Apartment clearance in Zurich

What a clearance involves

In Switzerland, the apartment and all its extra rooms – cellar, attic, garage – must be completely emptied and thoroughly cleaned before you hand it back. A typical clearance covers:

• emptying every room, including cellar, attic, balcony and letterbox
• dismantling furniture, lamps and anything you installed yourself
• transport and proper disposal, separated into bulky waste, metal and electronics
• passing on usable furniture to second-hand shops where possible
• optionally: final cleaning and attending the handover

Getting rid of furniture in the City of Zurich

The city's waste service ERZ offers several ways. The rules below apply to the City of Zurich; other municipalities in the canton set their own rules and fees.

Recycling centres

Bulky waste costs CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg and CHF 19.45 for every additional 100 kg. Metal and electrical appliances are free. The centres accept household quantities only, not business waste.

Pick-up by ERZ

ERZ collects bulky waste, metal and electronics from the kerb for CHF 86.50 per 15 minutes of loading (including transport and disposal), up to 60 minutes per day and location. Booking is by phone only; three working days' notice is recommended. Single items may weigh up to 40 kg and be up to 2.5 m long.

Mobile recycling point (formerly Cargo-Tram)

Since January 2026 the old Cargo-Tram and E-Tram have been replaced by the free «Mobiler Recyclinghof», which visits neighbourhoods on a schedule. It is meant for small amounts brought on foot – great for a few items, not enough for a whole apartment.

Electronics

Shops must take back appliances of the type they sell free of charge, without a receipt and without you buying anything. Delete your personal data from computers and phones first – ERZ does not do that for you.

Second-hand shops (Brockis)

Several Zurich second-hand shops pick up furniture for free – for example the Salvation Army (brocki.ch), Zürcher Brockenhaus and Arche Brockenhaus. They only take items in good, sellable condition and usually want photos first. Caritas Zurich does not accept furniture. Plan ahead: the Salvation Army says it replies to pick-up requests within 14 working days.

Parking for the van

If there's no space in front of the building, you can reserve parking spaces with the Zurich city police online: at least 7 working days ahead in a blue zone, 3 in a white zone. The city quotes CHF 120 to 170 for one or two spaces for a day.

What a clearance company costs

Published guide prices from Zurich providers for a 3 to 3.5-room apartment range roughly from CHF 900 to CHF 2,800. Actual prices depend on volume, floor and lift, how much has to be disposed of and whether cleaning is included. Always ask whether a quote includes disposal fees and VAT (8.1%). The German page on clearance costs lists the published prices with sources.

Handing the apartment back

Under Swiss law you must return the apartment in the condition that results from normal use (Art. 267 OR); your lease defines how thoroughly it must be cleaned. At the handover, the landlord checks the apartment and must report defects you are responsible for immediately (Art. 267a OR). According to the Swiss tenants' association, you are not obliged to sign the handover report – by signing, you accept the defects listed.

Useful German terms