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And which documents belong in your file?
What do you need to consider when selling a condominium?
When selling a condominium (Stockwerkeigentum), three things matter most: the regulations, the minutes and the value quota. Condominium ownership means you own a share in the whole building. With it comes the sole right to use your flat and to fit out its interior (Art. 712a Swiss Civil Code, ZGB).
The value quota (Wertquote) is your flat’s share in the value of the whole property, expressed as a fraction. It is set out in the deed of constitution (Begründungsakt), the document that created the condominium (Art. 712e ZGB). Your contributions to shared costs follow the value quota (Art. 712h ZGB).
The regulations (Reglement) contain the community’s rules on management and use. They may be noted in the land registry (Art. 712g ZGB). The minutes record the decisions of the owners’ meeting (Art. 712n ZGB). They show, for instance, which works have been approved.
What this means for you: have these documents ready before you show the flat.
Do you get the renewal fund back when you sell?
No, you do not get the renewal fund back when you sell a condominium. Your share of the fund (Erneuerungsfonds) passes to the buyer together with the flat. You have no claim to your past payments. This is how K-Tipp Rechtsschutz and saldo.ch explain it (as of September 2026).
The reason lies in the law. The renewal fund is the shared reserve for maintenance and renewal. It belongs to the community of owners, not to you personally (Art. 712l ZGB). Whether there is one is decided by the owners’ meeting. It is not compulsory (Art. 712m ZGB).
Even so, the money is not entirely lost. In practice, the size of the fund is often reflected in the price. A well-funded reserve points to lower special levies in the coming years, which is a selling point for buyers.
What this means for you: state the current balance of the fund in your documents. Add the approved works from the minutes.
What your flat is worth today also depends on the fund and on approved works. Have its value estimated free of charge.
Do the other owners have a pre-emption right?
The other owners only have a pre-emption right if one was agreed. By law, they have none (Art. 712c para. 1 ZGB). A pre-emption right (Vorkaufsrecht) would allow them to buy in place of your buyer, on the same terms.
The community can agree on a pre-emption right in the deed of constitution or later. It is then noted in the land registry. A right of objection is also possible. The sale is then only valid if the other owners do not object within 14 days of being notified (Art. 712c para. 2 ZGB).
An objection without good cause has no effect (Art. 712c para. 3 ZGB). So the other owners cannot block your sale at will.
What this means for you: check the deed of constitution, the regulations and the land registry extract. If none of them mentions such a right, you are free to sell.
What happens to unpaid contributions to the community?
Each flat contributes to shared costs according to its value quota. These include maintenance, management and renewal (Art. 712h ZGB). Until ownership passes, you as the seller bear these costs (K-Tipp Rechtsschutz).
For contributions from the last three years, the community can have a lien registered on the flat (Art. 712i ZGB). A lien is a security entered in the land registry. The claim applies to whoever owns the flat at the time.
What this means for you: settle any unpaid contributions before the notarisation, the appointment at which the contract is signed before the notary.
Practical advice
Which documents should you have ready?
This is practical advice, not a list set by law. These documents answer the questions that arise from the articles above.
- Deed of constitutionwith the value quota and any agreed pre-emption right or right of objection.
- Regulationsthe rules on management and use, with all amendments.
- Minutes of recent owners’ meetingswith the approved works and their costs.
- Balance of the renewal fundthe current amount in the shared reserve.
- Accounts and budgetwhat the flat pays towards shared costs each year (Art. 712m ZGB).
- Unpaid contributionsproof of whether everything has been paid.
To be honest
Is a small renewal fund a disadvantage?
It can weigh on the price. With little money in the reserve, special levies become more likely. Hiding it does not help, as the balance appears in the community’s records.
It is better to show openly which works are approved and how they will be paid for. That builds trust with buyers.
What do owners often ask when selling a condominium?
What is condominium ownership in Switzerland?
A share in the whole property with the sole right to use certain rooms and to fit out their interior. You must maintain them so that the building stays in good condition (Art. 712a ZGB).
Is a renewal fund compulsory?
No. The owners’ meeting decides whether the community sets up a renewal fund (Art. 712m para. 1 no. 5 ZGB).
Can the other owners stop the sale?
Only with an agreed right of objection, and even then only for good cause. The objection must come within 14 days of notification (Art. 712c ZGB).
Who pays contributions to the community until the sale?
You as the seller, until ownership passes to the buyer. After that, the new owner pays (K-Tipp Rechtsschutz).
Sources
- Swiss Civil Code (ZGB, SR 210), Art. 712a–712n, in German · retrieved 30.09.2026
- saldo.ch: ten questions on the renewal fund for condominiums, in German · retrieved 30.09.2026
- K-Tipp Rechtsschutz: ten questions on selling a condominium, in German · retrieved 30.09.2026
General information, not individual advice. The law, the tax assessment and advice from professionals for your situation are what count.
