FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Living units in the housing development of Student Mentor Foundation Lucerne (SMFL) are only rented to persons who are students. In addition, the renters must be of majority age and may not be older than 30.

Booking is exclusively done personally on the Online platform www.studentroom.ch. Free units are marked there in green. As soon as a unit is reserved, the marking turns to light blue. A period to make the security deposit runs from this time. The person interested in the rental receives after the reservation all information in this regard per E-mail. If payment is made and confirmed, the rental agreement, sent per mail or personally (when time demands) at the management office, is signed by both parties

A security deposit from CHF 1000.– to 1800.– must be paid within the given period as soon as a unit is reserved. It is refunded at the end of the rental relationship after settlement of the account to the extent the unit (room and the general premises associated with it) is surrendered clean and without damages.

Viewings are only possible virtually on the website of SMFL. All rooms in the housing development have the same floor plan and the same furniture (standard furnishings). The common rooms have different floor plans depending on the size and location of the apartment. All floor plans for free and reserved apartments can be seen on the booking platform as a PDF document.

The first rent must be credited to the bank account of SMFL before the Check-in date. Check-in without proof of payment of the first rental amount is not possible. A written payment confirmation (e.g. receipt) must be presented at Check-in. The rent must always be paid in advance.

Check-in and handing over of the keys is only possible during the opening times of the administration. After Check-in, the renters can themselves decide when they move in.

First it must be ensured that the person interested in the rental fulfills all the conditions of SMFL regarding age and student status. Then the management must be informed, who then examines whether the potential renter fulfills the requirements. Then an exact time is set when the room will be added to the Online platform. The potential renter must give in his/her reservation as quickly as possible. Only in this way can it be ensured that the room will actually be occupied by the desired person. In principle it is however not possible to reserve the room for a specific person.

Of course it is possible to bring along one’s own furniture to supplement the standard furnishings. It is however not allowed to remove furniture that belongs to SMFL (namely the standard furnishings) from the apartment and to separately store it.

Pursuant to Swiss rental law, renters are responsible for so-called «small repairs». Belonging to this are all repairs which renters can do themselves (change light bulbs, replace refrigerator seals, unstop drains, tighten screws, etc.). For all defects whose removal requires expertise or which cost more than CHF 150.– annually, the landlord is responsible. For detailed information, please refer to the rental regulation as well as the respective legal articles (cp. Art. 253 ff. Swiss Code of Obligations).

The rent for the following month must be received in the bank account of SMFL at the latest on the last day of the prior month. For instance: The rent for February must be transferred at the latest on January 31st . Payment slips can be requested during the regular opening times at the management office. The best is however to establish a standing payment order with a bank.

SMFL makes available a wireless broadband connection in every room. The installation of an own connection is not possible. For the use of the Internet we refer to the ICT guidelines that are to be signed by each renter at Check-in.

Twice a year there is a semester cleaning. The dates will in each case be given well in advance. The common rooms are cleaned pursuant to a checklist. The cleaning is controlled by the management. For unsatisfactory cleaning, improvements must be made. Should the cleaning still not be satisfactory at the second control, the management will have it done by a professional cleaner and the costs will be charged to those causing it.

Termination must be done in writing and signed and sent either by mail or personally delivered to the administration of Student Mentor Foundation Lucerne, Steinhofstrasse 15a, 6005 Lucerne. The minimum rental period is six months. The termination period is two months. The termination is effective as of the 1st day of the month following submission. For instance: if the termination notice is received by SMFL on February 3rd, it is then effective from March 1st. From this time the two month termination period begins to run. That means, the unit is terminated in this example as per April 30th.

Check-out from the unit may be done upon request before the expiration of the rental agreement. The rent is due however until the contractually agreed upon end. A corresponding Check-out date must be agreed upon in advance. Check-outs during the weekend are not possible.

A change of apartment is treated the same as a regular termination and a regular move. In addition there is an administrative fee of CHF 500.–.

1. A written termination notice is compulsory including adherence to all formalities and periods.
2. Then the management must be informed.
3. It makes the new room available at a date agreed upon in advance.
4. Subsequently the new room can be reserved on www.studentroom.ch.
5. Finally the rental agreement is signed and the first rental amount is transferred before moving in.
6. The security deposit is directly taken over and if necessary adjusted.

You agree in advance on a date with the administration. Check-outs are possible only during regular opening hours of the administration. The renter must be present at Check-out. On the agreed upon day, the administration will accept the residential unit on site - after a comprehensive examination for damages and a cleaning control.

In principle it is not allowed to leave any items in the unit. It is however possible to give the items directly to a co-resident or a new renter who then take over the responsibility for them.

At Check-out one’s own room as well as the common rooms (bathroom used, living area, kitchen) must be cleaned. The renter moving out is responsible that the common rooms are in a clean condition. Of course all residents in an apartment are expected to participate in the cleaning of the common rooms at a Check-out. The renter moving out has however the responsibility. In the event of an unsatisfactory cleaning, the cleaning costs are charged to the renter moving out.