is upstairs without a lift, the family lives far away or a handover date has been set. Obtain a written quotation after an inspection and compare what is included.

We give you a fixed price after the inspection. A cluttered flat cannot be assessed by phone or from photographs alone. We list odour treatment and disinfection separately in the quotation because the extent of this work often becomes clear only once the flat is empty.

Not necessarily. On request, we use an unmarked vehicle and plan the work for quieter times. With closed containers and a regular team, the clearance looks like a normal move from the outside.

At the visit we assess your contents and agree a purchase price. We deduct it from the clearance costs. If the purchase price exceeds the costs, we pay you the difference. More about the value offset.

The price depends on the amount of contents, the effort involved and how easily the rooms can be accessed. After the visit you receive a fixed-price quote. We deduct the purchase price of items that can be resold from the clearance costs. How we quote.

Because over the phone nobody sees what stands in the flat, the cellar and the attic. Whoever quotes a price anyway quotes a teaser price or one with a large safety margin. We come round and quote on the spot, without obligation.

Possible, but rare. It takes a substantial amount of sellable items. If the purchase price exceeds the clearance, we pay you the rest, on the day the clearance begins, in cash or by transfer, against a receipt. Usually that comes from a single valuable item. The rest of the household rarely covers the costs. How the valuation works.

Yes. Tell us during the visit what matters to you personally and what you would like us to look for. On request, we set aside any documents, letters and photos we find and hand them to you. We also look for other items you name, such as keepsakes, and hand them over as agreed. Before work begins, we record what is excluded from the purchase and take it into account in the value offset.

Only in two cases, and both are written into the quote: if you add rooms, or if hidden hazardous waste turns up that was not visible at the visit.

After you accept the quote and before work begins. If the clearance costs exceed the purchase price, you pay the difference. If the purchase price is higher, we pay you the difference. If the amounts balance out, no payment is needed.

Clearance costs cannot be deducted from income tax because they are private living expenses. As a debt arising from the succession, they reduce the estate on which inheritance tax is calculated. In the canton of Zurich, this concerns only heirs who are not tax-exempt.

Yes. They arise because of the death and form part of the costs of administering the estate, like the funeral and inventory. They are paid from the estate before it is distributed. The cantonal tax office makes the binding decision in each individual case.

Spouses, registered partners and descendants are exempt. Other heirs, such as siblings, nieces and nephews, unmarried partners or unrelated people, pay tax after an allowance has been deducted, according to rates that rise with the degree of kinship and the size of the inheritance.

The invoice should be addressed to the community of heirs of the deceased, with a contact address. This makes it identifiable as an estate debt. An heir who advances the amount can claim it during the estate distribution.

The amount deductible for tax purposes is the invoice total after the offset. The credited items have left the estate at their estimated value. The offset must be disclosed in the estate distribution so that all heirs can understand it.

Clearance costs are not a standard item. In the canton of Zurich, allowable property costs include the purchase price, value-enhancing investments, estate agent's commission and advertising costs. Ask the municipal tax office beforehand whether clearance before the sale will be accepted as a selling expense.

Mechanical watches, gold and silver jewellery, design classics with proof of origin, solid wood furniture in good condition, organised collections and antiques with provenance. Wall units, upholstered furniture, everyday crockery and large quantities of books find virtually no buyers.

At many auction houses, the seller's commission is between 15 and 25 per cent of the hammer price. Catalogue, photography and insurance fees are often added. Ask about the net amount and the minimum estimate below which the auction house will not accept an item.

No. The heirs may dispose of the estate only jointly. A sale requires everyone's consent. The proceeds form part of the division of the estate. Before the period for disclaiming the inheritance expires, a sale also counts as interference in the estate.

During the inspection, the clearance company estimates what can be sold and deducts the estimated value from the clearance costs. The amount appears separately in the quotation. If it exceeds the clearance costs, the balance is paid out.

Usually very little. Collections of post-war subscription stamps exist in large numbers and are barely saleable. Individual rarities, printing errors and early issues with certificates can have value. Have the collection assessed as a whole before breaking it up.

For valuables, yes. Auction houses, dealers and banks require proof that you are entitled to dispose of them. In the Canton of Zurich, the district court at the deceased person's last place of residence issues the certificate of inheritance.

Saleable items from the estate, such as furniture, watches, jewellery, art or collections, are valued. Their value is deducted from the clearance costs. If the estate contains enough saleable items, this can make the clearance cost-neutral.

It is possible, but rare. A substantial quantity of saleable items is required. Anyone who promises a free clearance before the inspection cannot yet know whether it is possible.

After the inspection, we give you a fixed price. The number of rooms says little about the work involved. Two flats of the same size can differ greatly. We therefore do not quote prices by telephone and do not publish a price list online.

Clearance costs are estate debts and are paid from the estate before it is distributed. If the assets are insufficient, the heirs who accepted the inheritance are liable. If all heirs disclaim the inheritance, the bankruptcy office liquidates the estate and commissions the clearance itself.

That depends on the particular piece. The maker, design, condition and transport options help with the assessment. Age and the original purchase price alone do not establish a current selling price.

