Updated: October 2026Editorial team: Umzugsexpress GmbHTeam: 17 years in moving and clearance
At the handover the property manager checks the condition of the flat and records it in a handover report. With good preparation the appointment goes smoothly and without later claims.
In short
At the handover the property manager checks cleanliness and damage room by room and records everything in the handover report. You are not liable for normal wear and tear; for damage beyond that, at most for the residual value. Only sign what is correct.
Before the appointment
- Clear the flat completely, including cellar and attic
- Do or commission the final cleaning
- Check minor damage such as wall plug holes or dead light bulbs
- Have all keys ready, including mailbox and cellar keys
The handover report
Defects are recorded room by room. Read the report carefully before signing. If you disagree with a point, note it directly on the report. You are not obliged to sign (Mobiliar). If both parties sign, the report serves as evidence and binds the landlord: later only hidden defects can be claimed. Obvious defects must be reported immediately – according to law.ch within days, at most two to three; otherwise the claims are lost (Art. 267a CO). Our conditions for cleaning: Handover guarantee for end-of-tenancy cleaning.
Signing – the right way
You do not have to sign the report. The Swiss tenants’ association advises: do not sign a sentence such as “The tenant acknowledges the damage listed above”. Add a reservation instead: “does not constitute an acknowledgement of debt”, and for individual items “liability disputed”. Only sign an agreement to pay if it is beyond doubt – and if your liability insurance is to pay, it must agree first. Always ask for a copy.
- The report should contain: meter readings, number of keys, everyone present and every defect as precisely as possible – location and size, for example “water stain 10 × 5 cm”.
- Bring: your move-in report. Anything already listed there is not your damage.
- Do beforehand: fill plug holes properly and check the drains – drains are part of the usual inspection.
What a Zurich court said in 2026 (Zurich District Rent Court, 8 June 2026, not yet final): the landlord’s notice of defects on the eighth day after the handover was too late, even with holidays as the reason. Vague entries in the report did not count as notice, nor did photos alone. And a signature with handwritten objections did not make the tenant liable.
Normal wear and tear
Tenants are not liable for normal wear and tear from proper use, such as slightly yellowed walls after several years. Damage beyond normal wear is a different matter.
If the cleaning is rejected
With a handover guarantee the cleaning company redoes the work until the flat is accepted. That’s why it helps if the company is reachable or present at the appointment.
If defects appear after the handover
The landlord must report obvious defects at the handover or promptly afterwards. Hidden defects that only appear later can be reported once discovered. Keep the report and photos safe.
What the property manager checks closely
| Area | What is checked |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Oven and trays, extractor filters, fridge and freezer, limescale on taps |
| Bathroom and WC | Limescale in shower and bath, silicone joints, drains, mirror cabinet |
| Windows and blinds | Glass, frames and rebates, slats and shutters |
| Floors | Scratches, stains, water damage, carpet condition |
| Walls and ceilings | Dowel holes, nicotine or mould stains, paint |
| Ancillary rooms | Cellar, attic, balcony – empty and clean |
| Keys | All flat, letterbox and cellar keys including copies |
Wear and tear or damage? The service life table
Whether you pay for damage depends on whether it is normal wear and tear. For the share in real damage, the joint service life table of the tenants’ and homeowners’ associations is often used. It states how long fittings normally last. Service life table with values and calculator.
An example: if a carpet with a service life of ten years is damaged after eight years, you bear at most the residual value of about 20 percent of the replacement cost.
After the handover
The property manager must report defects that were recognisable at the handover immediately. After that, they can usually only report hidden defects discovered later. Keep the report, photos and cleaning receipt. More on repayment: Getting your rent deposit back.
In a hurry? How quickly we can come and what we need from you is explained here: Emergency cleaning.
Sources
- Mobiliar: flat handover (German)
- law.ch: return of the rented property (German)
- Tenants’ association: fact sheet on moving out and damage (German)
- Tenants’ association: handover report template (PDF, German)
- Zurich Rent Court, judgment MJ250054-L of 8.6.2026 (German)
- Art. 267a Swiss Code of Obligations (text)
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sign the handover report?
No, you are not obliged to. You can sign and note disputed points directly on the report, e.g. “defect already existed at move-in”.
Do I have to fill screw and nail holes?
A few properly drilled screw and nail holes usually count as normal wear and tear. If in doubt, ask the property manager whether they should be filled.
What if the cleaning is objected to?
With end-of-tenancy cleaning with handover guarantee the cleaning team redoes it free of charge until the flat is accepted.
Related services
- Move-out cleaning – Move and final cleaning combined – with handover guarantee.
- End-of-tenancy cleaning – Cleaning only, even if you move yourself.
- Apartment clearance – Empty and swept clean on the agreed handover date.