Do I have to end a Swiss lease by registered mail?
No. The law does not require registered mail, but it does require written form: a letter with your handwritten signature, as an original. Email, text messages or a scanned signature are not enough.
Registered mail is still recommended. What counts is the day the landlord receives the notice, not the postmark, and registered mail proves that day. Handing it over against a signed receipt works the same.
Which deadlines apply?
| Notice period | At least three months, to a local or contractual termination date |
|---|---|
| Termination dates | They differ by canton and municipality; the lease often lists them |
| Receipt | Before the notice period starts. Receipt counts, not the postmark |
Allow a few days: if the landlord does not collect the letter at once, it only counts as received from the day it can be collected.
How to give notice
- Write and print the letterUse the sample below, in German or the language of your lease.
- Sign it by handEvery tenant, and your spouse for a family home.
- Post it at the counterAs registered mail, or hand it over against a signed receipt.
- Keep the proofThe posting receipt and a copy of the notice.
Sample letter
In German. Print it and sign it by hand.
Vorname Name, Strasse Nr., Postleitzahl Ort
An: [Vermieterin oder Verwaltung, Adresse]
Kündigung des Mietvertrags für [Adresse, Stockwerk, Wohnungsnummer]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren
Hiermit kündige ich den Mietvertrag für die oben genannte Wohnung auf den [Kündigungstermin nach Vertrag oder Ortsgebrauch].
Bitte bestätigen Sie mir den Eingang der Kündigung schriftlich und schlagen Sie mir einen Termin für die Wohnungsabgabe vor.
Freundliche Grüsse
[Ort, Datum, eigenhändige Unterschriften aller Mieterinnen und Mieter]
What to watch
- If the flat is your family home, the notice needs the express consent of your spouse or registered partner. The simplest way: they sign the letter too.
- If two of you signed the lease, both of you sign the notice.
- To move out early, propose a suitable tenant who will take over the lease. That is a separate route with its own rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to end my Swiss lease by registered mail?
No, but it is recommended. The law requires a letter signed by hand. Registered mail proves receipt.
Can I give notice by email?
No. Notice on a flat needs written form with a handwritten signature. Email and a scanned signature are not enough.
Does the postmark count?
No. What counts is that the landlord receives the notice before the notice period starts.
Does my spouse have to sign?
For a family home, their express consent is needed, most simply by signing the letter.
Which termination dates apply?
At least three months to a local or contractual date. The dates differ by canton and municipality.
Does registered mail prove the contents?
No. It records posting and delivery. Keep a copy of the signed notice.