Declaring your short-term rental income: the owner's guide
Your property is under management, bookings follow one another, and the income lands in your account every month. One question remains — one every owner asks us at least once: how is this income declared, and what can I deduct? Here is the practical how-to, with a worked example that mirrors what you actually experience under delegated management. For the broader framework — imputed rental value, VAT, tourist tax, non-residents — start with our article on the taxation of short-term rentals in Switzerland; here, we focus on the tax return itself.
One clarification up front: this article covers the most common case — a property held by an individual domiciled in Switzerland. If you live abroad, or if the property is owned by a company (SA or Sàrl), the logic differs significantly: international tax allocation and double taxation treaties in the first case, commercial accounting and corporate profit tax in the second. Those situations deserve dedicated advice from your tax adviser (fiduciaire).
What you receive is already a “clean” income
When your property is managed by Séjours Alpin, you are not juggling dozens of money flows. The arrangement is transparent: on the bookings collected, our 25% commission covers everything — transaction fees, platform commissions and cleaning included. The balance is paid out to you, documented by a monthly statement.
A representative example over one year: your apartment collects 30,000 CHF in bookings; our 25% commission (7,500 CHF) covers all operating costs; 22,500 CHF is paid out to you. These payouts, traced month by month, form the basis of your tax return — and your statements give your tax adviser all the detail needed.
One principle to keep in mind: the tax authorities tax net income, not gross turnover. The management commission is a third-party administration cost, fully deductible — in our presentation, it is already deducted before the money even reaches you. Your tax adviser will choose the accounting presentation (gross minus commission, or net received); the taxable result is identical.
What you can still deduct
From the 22,500 CHF received, the expenses that remain at your charge reduce your taxable income:
- Maintenance you pay for directly: refreshing a bedroom (paint, flooring, restoration work), a landscaper’s work on the grounds. Note: repairs covered by your insurance are, of course, not deductible — only what genuinely comes out of your own pocket counts.
- Mind the distinction with value-adding improvements: enlarging a bedroom, creating an additional room or any alteration that increases the value of the property is not deductible from income. Archive those invoices carefully: they will reduce the property gains tax on the day you sell.
- Insurance premiums for the building.
- Condominium (PPE) charges, for their operating share.
- Mortgage interest, deductible against all of your income.
Instead of actual costs, you can opt for the flat-rate deduction (in the region of 10% of the rental yield for a recent building, 20% beyond ten years — exact scales vary by canton). The choice is made afresh every year, property by property: in a heavy-maintenance year, take actual costs; in a quiet year, the flat rate.
And your trips to the property?
A frequent question: “I go up three or four times a year to check on the apartment — can I deduct my travel?” The honest answer is in principle, no. Swiss tax law only recognises as deductible administration costs those paid to third parties; your own time and your own journeys do not qualify. And a trip to your holiday home is, by default, presumed to be private use — convincing the tax administration otherwise is an uphill battle.
A narrow exception exists in the practice of some cantons: a trip motivated exclusively by supervising maintenance work, documented as such, may occasionally be accepted. It is case by case, to be confirmed with your tax adviser.
The useful conclusion: inspection visits lose their purpose once the property is under management — an inspection after every stay, coordinated maintenance, photos to back it up. And unlike your journeys, our commission is fully deductible. So come to ski, not to check the dishwasher.
The worked example, end to end
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bookings collected over the year | 30,000 CHF |
| Séjours Alpin commission 25% (transactions, platforms and cleaning included) | − 7,500 CHF |
| Paid into your account (monthly statements) | 22,500 CHF |
| Maintenance at your charge (refresh, landscaper) | − 2,500 CHF |
| Insurance + condominium (PPE) charges (operating share) | − 1,800 CHF |
| Net taxable rental income | ≈ 18,200 CHF |
On top of this, your mortgage interest comes off as a general deduction. At a marginal tax rate of 30% — a common order of magnitude — this income generates roughly 5,500 CHF of tax: you are left with close to 13,000 CHF net of tax, plus the enjoyment of your property the rest of the year. The exact figures depend on your canton and your overall situation; the mechanics, however, are exactly these.
Progressive taxation: something to understand, not to fear
Your rental income sits on top of your other income: it is taxed at your marginal rate, not your average rate. The higher your overall income, the more heavily the last franc of rent is taxed. Is that a reason to rent out less? No: even at a 35% marginal rate, every franc of rent leaves 65 centimes in your pocket — while a closed-up property costs you imputed rental value, charges and maintenance without earning anything. That is the heart of our article on renting out your holiday home.
Do not forget wealth tax
Your holiday home counts towards your taxable wealth, at its tax value, in the canton where it is located — rented out or not. Mortgage debt is deducted. Renting changes nothing about this tax; it changes your ability to fund it: it is a fixed cost that your rental income helps absorb.
Imputed rental value reform: keep an eye on 2028
In September 2025, Swiss voters approved the abolition of the valeur locative (imputed rental value), which will not come into force for several years. For second homes, two signals: cantons will be able to introduce a special tax on second homes, and deductions for non-rented properties will be restricted. The details are still to be settled, but the direction is clear: a rented property, with real income and documented expenses, will be better positioned for tax purposes than one closed up ten months a year. We are following the matter and will update this article.
Your tax return in 4 steps
- Pass your Séjours Alpin monthly statements to your tax adviser — they contain the amounts collected, the commission and the net paid out.
- Add your personal supporting documents: maintenance paid directly, insurance, condominium (PPE) statement, mortgage interest certificate.
- Flag your periods of personal use so they can be reconciled with the imputed rental value.
- Let your tax adviser decide between the flat rate and actual costs — both figures are on the table.
The tourist tax, for its part, does not concern your tax return: we collect it from guests and pass it on to the communes — see, for example, how it works in Zermatt.
In summary
With delegated management, the taxation of your rental income fits in one sentence: you declare the net amount documented by your monthly statements, you deduct your remaining expenses, and your tax adviser optimises the rest. No books to keep, no money flows to reconstruct, no nasty surprise in April. The full detail of what our service covers is on the property management page.
Not yet one of our owners, and want a net income projection ready to discuss with your tax adviser? Our free revenue estimate delivers it within 24 hours.
This article sets out general principles and does not constitute individual tax advice. Scales and practices vary by canton; for your own situation, consult your tax adviser or the competent tax administration.
