Moving to Onex: Estate Lifts and Sloping Villas

Moving to Onex is not like moving in the city centre: this municipality on the left bank of the Rhône, west of Geneva, combines the large apartment blocks of the cité, built in the 1960s, with villa neighbourhoods on the hillsides. Whether you are leaving a flat with a lift or a house on a slope, the truck, the carrying and the preparation are not the same. To move to Onex under good conditions, describe your situation online: removal companies in the area will contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

Onex from a removal perspective: the cité and the Rhône hillsides

Onex is split into two kinds of housing. On one side, the cité d’Onex, built in the 1960s: rental blocks with lifts, home to many tenants. On the other, the villa neighbourhoods spreading across the Rhône hillsides, with detached houses whose grounds slope down towards the river.

These two types of housing raise different questions. In a block, everything depends on the lift, the landing, the entrance hall and when you can book the lift or the shared areas. In a villa, what matters is access to the gate, the driveway, the outdoor steps and the slope. The canton of Geneva is very urban and has many tenants and international residents: in Onex as elsewhere, many moves involve people arriving from or leaving for abroad.

Access, parking and floors in Onex: what changes for the truck

In the cité. The blocks have lifts, which makes it easier to carry boxes and furniture. Check the size of the lift car, though: a sofa, a double bed or a wardrobe will not always fit upright, and a piece that is too long may have to go by the stairs or through a window. State the floor and whether there is a lift in your request; the movers take this into account for the number of people and the duration.

In the villa neighbourhoods. The slope towards the Rhône changes the manoeuvre: a truck cannot always stop in front of the house, and the carrying distance between the vehicle and the door may be longer. A narrow access, outdoor steps or a garden on uneven ground should be planned for before moving day. When a bulky item has to go through an upper floor or a balcony, a furniture lift may be the solution.

Parking. In a canton where traffic and parking are difficult, leave nothing to chance. Parking a truck, setting up a furniture lift or placing a skip on the public road may require prior permission from the commune or the police. Enquire a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date. Our guide to the parking permit for moving day explains the procedure.

Choosing the right time to move to Onex

Most leases are terminated with a notice period of three months for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for the end of a lease quarter, unless your contract provides for longer. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: reread your lease and check the applicable date. Notice must be given in writing, and if the home is the family home, the spouse or partner must expressly consent. To leave earlier, you can put forward a solvent replacement tenant, ready to take over the lease on the same terms. The guide to terminating a lease in Switzerland summarises these points.

Around lease dates, removal companies are in high demand: the earlier you ask for a quote, the more choice of dates you have. If possible, avoid the last days of the month. As for the season, summer heat tires the teams and heavy furniture, and in winter a slope can become slippery: allow some margin and protection for floors.

Formalities in Onex: residents’ registration office, lease and address

Every move must be declared to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): a departure in the old commune, an arrival in the new one, within the deadline set by the canton. In many communes, the declaration can be made online through eDéménagement (eUmzugCH). The guide on registering with the commune sets out the order of the steps.

Then think about your change of address: bank, insurance, employer, providers, subscriptions. On the housing side, plan for the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the return of the keys; the rental deposit, capped at three months’ rent for a home, is paid into a blocked account in your name and returned to you according to the lease rules.

If you are arriving from abroad or moving to neighbouring France, the move may involve customs formalities and, depending on your situation, a residence permit. Check with the relevant authorities before setting the date.

Useful services for your move to Onex

Residential moving

For a flat in the cité or a villa on the hillsides, a residential move covers preparation, loading, transport and delivery. State the floors, lift and access for a realistic quote.

Furniture lift

A furniture lift avoids taking a large piece of furniture down the stairs or in the lift car. It can also be used at a villa with a narrow or sloping access. Remember the permit to occupy the public road.

Packing and unpacking

Using a packing and unpacking service saves time, especially for crockery, frames and fragile items before transport over difficult access.

Furniture assembly and disassembly

A bed, a wardrobe or a modular kitchen pass more easily once taken apart. Furniture assembly and disassembly avoids nasty surprises in a lift or a narrow staircase.

End-of-lease cleaning

As a tenant, you must return the home clean at the move-out inspection. End-of-lease cleaning spares you that step after the boxes.

Storage

Between two homes, or if you arrive before the keys are handed over, storage lets you keep your belongings for as long as needed.

Request a quote

1. You describe your move online: departure and arrival addresses, approximate volume, floors, lift, preferred date.
2. Professional removal companies in the area contact you, possibly for a visit to assess the access.
3. You compare the free quotes and stay free to choose, or not.

The cost depends on the volume, the distance, the floors and access, any furniture lift, packing and the date. To request a quote, simply fill in the form.

Around Onex

Unsure between several communes? See our pages on Lancy, Bernex and Confignon. For an overview, see moving in the canton of Geneva or all communes.

Frequently asked questions