FAQ

How much does your service cost?
For guests our service is free of charge. We do not have any hidden commissions either. The landlords pay us a fixed yearly subscription fee in order for their houses to be on our list. (Similar to a newspaper subscription)

I have questions concerning one of the houses on the website.
You can make a direct enquiry without any obligation. This will reach the landlord of that specific house. In the comment section you have plenty of space for questions. The landlord can answer your questions best.

Is the house still available at the date required?
Please look up the availability chart. This will be managed directly by the landlord of the house. Make a direct enquiry to see if the house is still available at your dates (or in case the landlord should not have made an update of the chart.)

How do I need to proceed if I like a house on www.groups.ch?
In the description of the house you can find the item “direct enquiries”. Fill out this form and send it to the landlord.

Why don’t you publish the phone number of the landlord?
Many landlords work part time and are not easily reachable. Therefore the first contact is easier via the form “direct enquiries”. Please enter any particular questions in the area “comments”. The landlord will contact you shortly.

New clients sometimes believe that the missing phone numbers conceal hidden commissions. In contrast to other companies our services are in actual fact free of charge for all guests. The number of direct enquiries via the provided form enables the landlord to check on success rates.

What is the difference between a search order and a detailed search / direct query?

In principal, both of these routes lead to the same goal: both the search order and the detailed search filter our records according to your criteria - so you will always find a suitable home. Depending on their preference, our guests choose either one route or the other:

Those looking to find a house purposefully and as quickly as possible choose the free search order:

Define the criteria, send the form, and wait for the offers.

Those preferring to browse and study house descriptions in advance opt for the detailed search and only make direct enquiries after this:

Define the criteria, have lists of houses displayed, study house details, select and copy houses to the shortlist, make direct enquiries about a house / some houses on the shortlist.

If this is your first visit to our website, then why not try the detailed search first and then the search order without obligation. You will soon work out which is the right one for you. If you are still uncertain, feel free to give us a call: +41-61-926 60 00. We would be happy to advise you.

What is a search order?

The free search order is our speciality, and we are happy to admit that for beginners it takes some getting used to. However, once you have tried it out for the first time, you are guaranteed to be impressed. There is some work required, though. First, you have to fill out a large form with your search criteria and send it off. In a step in between, we will show you the recipients of your search order. You are also able to refine or modify your search if you notice unsuitable houses in the recipient list. Then, you send off the search order and, within 24 hours, you will receive concrete offers directly from the house owners.

So, with the search order you leave yourself open to surprises, and you do not waste time going through long lists of houses. There are often great houses on offer, which you would never have contemplated.

What is the detailed search?

With the detailed search, you filter our product range according to your search criteria. We show you a personalised list of houses. You copy suitable houses into the shortlist and then start a multiple enquiry from the shortlist.

What is a direct enquiry?

With every house entry you will find the button 'Direct enquiry'. You can use this to make direct contact with the house owner and make non-binding requests for information or concrete offers. The direct enquiry option is also in the shortlist. Using this, you can make a one-off, multiple enquiry to all the houses you have copied into the shortlist. This saves you from having to contact each and every house you have selected individually.

What is the shortlist?

The shortlist is our 'shopping basket'. Whilst you are searching through our website, you can click on the shopping trolley whenever a house takes your fancy. The houses gathered in this way remain stored on the shortlist. Once your search is completed, you are able to contact all of the houses selected at once with the multiple enquiry function.

Are you also an agent for accommodations abroad?
No. We are specialised in the Swiss market and know this area very well. We represent a broad variety of accommodations in all regions of Switzerland. The infrastructure for guests, the legal system and the quality standards are well known to us. With more than 30 years of expertise in this field we believe we can advise you proficiently.

How do you finance your organisation?
The associated landlords pay a fixed yearly subscription fee. Contrary to most travel agencies we do not work with hidden commissions. Therefore our internal transactions become simpler and more transparent. We can spend our time more efficiently for consultations and services for our guests instead of controlling complex financing systems.

How do I make my booking?
As soon as you are satisfied with an offer please contact your landlord directly. We recommend that you see the house personally before making a definite reservation or obtain a reference. Please compare the lease with our lease prototype before you sign. We are happy to consult you on request.

Do you know the houses in contract?
CONTACT groups.ch undertakes several visiting tours throughout Switzerland each year. We are therefore familiar with most of the houses we are associated with. Sadly our limited resources prevent us from a yearly visit to every member. A substantial feedback system however gives us a good overview on the quality of the various houses and the hospitality provided. We thoroughly investigate into any complaints. In a few cases and after failure of compliance of respective landlords, there have been exclusions in the past.

What do I do with the offers I do not consider?
Please send them to us per post mail (not e-mail). We will gladly do the cancellations for you. Our post address: CONTACT groups.ch, Spitzackerstrasse 19, Postfach, CH-4410 Liestal

What do the wheelchair symbols mean?
The accommodation of CONTACT groups.ch which are accessible by wheelchair have been tested and classified into three categories by the Swiss Association of Paraplegics (SPV). You will find the according label on each page with the house details.

	accommodation with several specially equipped bedrooms for wheelchairs and other suitable bedrooms.
	accommodation with one or two specially equipped bedrooms for wheelchairs.
	accommodation with suitable bedrooms.

Specially equipped bedrooms
These are rooms which have been purpose built in regard to measurements, door width, size of bathroom and in some cases even with a special toilet and toilet handles, shower etc. The equipment may vary from room to room.

Suitable rooms
These are rooms which have not been built with wheelchairs in mind but are nonetheless accessible by wheelchairs. Please ask for the individual measurements.

What do the Q-symbols mean?

The Quality Program of the Swiss Tourism industry fosters the quality development and quality assurance by the different service providers. It distinguishes hosts who continuously examine their quality and endeavour to serve the guest best at all times.

The quality program is built on three levels. Each level aims at satisfying the guest at making them want to come again.
 

	Level 1: Quality of Service
	Level 2: Quality of Leadership
	Level 3: An all encompassing quality management system (ISO 9000, EFQM)

Which guest reports are published?

Every guest is free to express her or his own opinion. Therefore all guest reports are published as a matter of principle – with two exceptions:

• Guest reports which cannot be attributed to any customer of CONTACT groups.ch

• Guest reports which violate the law, i.e. sexist, racist or other violating comments.

The guest reports are clearly highlighted as the guests’ opinion on www.groups.ch:

“The reports explicitly reflect the opinion of guests who booked this house with CONTACT groups.ch as accommodation intermediary. These may differ from CONTACT groups.ch's own opinion. The host is granted the opportunity to publish a counterstatement.”