More than 50 tenant parties in Küsnacht, Switzerland, received termination notices for the end of August 2026 due to a total renovation of their apartment blocks, according to local reports. Following a deal struck before the conciliation authority, property owner Turintra AG—owned by UBS—will now temporarily rent out 26 of these vacant units until March 2027 at low rates, starting at 655 Swiss francs per month for a studio.
The Background of the Küsnacht Terminations
The mass lease terminations hit two multi-family residential blocks built in the 1970s located on Obere Bühlstrasse in Küsnacht, along the Goldküste. According to the property owner, Turintra AG, plans to completely renovate the buildings remain unchanged, with construction work currently scheduled to begin in the spring of 2027. Tenants were initially given notice to vacate by the end of August 2026, creating what affected residents described as a massive housing search challenge.
However, through a deal reached before the conciliation authority, residents secured an extension of their tenancy. This agreement shifted the final move-out timeline and led the property owner to list 26 available units for interim rental on the platform Project Interim until the end of March 2027. Project developers frequently factor such tenancy extensions into their timelines.
Extremely Low Interim Rents Contrast With High Local Market Rates
The 26 interim apartments are currently listed at prices significantly below standard market levels and even lower than the previous rent. Based on the listings, a studio apartment costs 655 francs per month, a 3.5-room apartment is priced at 1058 francs per month, and a 6-room unit is listed at 1613 francs per month.
Despite these discounted temporary rates, permanent housing in the tax-favorable municipality of Küsnacht remains expensive and scarce. According to data from ETH Zürich, up to 50 percent of municipalities must leave due to a lack of housing.
Did You Know? A group of tenants attempted to purchase the residential building directly from the property owner after receiving their termination notices, but the proposal was ultimately rejected by the owner.
Tenant Experiences and the Local Housing Crunch
Tenant Stefan Bebié, who lived through the ordeal, noted that 52 separate tenant parties wanted to remain in Küsnacht, but the municipality lacks a sufficient supply of affordable apartments to accommodate them. After receiving the termination notices, Bebié organized a WhatsApp chat group to help residents communicate and support one another during the search.
Bebié spent a year looking for a new home, encountering fraudulent fake listings before securing an apartment in the city of Zürich through personal contacts. He pointed out that older residents faced the steepest hurdles, with some forced to consider moving up to 40 kilometers away due to the severe regional housing shortage.
Management Support and Future Options
The property management firm Livit contacted all affected tenant parties to offer personal discussions in addition to the written termination notice, according to statements from UBS. The firm stated that a majority of tenants accepted this offer, and Livit provided individual support by recording search criteria, sending current listings, and prioritizing displaced tenants within the company’s broader portfolio of managed properties.
UBS also confirmed that current tenants are welcome to return after the renovations are complete and will receive priority during the subsequent re-rental process. While post-renovation prices remain unannounced, UBS stated they will reflect prevailing market and local rates, which in Küsnacht are expected to reach at least 4500 francs per month for a 4.5-room apartment.
How would you navigate a sudden lease termination in a competitive rental market like the Goldküste?