How do you apply for a guaranteed rent deposit?

The Solidarity Fund rent deposit is for everyone who is looking for an apartment in north-western Switzerland and does not want to or cannot pay the deposit themselves. If you wish to apply for a guarantee, please complete our guarantee application and send it with these documents to our office or visit us in person:

• A copy of the tenancy agreement,
• a copy of your passport, identity card or foreign residence permit,
• a detailed and up-to-date debt collection report,
• a copy of the most recent payslip, where applicable, receipt of Swiss supplementary benefits/AHV/IV/EL or ALE daily payments and
• the cancellation confirmation from your last landlord (if available).

How much does the guarantee cost you?

The fund is based on the solidarity of the tenants. Therefore, in addition to a one-time contribution of CHF 200 for our administrative costs, we require a contribution to the Solidarity Fund of 15 percent of the security deposit. All tenants are proportionately liable for damages which the fund has to cover. An example to demonstrate:

You would like to rent an apartment that costs 1,500 Swiss francs per month. Landlords demand three months’ rent as deposit, i.e. 4,500 francs. A guarantee from the Solidarity Fund rent deposit costs you CHF 200 (administrative costs) plus CHF 675 contribution to the fund. That amounts to 875 instead of 4,500 francs.

Next Steps

Once you have submitted the guarantee application with all the necessary documents, we will examine it promptly. As soon as we have accepted your application and you have paid your share of the administrative costs and your one-time contribution to the Solidarity Fund, we will guarantee your rent deposit. The landlord receives a written guarantee from the Edith Maryon Foundation as security; you will then receive a copy for your records.

Housing Cost Subsidies

The Christoph Merian Foundation has endowed the “Subjekthilfe Wohnkosten-Zuschüsse” (Personal Housing Cost Subsidy Grants) fund to provide housing assistance to residents of Basel. We administer this fund in conjunction with a rent deposit guarantee in order to provide support for urgently needed furnishings, moving costs or utility bills.