Mortgage Reference Rate

The mortgage reference rate is a reference rate which is used in Switzerland as a guide for rents charged on property. It is based on the average interest rate for mortgages from Swiss banks. If the mortgage reference rate goes up, landlords are allowed to raise rents in keeping with the reference rate. If it goes down, renters can demand a rent reduction to match the change in the index.

The Swiss federal housing authority announced possible changes to the mortgage reference rate at the beginning of the months of March, June, September, and December. Changes apply from the next day after their announcement.

More on this topic:
How the mortgage reference rate affects your rent
Is it better to rent or to buy a home?
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Editor Raphael Knecht
Raphael Knecht was an analyst and a specialized editor at moneyland.ch until the end of February 2023. Since then, he is supporting the editorial team as a freelancer.