What is recorded in the land register?

The land register contains all legally relevant information about a plot of land: ownership, land charges (mortgages), easements (e.g. rights of way) and land charges.

How do I obtain a land register extract?

You can order a land register extract from the competent land registry office – online, by post or in person. Owners receive the full extract, while third parties only receive the public data. Costs: CHF 20–50.

How much does a land register entry cost when buying a house?

The costs vary by canton. In the canton of Zürich, the land register fee for the transfer of ownership is 1.5 per mille of the purchase price plus 0.5 per mille for creating the mortgage note.

What are easements in the land register?

Easements are rights of third parties over the property recorded in the land register, such as rights of way, building restrictions or utility easements. They are binding on every buyer and should be checked before purchase.

Land Register (Grundbuch) Switzerland: Structure, Entries & Costs for Buyers

The Grundbuch is the official, public register of all of Switzerland's roughly 5 million properties (Art. 942 ZGB), maintained by about 2'300 municipal land registry offices. It documents ownership (Section I), easements and real burdens (Section II), liens (Section III) as well as annotations. A land register extract costs, depending on the canton, CHF 30-80 and is indispensable for every property purchase. Registration after conclusion of the contract takes 2-8 weeks. The principle of public faith applies: what is registered is valid - even if it does not correspond to the actual legal situation.

How is the Grundbuch structured?

The Grundbuch is divided into the property description (parcel number, area, location, type) and three sections: Section I (ownership: owner, grounds and date of acquisition), Section II (easements and real burdens: rights of way, building prohibitions, usufruct, residential rights) and Section III (liens: Schuldbriefe, mortgage encumbrances). Additionally, annotations record provisional entries, building rights and pre-emption rights. Buyers should pay particular attention to Section II, as encumbrances can reduce value.

What does a land register extract cost?

In the Canton of Zurich a simple extract (owner and property description only) costs CHF 15-30, a complete extract of all sections CHF 30-60 and a historical extract of all previous owners CHF 50-100. An immediate online query via TERRIS ZH (without certification) costs CHF 10-20. Switzerland-wide, extract costs range from CHF 30-80 depending on the canton.

What are easements (Dienstbarkeiten) and can they be deleted?

Easements are registered rights of third parties to the property: right of way/right to drive, right to build closer, pipeline right, usufruct, residential right as well as planting or building prohibitions. They can restrict use and influence value. Important: easements also apply against the new owner and cannot be deleted unilaterally - only with the consent of the entitled party or through judicial proceedings.

What land registry fees arise when buying a house?

In the Canton of Zurich the fee for the transfer of ownership is 0.1% of the purchase price (CH range 0.1-0.4%) and for establishing the Schuldbrief 0.15% of the Schuldbrief amount (CH 0.1-0.3%). The transfer of the Schuldbrief costs CHF 200-500 (CH 200-600), the deletion of a lien CHF 100-300 (CH 100-400). The fees arise with every change of ownership and vary by canton.

Which forms of ownership does the Grundbuch show?

Section I records four forms of ownership: sole ownership (one natural or legal person), co-ownership with defined quotas (Art. 646 ZGB, e.g. cohabitation, siblings or investors), joint ownership without quotas (married couples under community of property, community of heirs) and Stockwerkeigentum (exclusive ownership plus co-ownership quota, typical for condominiums). With Stockwerkeigentum, buyers should check the Wertquote and special rights.

When does ownership arise when buying a house?

Ownership of a property arises only with the entry in the Grundbuch, not already with the purchase contract. Registration takes 2-8 weeks after conclusion of the contract. Before purchase, buyers should order a complete extract, verify the owner in Section I, clarify easements and liens, check annotations, compare the cadastral plan and, in case of uncertainty, consult a notary or lawyer.