Never heard of this but why not ask the régie or your bank.  If it is true then one or the other should tell you.  

This is probably what you mean:
http://www.swisscaution.ch/en/home

Not all "régies" accept it, but most do.

Thanks Andrei, thats exactly what I was looking for.

Julie

Julie,

As far as I remember, they have English-speaking staff also.

Good luck!

Andrei

I used Swiss Caution when I first moved to Geneva.  It works and it's fairly easy to do just by filling in a form and paying your money.  And their office was conveniently located right next to the regie!  But to state the obvious, you are paying out an insurance premium which is obviously non-refundable, and I think mine was more than the 100-150CHF you mentioned. When I moved flat - 6 months after the renewal date of the "Caution"- I never figured out (too many other things to do when moving) whether I was eligible for a part refund for the unused part of the year, so ended up having paid the 12 month premium for a 6 month period.

I then put down 3 months deposit on my next flat - equally easy to set up at my bank.

Agree it is a mathematical decision. If you go on to their website there is a ready calculator.  If you key in CHF 6000 (3 x monthly rent of 2000)  this gives you a registration premium of CHF 231 plus a yearly premium of CHF 336.  So 587 if you stay only a year. Alternatively if you use them all your stay in Switzerland and you stay 20 years you will pay CHF 6951 in premiums.   Remember it does not protect you from any claims the lanlord may have on you it is just a premium inlieu of a bank guarantee.  

Just to be clear: If when you move out there are damages to pay for they are not covered by Swiss Caution.  You still have to pay for any damages out of your own pocket.  To quote from the Swiss Caution website:

If your lessor has claims against you and if you agree, SwissCaution will directly pay claims.  You must then reimburse SwissCaution the amount paid to your lessor.

Yes, but every tenant is supposed to have renter's insurance aka résponsabilité civilé (RC).  That generally covers any damage.  It's best to join ASLOCA, the tenants' rights association, for chf 50 francs for year.

I've also had this caution system proposed to me and I believe it's a complete rip-off (unless you don't have the money for the 3-month deposit, in which case you hardly qualify for renting a flat anyway).  A deposit sits in a separate account on your bank and continues to accumulate interests -- you just can't touch it until the end of the lease, when you get it back plus all the interests.  A caution instead may cost you 700 CHF/year and it's all wasted money.  

Hello !

I am working at UBS Bank, so I might can help you... Swiss Cauton is effectively a solution if you do not have the three month deposit but it will cost you more than if you have the money. 

The etablishement of a surety for lease account cost betweek 20 - 50CHF depending of the amount of the surety. And it is very easy to do(just take an appointment at the bank and come with the "bail à loyer".

The advanage is first : you do no have any more fees after the price of the etablishement and secondly : you get an interest on the money you put on the saving surety for lease account...

You have to see what would be the best and most interesting for you. 

Let me know if I can help you :-)