Swiss voters reject more powers for landlords on subletting
Landlords’ Powers to Withhold Sublets
In a narrow vote, Swiss voters have rejected a change to the law that would have given landlords more power to restrict subletting by tenants. The vote came amid concerns over the impact of Airbnb on the residential market in Switzerland.
Airbnb’s Influence Debated
According to critics, the rise of Airbnb has led to a surge in subletting, making it harder for regular renters to find affordable housing. However, the company maintains that it is simply providing a platform for individuals to monetize their properties and has no control over the housing market.
Preliminary Results Show
Preliminary results show that 51.6% of Swiss voters rejected the subletting change, which also applies to commercial properties. This is a blow to advocates of the change, who argue that unscrupulous landlords are exploiting loopholes to evict responsible renters.
More Tennancy Questions on the Table
The vote is part of a larger conversation about landlord-tenant relationships in Switzerland. In a separate vote, Swiss voters also rejected a proposal to give landlords more rights to terminate leases when they want to use their properties.
Motorways and Gender-Neutral Language Also on the chopping block
In other news, Swiss voters rejected a plan to expand the country’s network of motorways, and residents of Zurich also rejected an initiative to remove gender-inclusive language from the city’s official texts following months of debate.