2026 Student school year in Switzerland: The boom in intergenerational housing in the face of shortages

Finding a place to stay as the start of the academic year approaches has always been a major challenge, but searching for Swiss student housing for 2026 now feels like an uphill battle. Facing inflation, the continuous rise in rents, and the scarcity of available studios in major university cities, students and their families often find themselves helpless. Yet, at the heart of this unprecedented housing crisis, a glimmer of hope is emerging: solidarity. At Roomlala, we are seeing a real shift in lifestyles, where intergenerational shared housing and homestays are no longer choices by default, but sustainable, affordable, and deeply human solutions. Here is a breakdown of a trend that is reshaping the student housing landscape in Switzerland for the start of the 2026 academic year.

The Swiss housing shortage: an alarming situation for the start of the 2026 academic year

The situation in the Swiss real estate market has never been more strained. According to the latest statistics confirmed by the Swiss Federal Office for Housing (FOH), the Swiss housing shortage is worsening significantly for the start of the 2026 academic year. Experts anticipate a continuation of this structural crisis with no quick improvement on the horizon, primarily due to the slowdown in the construction of new housing and continuous population growth in urban centers.

Read also: Student housing shortage in Switzerland: Homestay, a vital solution for 2026, Shared housing in Wallonia: New lease rules for young professionals in 2026 and New CIN regulations in Italy: Why hosts are turning to shared housing in 2026

The figures speak for themselves and illustrate the gravity of the situation. In the country's main university hubs, rental vacancy rates have reached critical levels, well below the natural equilibrium threshold estimated at 1.5%. In Geneva, this rate is stagnating around 0.34%, making the search for a simple studio almost impossible for a young person with a limited budget. In Zurich, the situation is just as alarming with a rate of 0.48%, while Lausanne fluctuates between 0.4% and 0.6%. For a student, this often means having to face dozens of other candidates for the slightest apartment viewing.

Faced with this reality, the consequences for students are heavy: intense stress as the new year approaches, the acceptance of substandard or overpriced housing, or even the obligation to move drastically far from campus, thus considerably increasing daily commute times. This housing insecurity directly impacts the academic success and mental health of young people. It is in this context of urgency that innovative and solidary alternatives, based on optimizing existing built space, take on their full meaning.

At Roomlala, we are convinced that the solution lies partly in buildings that have already been constructed. Thousands of rooms lie empty in apartments or houses occupied by the elderly or families whose children have left the nest. Connecting these unoccupied spaces with student demand is now an absolute necessity to ease the pressure on the traditional Swiss rental market.

Intergenerational shared housing: the solidary solution that is catching on

Faced with the wall of the housing crisis, intergenerational shared housing is emerging as a major and immediate answer. The concept is simple: a senior (or a family) with a free room hosts a student. In exchange for a very moderate rent, or even for free, the student commits to offering a reassuring presence and a few minor services. It is a model based on mutual aid, respect, and sharing, which is attracting more and more Swiss people.

This model brilliantly addresses a double societal issue. On one hand, it offers affordable, comfortable, and reassuring housing to students who are struggling to find a place to stay. On the other, it helps break the isolation of the elderly, a silent scourge that affects many seniors in Switzerland. Cohabitation brings life into the house, fosters intergenerational exchange, and often allows seniors to remain living in their own homes longer and under better conditions.

The '1h per m² - A student under my roof' program

Among the initiatives that perfectly illustrate this enthusiasm in Switzerland, the '1h per m² - A student under my roof' program, particularly active in the canton of Geneva and supported by networks like Intergeneration.ch, is a prime example. The principle of this program is ingenious and fair: the student benefits from a free room or a very low price, and in return, they dedicate a certain number of hours per month (equivalent to the surface area of their room) to helping their host.

Let's take a concrete example. If the student occupies a 15-square-meter room, they commit to providing 15 hours of presence or help per month. These hours are in no way akin to medical care, but rather to moments of sharing or daily assistance: sharing a meal, doing some shopping, teaching the senior about computing, taking care of the garden, or simply chatting over tea. This clear and predefined framework avoids misunderstandings and guarantees a healthy relationship.