Not necessarily. On request we come in a vehicle without lettering and plan off-peak hours. We work with closed containers and do not talk about the job in the building. From outside, a clearance looks like a move.

On request, we set aside any documents, letters and photos we find and hand them to you. We agree with you how to hand them over. Papers that are to be destroyed we pass to document destruction, unread. For that we need a signed line from you, on the quote or at the handover. We do not issue a certificate of destruction.

No. Not anonymised either, and not for hoarder clearances. Images taken in the flat serve only as proof. For sales listings we photograph purchased items away from the property.

Tell us your preferred date. Depending on the scope of the clearance and our availability, short-notice dates are also possible.

Windows, frames and shutters, kitchen and appliances, bathroom and toilet, cupboards, floors and skirting boards. What is included, we settle at the visit.

Every clearance ends swept clean. The final clean goes further and covers the agreed surfaces and fittings, such as windows, kitchen and bathroom.

Yes. We clean the agreed rooms thoroughly, including when the flat is handed back afterwards.

Between the clearance and the handover. We set the cleaning date around the handover date you give us.

Tell us your deadline when you enquire. We confirm the date in writing.

We keep them separate and take them to a collection point that may accept them. Leave anything you do not recognise in place.

No. Tell us at the visit what should stay. On request, we set aside any documents, letters and photos we find and hand them to you. We look for keepsakes you name before anything leaves.

No. Tell us at the visit what you wish to keep: we list it on the quote, exclude it from the purchase and set it aside for you.

After the visit, we give you a written fixed-price quote. We buy saleable contents if you are entitled to sell them and deduct the purchase price.

Tell us the handover deadline when you enquire. After the visit we tell you when we can clear.

No. We hand over the home swept clean. You book the final clean as an extra. More about the final clean.

You do not need a certificate of inheritance to enquire. Before work begins, we establish who may instruct us: co-heirs jointly, one authorised person or, if appointed, the executor. Further information in German: co-heirs and executors.

We clear only once the heirs are established. A visit and a quote are possible beforehand. Whoever sells or disposes of estate items during the three-month renunciation period may lose the right to renounce the inheritance. Guidance on renouncing an inheritance (German).

We usually visit within a few days. We set the clearance date to meet your deadline, subject to the work involved and our availability. Tell us the handover date when you enquire.

They go to take-back points. Disposal is covered by the recycling fee paid at purchase.

Yes. On request we take paper with personal data to a shredding service. Otherwise it stays with you.

Nothing. If you like: hazardous waste in a box, medicines to the pharmacy.

Only with the consent of the person living there, or as an heir after a death with the corresponding proof. In acute danger, the social service, the KESB or the fire police are the right places.

On request, we set aside any documents, letters and photos we find and hand them to you. Before the clearance, tell us which other documents or keepsakes you want to retain. We look for them and set them aside for the agreed handover.

Usually several days. We confirm the duration and the date with the quote.

For a whole house, usually yes. We provide it and obtain the permit if it stands on public ground.

Whatever can be sold, we buy. The amount is on the quote and comes off the fixed price.

After the visit, we issue a written fixed-price quote. The price depends on volume, floor level, access and disposal work. We buy saleable contents such as office furniture or equipment and deduct their value from the cost.

Usually yes, if we clear area by area: free areas first, then the rest. Noise and dust cannot be avoided entirely. By arrangement we also clear outside your opening hours. We settle that at the visit.

No, you decide at the visit what stays, such as furniture for the next tenant or equipment you keep using. We clear only what you authorise and record this in the quote.

Tell us the handover date, what is to stay and whether there are files, connected equipment or hazardous waste such as chemicals or fluorescent tubes. Clarify beforehand what must be archived. Business records generally must be kept for ten years (Art. 958f CO).

Yes, individual offices, one floor or the whole premises. We agree the order and the access with you.

You decide what stays and what is collected. We agree transport to a document destruction service in writing.

If it can be resold, yes. The amount is on the quote and comes off the fixed price.

Yes, the agreed ones. Check with the property manager beforehand which fitted units have to stay.

You decide in writing which records go where. We transport them sealed and hand them over against a receipt.

If a device can be resold, the amount is on the quote and comes off the fixed price.

We keep them separate. We agree who hands in what at the visit.

A specialist firm removes them. Tell us about such equipment before the visit.

If it can be resold, yes. The amount is on the quote and comes off the fixed price.

A specialist firm, before removal. At the visit we agree who commissions it.

You decide that before the clearance. We leave equipment and furniture that is taken over out of the clearance and the purchase.

Tell us at the visit what is present. We take frying oil for disposal. A specialist firm empties the grease trap.

We buy whatever can be sold. Take out beforehand whatever you want to sell yourself.

Yes, the agreed ones. What belongs to the landlord or has to stay must be settled before the clearance.

Tell us your last trading day and the handover date. We tell you whether the clearance fits in between.

Yes. We exclude items the next tenant keeps from clearance and purchase.

We buy whatever can be sold. Take out beforehand whatever you keep or sell yourself.

Yes, the agreed racking. If some racking is to stay, we record that at the visit.

You decide what is retained and where it goes. We agree transport to a document destruction service in writing.

