De Peri Relocation Services

A Swiss-based relocation partner with industry credentials

De Peri Relocation Services operates from Rütihofstrasse 25 in Zurich and is run by Catherine De Peri, who holds membership in EuRA, the professional association for relocation service providers across Europe. This membership signals alignment with industry standards and professional ethics in an otherwise unregulated field. The firm operates across 23 named Swiss cities: Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Basel, Zug, Winterthur, Aarau, Lucerne, Schwyz, Olten, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Biel, Thun, Lausanne, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Sion, Lugano, Locarno, Bellinzona, St. Gallen, and Chur. This geographic spread reaches across all major Swiss regions, from Geneva in the far southwest to the Alpine regions in the south and the eastern cantons, covering both German and French-speaking Switzerland. Services are offered in English, French, and German, making the firm accessible to English-speaking arrivals and French-speaking expats without requiring intermediate translation or cultural brokers.

The firm's core premise is direct: assist with everything involved in relocating to Switzerland. The company's own words emphasize orientation tours, registrations and address changes with authorities, residence permits, school and kindergarten searches, and finding a home. Beyond this foundation, the firm manages property viewings when you cannot travel in person, provides temporary housing during your search, and coordinates departure services if you eventually leave Switzerland. This all-inclusive approach recognizes that relocation is not a single transaction but a series of interconnected decisions spanning housing, education, paperwork, cultural adjustment, and practical logistics. The breadth of services signals that De Peri views the relocation journey as extending from the moment someone first considers moving through months or years of settling and integration.

Arriving and settling: what De Peri actually does

For someone arriving, relocation begins with an initial consultation where the firm understands your priorities, timeline, and specific situation, from which a structured relocation plan emerges. De Peri then coordinates orientation tours so you can see potential neighborhoods firsthand, understand how local tax structures (which vary significantly by canton and municipality and can materially affect your housing budget and net income), and envision daily life in different regions. The site emphasizes the importance of understanding regional variation: a apartment's cost, the quality of schools, and even your after-tax income are substantially different in Zurich versus rural Valais or Ticino. Once you have decided on a location, the firm supports housing searches and arranges viewings.

Recognizing that many international arrivals cannot travel repeatedly to Switzerland before committing, De Peri offers a particularly valuable service: video viewings and property documentation in your absence. The team personally attends property showings, photographs and videos each option, and sends back visual materials so you make housing decisions from abroad with full information rather than abstractions. This is especially practical for arrivals with tight timelines who must decide quickly or for those relocating for employment that starts on a fixed date, leaving no flexibility for repeated travel or extended searching.

Once housing is identified, De Peri supports applications against the Swiss rental process (which differs substantially from most countries), reviews lease terms with you before signature, and manages the handover protocol: the detailed property condition inventory and checklist that protects both tenant and landlord. The firm can mediate if maintenance disputes arise later. Temporary accommodation is available during your search phase, a practical solution when you cannot move into permanent housing immediately upon arrival.

Administrative and legal dimensions receive equal attention. De Peri coordinates registrations and address changes with cantonal authorities, a process with substantial local variation that often confuses newcomers. Residence permit applications are guided through the correct channels: an area where mistakes or delays can derail relocation timelines. For families, the firm helps identify schools and kindergartens, understanding whether you prefer local Swiss institutions, international schools, or bilingual programs, each with different admission timelines and curricula. Childcare options are coordinated. The firm handles vehicle imports for those bringing cars from abroad (Swiss import regulations are strict and procedurally opaque), and recommends language-course providers. Cross-cultural training helps families understand Swiss workplace culture and social norms, reducing the disorientation that accompanies relocation to an unfamiliar country.

Extended relocation services beyond the first move

De Peri's service scope extends well beyond initial arrival, positioning itself as an ongoing partner through years of Swiss life. If you eventually decide to leave Switzerland, the firm offers departure services including help finding a replacement tenant if your lease extends beyond your departure date. For those staying longer, the firm handles facility management (overseeing your home while you travel for work), assists with property purchases and sales (explaining the formal, cantonal-specific Swiss real-estate processes), and helps businesses secure office space. The firm coordinates moving companies and temporary furniture rental for relocations within Switzerland, assists with pet import procedures and finding veterinary care, arranges travel logistics, and organizes housewarming events once you have settled.

Beyond these practical services, De Peri coordinates construction projects, handyman work, and connections with immigration specialists for later-stage questions around citizenship applications, taxation, and permit renewals as your circumstances change. This extended menu positions De Peri as a comprehensive relocation partner managing most aspects of life transition and long-term settlement, not merely initial housing placement. Families who arrive through De Peri often continue using the firm for subsequent moves within Switzerland, school changes, property transactions, or visa renewals, suggesting retention through ongoing value rather than one-time project completion.

What the site does not clarify

The site does not publish pricing, whether as hourly rates, à la carte service costs, package fees, or project retainers. No information appears about typical timelines for housing placement, residence permit approval, or complete relocation from start to settled. The firm does not disclose team size, whether Catherine De Peri handles all client work or if associates assist, annual client volume, or whether major cities (Zurich, Geneva) receive different service levels or faster turnaround than small towns. Testimonials on the site praise the firm's reliability and flexibility in accommodating short-notice requests, but no quantitative data on response times, availability windows, or maximum caseload exists. The site mentions no professional licenses, insurance coverage, or credentials beyond the EuRA membership. For those considering hiring De Peri, obtaining a detailed proposal with specific timelines and fees would require direct contact.

Who De Peri serves best and who it does not

De Peri suits English-speaking or multilingual arrivals who have already secured employment and can afford professional coordination. It works particularly well for families with school-age children, those relocating through employers with relocation budgets, and arrivals without existing networks in Switzerland to guide them. The EuRA membership and multilingual support (English, French, German) signal experience with international arrivals and alignment with professional standards.

The firm is less suitable for those on minimal budgets, already fluent in German and confident navigating Swiss processes independently, or arriving on emergency timelines where pre-planning is impossible. The breadth of services suggests De Peri is designed for someone seeking one trusted partner across multiple dimensions of relocation rather than juggling separate specialists for housing, schools, permits, and administration. Those who work with the firm tend to use it for years, suggesting that once the initial relocation is managed, clients value an ongoing local advisor through subsequent moves, school transitions, or property transactions.