Should I make repairs before moving out of my rental home in Switzerland?

My kids hit our rental home pretty hard and there are a lot of damages. Now that we are moving out I am worried about what the landlords will do. Is it a good idea to fix things myself or hire contractors to make repairs to minimize the possible claims from the landlord?

Hi there,

Making repairs ahead of moving out of a rental home is not recommended for several reasons:

1. You will not be able to claim benefits from your liability insurance because your landlord will not hold you liable for repairs which have already been made.

2. The repairs you make may not meet the landlord's standards. This could result in the work being redone, at greater expense to you.

3. The value of materials decreases as time goes by, so your landlord cannot hold your reponsible to completely replace old finishings. If the house was painted or floored many years ago, for example, you may not be liable to replace or repair these at all.

Instead of having repairs done yourself, just leave the rental home as is when you move out (except for a thorough cleaning, which is required) and let the landlord inform you about your liability for damages.

If you have a liability insurance company, either let the landlord deal with your insurer directly or pass on liability claims as necessary.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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