Switzerland's neighbourly rules

Switzerland is know for its many regulations and superb organization. One of the reason this country works like a clock is that people stick to these regulations. Notably Switzerland's "neighbourhood rules" is material for endless dinner conversation with friends from abroad.

So, is the myth of not being allowed to use the toilet doing night time true? It is not true. HOWEVER.....

... in any Swiss community when signing a lease it will contain general rules which apply to all resident tenants called the "neighbourhood rules". Among other things, they can stipulate the following:

No excessive noise between 22:00-07:00 and 12:00-13:00 (Power drills, hammering, etc). Note that your Swiss neighbours will probably take this rule very seriously and will expect you to do likewise!

No working noises at all on Sunday and no visible labour work on Sunday.

No showers or baths between 22:00-06:00.

Some places state that you’re not allowed to leave your shoes in front of your door.

There are stipulations about the separation of different types of garbage.

If you have to practise your trumpet blowing or playing drums as a hobby, usually you are allowed 1-2 hours per day during Monday to Saturday, usually before 6pm or 8pm. If you are an expert on piano playing, etc, more hours may be permissible but this is up to the neighbours to tell the piano player if his playing is bad or unwelcome. This is not law but social behaviour.

The staircase, the laundry room, the drying room, the attic, the basement and sometimes also the garden and patio are areas in an apartment building that are used by all tenants, it is therefore important that the concerns of all tenants are taken into account and that everyone respects the rules. There are generally rules on the use of a shared laundry room to ensure all tenants get a turn to do their laundry.

Take into account these rules form part of your contract; breaking them can give your landlord the legal right to kick you out of the apartment. This can come as a bit of a shock to foreigners coming from less ‘regulated’ countries. So do not be surprised if your housewarming party causes complaints from your new (and now very angry) neighbours. A personal introduction on your move in can help here, though it’s not standard in Switzerland. Speaking from personal experience, inviting your neighbours to your housewarming party is the best solution. They most probably won't turn up (but their civic sense won't let them complain because they have been invited) and if they DO show up, they are worth meeting!

Common sense and formal politeness usually prevail amongst neighbours in Switzerland. You respect them and they will treat you with respect in turn. Here's more to Living in Switzerland!