Zurich: tenancy law for landlords
What a landlord needs to master in the canton of Zurich: the official initial-rent form, the notice period and termination dates, the competent conciliation authority. imoz takes these rules into account in the documents it prepares.
Updated 07.2026
1.Official initial-rent form
art. 270 para. 2 COIn the canton of Zurich, the approved official initial-rent form is mandatory when concluding any residential lease. Without it the fixing of the initial rent is void: the tenant may have the rent set by the authority even after the 30-day period of art. 270 para. 1 CO.
State verified in the federal register (FHO/BWO): 02.2026.
Approved form available from: conciliation authority for residential tenancy matters (zh.ch).
imoz includes the official initial-rent form published by the canton of Zurich and fills it in without altering its text.
2.Notice period and termination dates
art. 266a, 266c and 266l COResidential lease: minimum notice of 3 months for an admissible date. Commercial premises: 6 months.
Statutory order: the termination date agreed in the lease; failing that, the date set by local custom; failing any custom, the end of a three-month lease period counted from the start of the lease (art. 266a and 266c CO). Customs vary by municipality: as a precaution, imoz suggests the calendar quarter ends 31.03, 30.06, 30.09 by default, to be checked against your lease and local custom.
A termination given by the landlord for a dwelling or commercial premises must use the form approved by the canton, on pain of nullity (art. 266l para. 2 and 266o CO).
imoz includes the official termination form published by the canton of Zurich and fills it in without altering its text.
3.Conciliation authority
art. 273 CO, art. 200 CPCIn a dispute (rent, termination, defects of the leased object), the competent authority in the canton of Zurich is: conciliation authority for residential tenancy matters. The exact office depends on the property's municipality. Conciliation proceedings are free of charge.
Cantonal portal: zh.ch.
Prepare your documents for the canton of Zurich
Lease, sealed and verifiable handover report, initial-rent notice, termination, indexed or justified rent increase: imoz takes the canton's rule and language into account and prepares the document. Where imoz does not include the canton's official form, the act must be served on the approved form.
Free, no credit card. Then priced per active lease.
Frequently asked questions
Is the official initial-rent form mandatory in the canton of Zurich?+
In the canton of Zurich, the approved official initial-rent form is mandatory when concluding any residential lease. Without it the fixing of the initial rent is void: the tenant may have the rent set by the authority even after the 30-day period of art. 270 para. 1 CO. Approved form available from: conciliation authority for residential tenancy matters (zh.ch). State verified in the federal register (FHO/BWO): 02.2026.
What is the notice period for a residential lease in the canton of Zurich?+
Residential lease: minimum notice of 3 months for an admissible date. Commercial premises: 6 months. Statutory order: the termination date agreed in the lease; failing that, the date set by local custom; failing any custom, the end of a three-month lease period counted from the start of the lease (art. 266a and 266c CO). Customs vary by municipality: as a precaution, imoz suggests the calendar quarter ends 31.03, 30.06, 30.09 by default, to be checked against your lease and local custom.
Which conciliation authority applies in the canton of Zurich?+
In a dispute (rent, termination, defects of the leased object), the competent authority in the canton of Zurich is: conciliation authority for residential tenancy matters. The exact office depends on the property's municipality. Conciliation proceedings are free of charge. Cantonal portal: zh.ch.
General information on Swiss tenancy law, kept current to the best of our knowledge. It is not individual legal advice: local customs and municipal obligations may vary.