Who has to clear the ice in Switzerland?
The owner. Building owners must clear snow and ice at the entrance, on private paths and on driveways, and they can be liable if someone falls. Tenants only clear it if their rental contract says so.
Ep. 32 · This is Ueli · 50 seconds. Watch
The real rule
Why the Swiss laugh, and what it means if you're new here.
Swiss winters bring ice to every driveway, and the law is clear about who answers for it: the owner. Many owners hand the job to a caretaker, and some contracts give it to the tenants. As a newcomer, check your contract; if it is not in there, sweeping anyway is a kindness, not a duty.
Blüemli's verdict: Ding. The owner is liable. Owners must clear entrances, private paths and driveways. If someone falls, they can be liable.
Be like Ueli. Read your contract. Then grab the broom anyway.
Learn more: How to get an apartment in Switzerland
The rule, explained
The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention, BFU, sets out the duty: building owners must take care of clearing snow in front of the entrance, on private footpaths and driveways, and on the roof. Their liability rests on Article 58 of the Code of Obligations, the liability of the owner of a building or work. The duty covers what is reasonable, during normal pedestrian hours. Tenants, says the tenants' association, clean shared areas or shovel snow only if the rental contract says so.
Sources: BFU, Vorgaben für den Winterdienst beim Hauszugang; Mieterinnen- und Mieterverband, tips on neighbours and house rules
Questions people ask
Do tenants have to shovel snow in Switzerland?
Only if the rental contract says so (Mieterverband).
Who is liable if someone slips on ice at a Swiss house?
The owner can be, as owner of the building under Art. 58 of the Code of Obligations (BFU).
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