Geneva landlord fined $35,000 for quadrupling rent after illegal renovation

A Geneva landlord has been ordered to pay a hefty fine and repay tenants for illegally inflating rent after renovating an apartment. The Swiss Federal Tribunal confirmed an administrative fine of 32,000 Swiss francs against the owner.

The landlord had quadrupled the annual rent for a 173-square-meter apartment, raising it from 16,872 francs to 69,600 francs. This drastic increase followed renovations completed in 2017, which were carried out without the necessary permits. The apartment, originally built in 1925, had its kitchen and bathrooms updated.

In addition to the fine, the landlord must reimburse the tenants more than 190,000 francs for the excessive rent collected. The tenants filed a complaint in 2021, challenging the rent hike after the renovations. The Federal Tribunal's decision upholds a previous ruling, emphasizing the legal protections against such predatory rental practices in Geneva.