Housing - all you need to know
Housing supply
Immobilien Basel-Stadt is the Canton of Basel-Stadt’s competence centre for real estate management. The Canton has a diverse range of rental properties on offer:
You can find basic information about renting apartments in Switzerland in the information sheet from the Federal Office for Housing (available in 16 languages).
Waste disposal
In Basel-Stadt, household waste is disposed of using a “Bebbi-Sagg” (rubbish bag). You can find the waste collection timetable for your neighbourhood in the zone map: search for zones
General information for correct and environmentally-friendly waste disposal:
You can dispose of food waste in Basel-Stadt using the organic waste points (Bio-Klappen):
Chip cards are required for the waste points. These may be obtained either from our customer centre or from the sales points listed under the link.
Electricity, water and gas
The Industriellen Werke (IWB) is the Canton of Basel-Stadt’s provider for electricity, water, natural gas and district heating.
Radio and TV licence fee
In Switzerland, paying a radio an TV licence fee is compulsory; Serafe
Imports / customs declaration
How can I import my possessions and animals to Switzerland?
If you move to Switzerland, you can import household objects, collections, animals or vehicles that you have already used for 6 months tax-free. However, you need to declare your personal effects at the customs office when entering the country. You need to complete the following form to do this: customs clearance for personal effects
You also need to show these documents:
- Proof of change of place of residence (employment contract, rental contract, confirmation of deregistration. Non-EU 25 nationals: promise of a residence permit)
- An inventory of your household effects (as long as the goods are not subject to import restrictions this does not need to be detailed)
For further customs information, please see: Federal Customs Administration (FCA)
The veterinary office of Basel-Stadt also provides information on importing and exporting animals and animal goods.
Registering dogs
Dog owners must register their animal with the dog inspection of the veterinary office as soon as their dog is 3 months’ old or within 10 days of taking up ownership of the animal / newly arriving in the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
How can I import my car into Switzerland?
How can I register my car in Switzerland?
How to obtain a Swiss number plate: information brochure from the motor vehicle authority of Basel-Stadt
