Can I live in a storage unit in Cham?

Rising rents and higher living costs in Switzerland are making life difficult for many people. In the world's expensive cities, space is scarce and prices are sky-high. This has consequences: 

In London, Paris and Tel Aviv, people actually live in storage units. People came up with this idea because the cost of a storage unit is significantly lower than that of an apartment. 

A problem we would like to address with this blog article. 

Is it legal to live in a self storage unit? 

There is a reason why a storage unit is not advertised as a housing alternative: in Switzerland, it is illegal to live in them. 

Storage units are built to store furniture, not for living. Therefore, they do not comply with building code standards.

I pay for the space, why can't I stay?

A frequently asked question. The simple answer is: storage units are not classified as habitable space. Therefore, living in such a space is illegal. 

Yes, you signed an agreement when you rented your storage unit. However, if you look at the terms of the contract, you will see that you may only use the space for storage, not for residential purposes. Such a contract must not be confused with a tenancy agreement.

Habitable vs unhabitable space

An apartment has sanitary facilities and amenities; such as toilets, showers, a kitchen, laundry room, lighting, insulation and standard flooring.

Minimum standards are required by law. They determine whether an apartment is habitable or not. 

What are the minimum standards?

When apartments are planned and built, they must meet safety (building and fire safety), health, amenity and sustainability requirements. Since storage units are not built for residential purposes, they do not meet these requirements.

Health hazard

Assuming you were to move in, the following aspects would endanger your health:   

Contamination

As there is no toilet available, you would have to improvise – such as using a bucket. Storing harmful pollutants, such as faeces, in an enclosed space can lead to hallucinations. In addition, it is extremely unhygienic.

Hazardous substances

Due to poor airflow, substances such as deodorant can be life-threatening in an enclosed space. 

Low oxygen levels:

As soon as you store furniture, the oxygen in the room is reduced. Without ventilation, suffocation can occur

No shower facility:

- Dermatitis neglecta – when the skin is not washed and cared for, brown, scaly patches and spots develop. The occupant won't be able to smell themselves – but everyone else will.  

- Germs – harmful bacteria would multiply and expose the occupant to health hazards 

- Some bacteria and skin fungi can cause severe skin infections. 

Extreme cold

Most storage units are constructed of solid concrete without insulation. Heat and cold can penetrate unhindered. 

Conclusion: Can you live in a storage unit? 

As you have seen, moving into a storage unit is neither legal nor recommended. If someone ever did get the idea, we would quickly spot them thanks to our cameras and have to send security round. 

Poverty alleviation guidelines are set by SKOS (Swiss Conference for Social Assistance). But with today's rents and health insurance premiums, support is barely enough.