Politics · Switzerland · 4 hrs ago
Swiss tenants’ group gathers 100,848 signatures against rent proposal
The Swiss Tenants’ Association is opposing a government rent proposal that would serve as an alternative to a rent initiative.
The group says it collected 100,848 petition signatures in two weeks and handed them over on Tuesday.
The initiative calls for regular checks and cuts to rents found to be excessive.
The government’s proposal would instead compare rents with those for similar homes nearby, which the association says could push rents higher and remove existing limits on returns.
The proposal is not yet a law; the Federal Office for Housing has been asked to prepare a draft.
The association wants the government to stop work on the proposal and says any alternative should include cost-based rents and a review system.
Switzerland’s tenants’ association says it has gathered 100,848 signatures against the federal government’s proposed counterproposal to a rent initiative.
The group handed the petition to the government on Tuesday morning, according to Watson.
The association says the proposal would link rents to statistical comparisons of similar homes rather than binding controls.
It argues this could fuel rising rents and remove existing limits on returns.
The proposal is not yet law; the Federal Office for Housing has been tasked with drafting a concrete version.
- Who
- The Swiss tenants’ association, led by president Carlo Sommaruga.
- What
- It gathered 100,848 signatures opposing the federal government’s counterproposal to the rent initiative.
- When
- The petition was handed over on Tuesday morning; the association said it collected more than 100,000 signatures in two weeks.
- Where
- Switzerland. The handover location is Not stated.
- Why
- The association says the proposal could push rents higher and remove existing limits on returns.
Swiss tenants’ association
Swiss Federal Council
Proposal’s effect
Swiss tenants’ association
The association says the proposal would fuel rent increases and remove existing limits on returns.
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council presented the counterproposal; its view of the association’s criticism is Not stated.
Rent-setting approach
Swiss tenants’ association
The association wants regular checks and reductions for rents deemed excessive, and says any counterproposal should include cost-based rents and a review mechanism.
Swiss Federal Council
The counterproposal would link rents to statistical comparisons of similar homes rather than binding control values.
The Federal Council presented its direct counterproposal to the rent initiative.
The tenants’ association says it gathered more than 100,000 signatures against the proposal.
The association handed over its petition, which it said had 100,848 signatures.
- Signatures
- 100,848
- Petition organiser
- Swiss tenants’ association
- Association president
- Carlo Sommaruga
- Proposal status
- Not yet law; the Federal Office for Housing was tasked with drafting a concrete version
- Proposal’s rent benchmark
- Statistical comparison rents for similar homes
What people are saying
Over 100,000 signatures in two weeks are a clear answer to the Federal Council.
Tenants are already paying too much rent today, and the Federal Council wants them to pay even more. They will not accept that.