At Roomlala, we facilitate access to this type of arrangement. Our platform allows hosts to detail their expectations precisely in their listing, whether it is a simple rental for rent or a service-exchange arrangement. We provide secure messaging tools so that both parties can get to know each other and ensure their compatibility before committing.

Concrete benefits for hosts and tenants

For the student opting for a homestay for the start of the year, the financial benefits are massive. In cities where a studio rarely rents for less than 1,000 CHF per month, finding a homestay for 400 to 600 CHF (or less in case of rendered services) allows them to halve their housing budget. Furthermore, this usually includes utilities (water, electricity, internet), thus avoiding bad surprises at the end of the month.

For the host, beyond the financial aspect that allows them to supplement a pension or offset housing costs, it is the human aspect that prevails. Knowing that there is someone in the house in the evening brings an immense sense of security. It is also an opportunity to pass on experience, discover the culture of the younger generation, and feel useful. Many beautiful stories of friendship are born this way every year thanks to these cohabitations.

To guarantee the success of this human adventure, we always recommend establishing a 'cohabitation charter' from the first days. This informal document, in addition to the rental contract, helps to set the rules of common life: schedules, use of shared spaces (kitchen, bathroom), noise management, and arrangements for inviting friends. Transparent communication is the cornerstone of a successful intergenerational shared housing experience.

Homestay for the start of the academic year: instructions and Swiss legal framework

Hosting a student in your home is not something to improvise, especially from a legal point of view. If you are a tenant of your home (which is the case for a large majority of the population in Switzerland), the law authorizes you to sublet a room, but under certain strict conditions that must be respected to avoid any dispute with your property management or your landlord.

According to Swiss law (Code of Obligations), a tenant who wishes to sublet part of their housing must obtain the prior consent of their landlord. Rest assured, the landlord can only refuse this subletting in very specific cases: if you refuse to communicate the conditions of the subletting, if these conditions are abusive compared to your own lease, or if the subletting presents major disadvantages for the landlord (for example, overcrowding of the housing).

The most crucial point concerns setting the rent. Swiss law is very clear: subletting must in no way generate an abusive profit for the main tenant. The rent requested from the student must be calculated pro rata to the surface area occupied compared to the total surface area of the apartment, to which one can add a fair contribution to charges (electricity, heating, internet) and a slight markup (usually between 10% and 20%) if the room is rented furnished.

Here is a concrete use case to understand clearly. Imagine that you rent a 100 m² apartment in Lausanne for 2,000 CHF per month, utilities included. You wish to sublet a 15 m² furnished room to a student. The room represents 15% of the total surface area, which is the equivalent of 300 CHF of your base rent. By adding access to common areas (kitchen, living room, bathroom) and the amortization of the furniture, a rent of 450 to 500 CHF per month will be considered perfectly legal and fair. At Roomlala, we support you by providing rental contract templates adapted to Swiss specificities to secure your approach.

Taxation and social benefits: what you need to know before hosting

The financial aspect of renting a homestay room also involves tax and administrative obligations that should not be overlooked. In Switzerland, the income derived from renting or subletting a room constitutes taxable income. As such, it must be declared in your annual tax return, under the heading of real estate income or other income, according to the guidelines of your canton.

However, it is important to note that you can deduct from this income the expenses related to this rental (proportional share of your own rent if you are a tenant, maintenance costs, amortization of furniture). In most cases, if you respect the no-abusive-profit rule, the net taxable profit will be zero or very low, which will not significantly impact your overall tax burden.

A major point of vigilance concerns seniors who benefit from Supplementary Benefits (PC) to the AHV/IV. It is crucial to know that the income received from renting a room can be taken into account in the calculation of your qualifying income. Paid cohabitation could therefore, in some cases, lead to a reduction in your supplementary benefits. We strongly advise you to contact your cantonal compensation fund before starting, to run a simulation and verify the exact impact on your personal situation.

Finally, for the experience to be peaceful, it is essential to formalize the agreement with a written contract. This contract must specify the amount of the rent, the included charges, the duration of the rental, the termination conditions, and the amount of the security deposit. By using a trusted platform like Roomlala, you benefit from a secure framework: payments are managed online, student profiles are verified, and we provide you with all the necessary documents to start this beautiful human adventure with peace of mind for the start of the 2026 academic year.