1. Don't sign.  If you sign, you will be bound to terms and conditions that are unfavorable and unworkable.

2. Get out ASAP.  Move out during the day while the flat owner is at work if you have to.

3. Fight for the return of your deposit and excess rent after you're gone and your possessions are safe.  Don't expect to win.

This situation has bad news written all over it.  You're about to be "wedded" to a high-conflict flat owner who is dealing from a position of power and is abusing that power.  Even if you learn that you do have some rights in this situation, do you really want to spend three months living under the same roof as someone who has proven through their actions that they don't have your best interests in mind?  They have breached an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; I would not expect them to suddenly find Jesus and say "I'm sorry" tomorrow.

0. Join the ASLOCA - www.asloca.ch - and go to their offices for advice.  Bring all the papers and a friend who speaks French.

The level of blatant abuse of landlords in the Leman zone never ceases to outrage me.

Thanks guys for your advice.

I thought about joining ASLOCA but don't know if my story will be credible to them since this was initially a verbal agreement until the apartment owner brought about the contract issue. I also thought that they only solve regie vs tenants issues and not tenant vs housemate issues.

Oh by the way, i asked her if she could write the contract in english as i couldn't read the complex french and she objected saying thats the way it is...

Don't sign. Verbal agreement are hard to prove, while written are not..

Get out ASAP,

Join ASLOCA and ask them to help,

Get another apartment.

Before you leave, ask her for a copy of the original lease. Take this copy with you to ASLOCA. If she won't give you this, see if there are any notices in  the building to get the name of the company managing the building. 

Once you get out of the apartment, ask ASLOCA to help you write a letter to the landlord and include a copy of the lease she gave you to sign. With luck,  the landlord will kick her out of the apartment for having violated the terms  of her original lease.

Some points might have been mentioned but

1. ASLOCA is a must verbal contract or otherwise.  You can get appointments quickly and also in the late afternoon if you have trouble getting away from work/college.

2.  I assume you have a receipt for the monies you have paid so far - take it with you.  I am not a lawyer but I think for ASLOCA that is proof that yaou have a basic contrac/right (Translaotr will correct me on this point)

3. Take the copy of the lease and as Richard says, do not sign

4. With ASLOCA you can also discuss whether you can stay in the appartment until you have found somewhere else

Nadia,
May I ask you if this apartment is at Place Molard?

Thanks,

Rena

Hi Nadia,

Asloca might help in giving you some first hand advice. You have been renting a room - it does not matter from whom.

However if you want to take action you will be directed to a lawyer, whom you'll still have to pay.

Geneva is French speaking. So you cannot expect to receive a contract in English. Some of the things in the contract are just good practice (e.g. the deposit) and you would insist on them as well if you were subletting a room. Others might be malicious or at least not what you have agreed upon orally. Also Swiss law puts tenants in a strong position - not everything written in a contract will be enforceable.

ASLOCA might help you sort out what is just Swiss law or Swiss habits you need to adopt to and what is malicious profiting of the shortage of apartments.

Good luck!

Jörn

This advice is good.  When you go to ASLOCA you have to join which is around 70 francs per year and it is Jan to Jan so you will pay the full whack for 2 months.  But then your initial discussions with lawyers are free.  

If it gets to a court case then you have to pay the ASLOCA lawyers but they are cheap compared to Geneva lawyers

As Jorn says.  You cannot expect an English contract in Swizerland unless it is a huge organisation such as Swisscom just as you could not expect a French contract in the USA or Afghanistan

ASLOCA has lawyers experienced in all kinds of housing/rental issues.  You would almost certainly pay their attorneys less than other Geneva based lawyers.

Receipts are vital -- with date, place, amount, purpose and signature unless you made the transaction via a bank.  

1) Sign NOTHING;  

2) Get receipts and copy of lease. If she claims to be the owner of the apartment, demand proof of ownership; 

3) If you feel you must stay there, ask ASLOCA for assistance in drafting an appropriate agreement with terms that are generally acceptable.

Good luck!

Thank you guys so much for the advice. I went to ASLOCA and they advised me on what to do which was...I decline signing the contract since it didn't state that I can as well terminate it if its not followed. I was also told to discuss with the lady and remind her of our first verbal agreement.

So i did all that and everything is ok I will be moving out at the end of this month but I have the duty to find the next tenant.

And Rena, no its not at Place Molard...its actually not in the center.