Question 1

Why can I only compare apartments with 2 to 4 rooms?

Accepted Answer

Currently, only comparisons with 2 to 4 rooms are possible because the data from the rental price survey is limited to these. If you register and share your details, you can compare square meter prices, for example.

Question 2

Why only for the city of Zurich?

Accepted Answer

We have decided to initially focus on the city of Zurich as we see a large demand here among other cities, and the technical complexity is thus smaller. Depending on how wowoni.ch develops, we will expand the functionality to other cities.

Question 3

Where do the data for the current comparison come from?

Accepted Answer

We currently only use the publicly accessible data from the city of Zurich, referring to the rental price survey. The goal is to enable nationwide insights with your support.

Question 4

What is a rental price survey and which apartments are considered in it?

Accepted Answer

The rental price survey is a sample survey measuring the average rental price of two, three or four room apartments in the city of Zurich. It distinguishes between districts and city circles as well as between non-profit and other apartments. The data presented on wowoni.ch refer to the situation in April 2024.

Question 5

Are my information or those of others included in the comparison?

Accepted Answer

At the moment, we only present the data from the Office of Statistics of the City of Zurich. If enough people share their details, these can also be taken into account. You can register and subscribe to news to stay up to date.

Question 6

Can others see how much I pay for my apartment?

Accepted Answer

Your data is only directly accessible to others on the website if its sharing is enabled in the settings. Depending on the situation and your settings, other tenants can see how much you pay for your apartment. For general comparisons, we show aggregated average prices only.

Question 7

After taking part, can I see what other participants pay for their apartment?

Accepted Answer

Not during an ongoing proceeding. You see your own comparison against anonymised neighbourhood data (if available), but never the individual details of other participants. This protects everyone involved from being identified. An anonymised insight into the other apartments of a case is only possible after the conciliation – and only from those who have likewise consented.

Question 8

Will my landlord find out that I shared my data?

Accepted Answer

No. One of the biggest obstacles is the justified fear of consequences from the landlord. Your data is safe with us. We never proactively pass on information to landlords or property management agencies. Relevant information about your apartment will only be used for the evidence dossier of the contesting person (tenant) with your consent.

Question 9

Will I have to testify later for my neighbors before the conciliation board or even in court?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. Your support takes place completely in the background on our platform. You simply share your apartment details for the evidence dossier that the tenants need for the dispute. You will not be invited to an official hearing, and you accordingly do not have to appear or testify there.

Question 10

How much time does it take to participate?

Accepted Answer

Entering your apartment details usually only takes about 2 to 3 minutes. This brief investment is enough to sustainably strengthen the foundation for fair rents in your neighborhood or municipality.

Question 11

Exactly what documents or information do I need to have ready?

Accepted Answer

To make your apartment details useful, ideally you need your current lease agreement and (if available) the latest notice of rent change. We ask for key data such as the current net rent, utility installments, number of rooms, square meters, and the year the apartment was built or renovated.

Question 12

What happens if my apartment is not suitable for the current dispute?

Accepted Answer

Your data is still extremely valuable for the neighborhood! If your apartment doesn't quite fit the current call, you can flexibly decide what happens next via your sharing settings. You have two options: Either you generally release your data so that it can automatically support future disputes in your neighborhood. Or you use our "On-Demand" function: We will inform you by email as soon as your apartment could match a new, future case. You can then decide individually for each dispute whether you want to share your data.

Question 13

I don't live where the apartments of the currently ongoing disputes are located. Why should I participate anyway?

Accepted Answer

Because the real estate market is a give and take. If landlords do not disclose their returns, tenants are dependent on swarm intelligence. By sharing your data today, you benefit from two things: The reality check – You find out through our platform whether your own rent might belong to the most expensive 10% in the neighborhood. Solidarity – Tomorrow your neighbor might move out and the new tenant will be confronted with a massive rent increase. Your anonymously stored data is the protective shield for your neighborhood.

Question 14

What do I get out of taking part in a case?

Accepted Answer

When you share your apartment details, you find out whether your apartment fits this case. If it does, you receive – once the dispute has been through the conciliation authority and only with your explicit consent – an anonymised report on the case and the other apartments.

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Rent Dispute: For Supporters

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