A move to Renens is mostly planned around its rental blocks: this municipality in the Ouest lausannois (the area west of Lausanne) has many students and young households, and several neighbourhoods are changing fast. Road access is fairly straightforward, but floors, lifts and parking for the van all call for some forward planning. To move to Renens without unpleasant surprises, describe your project online: professional removal companies in the region will get back to you with a free, no-obligation quote.
Renens, a town in the Ouest lausannois: what it means for your move
Renens is a major railway hub in the Ouest lausannois, close to the universities and colleges (UNIL, EPFL, ECAL). This draws a varied population: students looking for a studio or a shared flat, young couples, families, and people who work in the Lausanne area. Tenants therefore come and go frequently.
The housing stock is dominated by rental blocks, in neighbourhoods undergoing transformation: recent buildings stand alongside older ones, and the character of some areas is changing. For a move, this means very different set-ups from one address to the next: a modern building with a lift and level access has little in common with an older one where you climb the stairs.
A few useful points to check before comparing offers:
- note the floor you are leaving and the floor you are moving to, and whether there is a lift;
- check whether building work nearby could block access to the street on the planned day;
- estimate the volume honestly: a student studio and a family flat do not need the same vehicle.
Access, parking and floors in Renens
Road access in Renens is simple, which makes it easier for a removal van to arrive. The real issue is at the foot of the building: where can the vehicle stop, and how far will boxes and furniture need to be carried?
In a neighbourhood of apartment blocks, the van is often parked at the kerb. If you need to occupy the public highway with a van, a furniture lift or a skip, prior authorisation from the commune or the police may be required. Contact the commune a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date. Our guide to the parking permit for moving day explains the general procedure.
As for floors, these are the points to flag to the movers:
- the size of the lift, which sometimes limits the passage of large furniture;
- the width of staircases and landings;
- the distance between the building entrance and where the van can stop;
- bulky or fragile items (wardrobe, sofa, piano) that need special equipment.
When the stairs are too narrow or the lift too small, a furniture lift may be the answer. These factors affect the cost: volume, distance, floors and access, furniture lift, packing and date. The more precise your description, the more reliable the quote.
When to move to Renens: lease dates and busy periods
A tenant of a home can terminate the lease by giving three months’ notice for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for the end of a lease quarter (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless the contract provides for longer. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: refer to your lease and to local custom. The guide to moving dates in Switzerland helps you find your way.
Around those dates, demand for removal companies rises, and even more so in a commune with many tenants. Students and young households, who often change home, contribute to these peaks. If your date is flexible, a mid-week day or one away from the end of the month can make planning easier.
As for the weather, Renens is part of the Lausanne agglomeration: it is less exposed to snow than the mountains, but rain or summer heat can make carrying harder. Plan to protect the boxes and keep the team well hydrated in strong heat.
If you cannot meet the notice period or the date, you can be released by putting forward a solvent replacement tenant willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO). Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO), and for the family home, the express consent of the spouse or partner is required (art. 266m and 266n CO). More details in the guide to terminating a lease in Switzerland.
Administrative steps in Renens
Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): departure in the old commune, arrival in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, the notification can be made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH). Check with the commune whether this service is available for your situation.
Also think about the other address changes: insurance, employer, bank, subscriptions, and school or university if you are a student.
For the home you are leaving:
- plan the move-out inspection (état des lieux) by arranging an appointment with the letting agency (régie) or the landlord;
- allow for cleaning, which is often required for handover;
- request the release of your rental deposit, which cannot exceed three months’ rent for a home (art. 257e CO) and is held in a blocked account in your name.
If you are arriving from abroad or leaving for France, additional formalities apply: customs for transported goods, residence permits for the people concerned. Contact the relevant authorities early.
Useful services for a move in Renens
Residential moving
Studio, shared flat, family apartment: residential moving covers most projects in the commune’s buildings. Give the floor, the lift and the carrying distance so that the movers size the van and the team correctly.
Furniture lift
In a building with a narrow staircase or a lift that is too small, the furniture lift lets bulky furniture go in through the window or balcony. It may require a permit to occupy the public highway: check with the commune in advance.
Packing and unpacking
For a student moving between two semesters as much as for a family, packing and unpacking saves time and protects crockery, books and fragile items.
Furniture assembly and disassembly
Beds, wardrobes, desks: furniture assembly and disassembly avoids blocking the stairs with bulky pieces and speeds up settling into the new home.
End-of-lease cleaning
When it is time to hand back the keys, end-of-lease cleaning helps prepare the inspection and return the home in the expected condition.
Storage
Between two homes, or for a period of study abroad, storage lets you keep your belongings for as long as needed.
Requesting a quote
- You describe your move online: departure and arrival addresses, approximate volume, floors, lift, preferred date.
- Professional removal companies in the region get back to you, possibly for a site visit to refine the offer.
- You compare the free quotes and stay free to choose, or not to proceed.
Ready to start? You can request a quote in a few minutes.
Around Renens
If your project involves a neighbouring commune, see our pages on Prilly, Crissier and Chavannes-près-Renens. For an overview, see the page on moving in the canton of Vaud or all communes.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: moving to Renens
Occupying the public highway with a van, a furniture lift or a skip may require prior authorisation from the commune or the police. Contact the commune a few days, or even a few weeks, before the planned date. The movers can tell you what is needed on the day.
It depends on the building. If the lift is too small or the stairs too narrow for a bulky item, a furniture lift is often the best solution. Mention the floor and the layout of the access when you make your request so that the movers can assess it.
The periods around lease dates are the busiest, especially in a commune with many tenants, students and young households. If your date is flexible, a day outside these peaks makes planning easier. Check the customary date and the notice period in your lease.
Every move must be reported to the residents' registration office, in the old commune and then in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, the notification is made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH). Check the exact procedure with the commune.
You describe your move online: addresses, volume, floors, date. Professional removal companies in the region get back to you, sometimes for a visit, and then draw up a free, no-obligation quote. The cost depends on the volume, the distance, the floors and access, the furniture lift, packing and the date.