Debt enforcement and a flat search: what the landlord sees
Updated on 7 July 2026
In brief
In Switzerland, letting agencies almost always ask for a recent extract of the debt register (often less than three months old) in the application file. A paid debt-enforcement proceeding still appears on it as long as the creditor has not withdrawn it, and up to five years after the proceeding closes. You can nonetheless present a clean file: attaching proof of payment, asking the creditor for withdrawal, or invoking non-disclosure where the conditions are met.
A registered debt-enforcement proceeding can complicate a flat search, because landlords check your solvency. Here, concretely, is what they see, what they can require, and how to keep a clean rental file — without ever concealing anything.
What the landlord asks for (and can see)
In practice, the letting agency or the landlord asks you to provide a recent extract of the debt register yourself, generally less than three months old. A third party may also, under Art. 8a para. 1 and 2 SchKG, obtain an extract concerning you if they make their interest credible — the conclusion of a lease is precisely an accepted case —, but the usual practice remains to ask you for your own extract.
A paid debt-enforcement proceeding stays visible
Paying the debt does not make the debt-enforcement proceeding disappear from the extract: it appears there as "settled" as long as the creditor has not withdrawn it, and up to five years after the proceeding closes (Art. 8a para. 4 SchKG). Payment alone does not oblige the creditor to withdraw the proceeding.
How to present a clean file
Several legal levers exist: attaching proof of payment and a short letter of explanation; asking the creditor to withdraw the debt-enforcement proceeding (Art. 8a para. 3 let. c SchKG); or, if you had lodged an objection and the creditor did not pursue it, requesting non-disclosure (Art. 8a para. 3 let. d SchKG). Never conceal and never falsify an extract: the courts heavily sanction an applicant who lies about their file.
Can the landlord obtain my extract without my consent?
Yes, in theory: Art. 8a SchKG allows a third party to obtain an extract if they make an interest credible, and a planned lease is one. In practice, they rather ask you to provide a recent extract yourself.
Does a paid debt-enforcement proceeding disappear from the extract?
No, not automatically. It stays visible as "settled" as long as the creditor has not withdrawn it or five years have not passed since the proceeding closed.
Can I refuse to provide my extract?
You can, but a file without an extract is often set aside. It is better to provide an extract, accompanied where necessary by proof of payment and explanations.