Logistics & equipment
Storage (Einlagerung)
Also known as: Einlagerung · interim storage · furniture storage · self storage Switzerland · Zwischenlagerung
Storage («Einlagerung») is the temporary safekeeping of household contents in a storage unit. In an eviction it is legally mandatory — the tenant's belongings may not simply be thrown away — and privately it makes sense whenever there is a gap between moving out and moving in.
Mandatory in an eviction
In an eviction («Ausweisung») the household contents may not be disposed of. They have to be inventoried and stored for a defined period so that the evicted person can collect them. Only once that deadline has passed unused may the items be sold off or disposed of.
Worthless or spoiled items are the exception and can be disposed of straight away. That assessment should be documented in writing and with photographs, so that nobody can later claim valuables were thrown out.
In private situations
The most common case is the gap between moving out and moving in — during a renovation, say, or a stay abroad. Storage is also used in inheritance cases when the heirs have not yet agreed on how to divide the estate but the flat still has to be handed back on time.
Costs are charged by volume and duration. As a rule of thumb, in Switzerland expect CHF 30 to CHF 60 per cubic metre per month, depending on the location and the standard of the facility.
What to check before you sign
Clarify access hours, climate control and insurance cover. Damp or unheated units are unsuitable for upholstered furniture, wood, books and electronics. And do the maths honestly: for household contents with a low replacement value, storage costs often exceed the value of what is stored after just a few months.
A real-world example
After an eviction in Schlieren, 63 items are inventoried. Spoiled food and obviously worthless material are disposed of with documentation; the remaining contents go into storage. The evicted person collects personal documents and some of the furniture after seven weeks; the rest is sold off once the deadline expires.
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Frequently asked questions about Storage (Einlagerung)
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