Special cases
Death in an Apartment (Todesfall in der Wohnung)
Also known as: Todesfall Wohnung · Unattended death cleaning · Trauma cleaning · Estate apartment clearance
After a death in an apartment, specialist cleaning, disinfection and odor removal may be needed, depending on how long the person went undiscovered. The clearance itself may only go ahead once the police have released the property and the inheritance situation is settled — which in Switzerland usually takes weeks, not days.
The first steps
After a death, the cause of death is established first; where the circumstances are unclear, the police investigate and the apartment stays sealed for the time being. Only after it has been released may anything be cleaned or cleared.
The inheritance position is then clarified. Until it is established who the heirs are — and until all heirs have given their consent — nothing may be cleared. What is permitted in this phase: securing the apartment, disposing of perishable food, caring for pets. What is not permitted: taking away or selling any items.
When the death was discovered late
If a person is only found after days or weeks, considerable contamination results. Bodily fluids penetrate floor coverings, sub-floors and sometimes the wall skirtings. The odors draw into every porous material in the apartment.
A normal cleaning is not enough then. What is required: removal and disposal of contaminated materials as infectious waste, disinfection of all affected surfaces, sealing of the substrate and then an odor treatment. Work of this kind belongs in the hands of staff with the right equipment and experience.
Consideration for relatives
Relatives are in shock and often not in a position to make decisions. We therefore do not push for quick appointments, we explain calmly what is needed, and we allow time. On request we take over coordination with the property management and the authorities so that the family is relieved of it.
It goes without saying that personal effects, photographs and documents are secured and handed over before anything is disposed of.
What this means for heirs living abroad
The document that establishes who may act is the certificate of inheritance (Erbenbescheinigung), issued by the authority at the deceased's last place of residence; in the canton of Zurich that is the Einzelrichter at the district court. Obtaining it commonly takes several weeks, and longer where heirs live abroad and have to be located and served.
Two deadlines run in parallel and matter more than the clearance date. First: the three-month period for renouncing the inheritance (Erbschaft ausschlagen), which begins when you learn of the death and your status as heir — accepting items or commissioning work in your own name can be read as tacit acceptance of the estate, including its debts. Second: the rent keeps running until the tenancy is properly terminated, so the estate pays for every month the apartment stands empty. Specialist cleaning is the exception that can happen before all this is settled, because it protects the building rather than disposing of assets.
A real case
In an apartment in Zurich-Wipkingen, a tenant is found after around three weeks. Once the police release the property, only the specialist cleaning is carried out at first: removal of the contaminated floor area, disinfection, sealing and ozone treatment. The clearance itself follows ten weeks later, once the certificate of inheritance is in place and both heirs have given their consent.
Services that cover this
Frequently asked questions about Death in an Apartment (Todesfall in der Wohnung)
Would you like a quote?
Free on-site assessment, a fixed price, and final cleaning with a handover guarantee (Abgabegarantie) — we stand behind the result at the official handover inspection.
Read the Google reviews: 4.8 out of 5 stars from 42 reviews4.8(42)