What are the politicians asking for? Two thirds of the energy required in Swiss households is used for heating. In view of a possible bottleneck in gas and electrical energy, saving is the order of the day. This is what the Solothurn middle councilor Othmar Reichmuth demands in one Motion among other things, that the federal government should examine savings measures such as heating controls and the lower setting of thermostats. It goes even further SP Switzerland: She sees it as a “painless measure for people” to cap the heating temperature to 20 degrees.
What room temperature is ideal? First of all: feeling cold is very individual. Health and age also play a role. In general, however, it can be said that temperatures below 20 degrees make you feel cold. This is also influenced by the humidity in the air and by whether a person is moving, standing still or sitting. The Federal Office of Public Health therefore recommends a room temperature of 20 to 21 degrees in living rooms and 18 degrees in bedrooms during the heating period. For older people, it may also be a degree warmer, as the BAG reports on request.
Why shouldn’t the heating be set too warm? Walking around the apartment in a T-shirt and underpants, even in winter? In addition to high heating bills, health problems can also threaten, namely the drying out of mucous membranes and skin, as the BAG writes. This promotes respiratory infections, allergies and dermatitis. You also don’t sleep well when the temperature is too high and the air is too dry.
Why shouldn’t the heating be switched off completely at night or when you’re away? Even if you could theoretically save fossil fuels and money by turning off the heating completely at night or on vacation, you shouldn’t do this. Firstly, there is a risk of mold because moisture can condense on the cold walls and ceilings and penetrate the surfaces. Second, you have to heat more to bring the cold rooms back up to the desired room temperature, which doesn’t really save you money.
What are my rights if the landlord lowers the heating for me? From the point of view of tenancy law, a so-called defect can be assumed if it is not possible to heat the apartment to at least 20 to 21 degrees (or 19 to 20 degrees with the Minergie standard) with the heating fully turned on, as the Zurich Tenants’ Association on request explained by SRF.
How do I proceed? If the landlord does not heat enough or the heating stops, you should act quickly. The following points must be observed:
- Notify landlord immediately. Preferably in writing and by registered mail. Because if consequential damage results from the excessively low temperatures and the tenants do not report this, the latter can be held liable for it.
- Because tenants have to provide evidence of defects, MV Zürich recommends keeping a log of the fault with temperatures, date and time. To do this, the room temperature must be measured and noted daily and in different rooms.
- If the landlord does not react: make a request to the rental arbitration board to have the defect rectified and the rent reduced, deposit the latter if necessary.
- Since the procedure for depositing rent is complicated and some things can go wrong, it is definitely advisable to seek legal advice beforehand, advises the MV Zürich.