Yes. We agree beforehand which access routes and paths you need.

On site, we check the machine, access and exit route. We then tell you what we can take on.

If they can be resold, yes. The amount is on the quote and comes off the fixed price.

We keep them separate and take them to sites that may accept them. Unknown substances have to be identified first.

No, individual areas or machines too. If production continues, we agree the times with you.

No, each shop decides what it accepts. The City of Zurich lists charity shops as one option for items in good condition, but does not specify acceptance conditions. Before taking anything there, ask what is wanted and whether the shop collects furniture.

In the City of Zurich, textile containers and recycling collection points accept clean, wearable clothing and household textiles packed in tear-resistant, sealed plastic bags. Check pockets and linings first. Other municipalities have their own collection systems, which you can find on the municipality's website.

Collection points must comply with data protection requirements for storage media containing personal data (Art. 8 VREG). The National Cyber Security Centre nevertheless recommends backing up the data, signing out of accounts and resetting the device to its factory settings beforehand. A reset usually erases all data. Check afterwards whether any personal information remains.

Cover the terminals with adhesive tape and also place the battery in a plastic bag, as described by INOBAT. When handing it over, tell the retailer or collection point that the battery is damaged. It does not belong in household waste.

At least until the final tax assessment becomes legally binding, which in practice means five to ten years. Additional tax proceedings may be initiated for up to ten years after the end of the tax period, while the absolute limitation period expires later. Anyone who discards supporting documents can no longer use them to rebut a claim during proceedings.

Documents containing personal data do not belong in household waste. Use a cross-cut shredder or give the documents to a waste disposal company that provides a certificate of destruction. Ask the clearance company whether it offers this service.

No. The Canton of Zurich is clear: special waste belongs neither in household rubbish nor in the sewer system. Take it to a retailer, the mobile special waste service or the Hagenholz collection point. Municipal collection points also accept oils, household batteries and fluorescent tubes.

Do not drill, sand, saw or break the material. According to the Federal Office of Public Health, a material analysis by a specialised laboratory is usually required if asbestos is suspected. Report your concerns to the owner or property management. Cantonal contact points are available for enquiries from the public.

Nothing. Electrical and electronic equipment is financed through the advance recycling fee and is accepted at no charge by retailers and collection points, regardless of where it was bought.

Paint, varnish, solvents, used oil, batteries and chemicals are hazardous waste and must go to an authorised collection point or a retailer with a take-back obligation. Retailers accept medicines, sometimes for a fee.

Furniture with a market value is valued and credited. Well-preserved furniture without a market value goes to a charity shop, while the remainder is disposed of as bulky waste. The allocation is stated in the quotation. You can exclude individual items.

Yes, but only what they can sell: clean, undamaged furniture, crockery, lamps and clothes. They reject wall units, old mattresses and cathode-ray tube televisions. Some organisations collect larger items by prior arrangement and decide on site.

On request, we set aside any photographs and letters we find and give them to you. Before the clearance, tell us what else you would like us to look for specifically. We agree the scope and handover with you.

Yes. Disposal is paid for through the advance recycling fee charged at purchase. Retailers and collection points belonging to the SENS and Swico take-back systems accept the appliances, regardless of where they were purchased.

Yes. Tell us before the inspection and we will calculate the price without those items. For each item, allow for photographs, questions and a collection appointment. The notice period is usually not long enough to sell the contents of an entire flat this way.

No. The tenancy passes to the heirs and continues. The heirs may end it by giving the statutory three months’ notice for the next statutory termination date, regardless of any longer notice periods or minimum terms agreed in the contract.

By finding a suitable, solvent replacement tenant who is willing to take over the tenancy on the existing terms. The landlord must accept them. The rent obligation ends from the date on which they take over.

Usually not. Normal wear and tear to the walls is covered by the rent. You owe the cost of painting only if you caused damage beyond contractual use, for example through an unusual choice of colour or nicotine staining.

The landlord must report defects that were visible when the property was returned immediately. If the landlord fails to do so, the property is deemed to have been returned in accordance with the tenancy agreement. Hidden defects are excluded and must be reported immediately after discovery.

Usually not. Normal wear to the walls is covered by the rent (Art. 267 OR). Repainting is payable only on a proportional basis where there is damage beyond use in accordance with the tenancy agreement and the paintwork's service life has not yet expired.

Traces left by ordinary living: a usual number of wall-plug holes, worn paths on floors, walls that have yellowed after several years, and small scratches on doors or cabinet fronts. After a tenancy of twenty years or more, almost everything falls into this category.

It is a list published jointly by tenant and landlord associations, setting out the average service life of parts of a home. It is not law, but conciliation authorities and courts use it to calculate the current value owed for a damaged item.

The property manager must report visible defects immediately when the flat is returned (Art. 267a OR). If this is not done, the claims are forfeited. Only hidden defects may be claimed later, and they must be reported immediately after discovery.

Not without the heirs' consent or a court judgment. The bank releases the deposit only with both parties' consent or on the basis of a final order for payment or a judgment (Art. 257e OR). After one year without legal action by the landlord, the heirs may request repayment.