Relocation & Expat Services GmbH

Relocation & Expat Services GmbH, operating as RelEx, is based at Altweg 30a in Andelfingen and serves five Swiss regions: Zug, Zurich, Lucerne, Geneva and Lausanne. The firm is led by Sandra Burki. The company describes itself as "a dedicated team who supports Expats to build their new home in Switzerland... Registering with the local authorities is a crucial process of your arrival in Switzerland. Administration can be burdensome for newcomers. We assist you with all important administration tasks including permit and visa help." The site operates in English, German and French.

The arrival sequence

RelEx frames its services as responding to the specific pain points of arriving in Switzerland. The firm notes that registering with local authorities is crucial because it is "a preliminary step to obtaining your residence permit," and describes administration as "burdensome for newcomers." The site explicitly addresses one of the most confusing aspects of Swiss arrival: that rules differ by canton and even by municipality, and that this variation makes a template approach impossible.

The firm's welcome tour is described as "an informative tour to learn more about your future destination. You will get to know various locations and their beautiful surroundings." The site notes that the tour covers "an exploration tour throughout the canton of your choice," which is important because someone relocating to Zug, Zurich, Geneva or Lausanne may not yet know which neighborhoods suit their family, their budget or their commute.

Core services

RelEx's service list includes welcome tours; moving services (local and international); home search; temporary housing; administration and immigration help; and settling-in and schooling support. The home search service "focuses entirely on finding the new home of your choice" and involves the firm taking "direct communication with the real estate providers or landlords," which is useful for newcomers unfamiliar with Swiss housing culture and unaware of whether to negotiate terms, what to expect in a lease, or what application materials landlords typically require.

International moving services are described as "professional and stress-free relocation within Switzerland or abroad," covering "careful packing and unpacking of household goods, complete customs clearance for international moves, and end-of-tenancy cleaning with handover guarantee." This is one of the few concrete service descriptions on the site: it names specific tasks (unpacking, customs clearance, end-of-tenancy cleaning) and includes a handover guarantee, which is a measurable commitment.

Temporary housing help addresses the fact that "looking for a temporary home in a new location can be time-consuming and demanding," and the firm says it can assist "to a relaxed start in Switzerland" with temporary options. The site does not list specific accommodations or pricing.

Administration and immigration

The administration and immigration service is described as helping with "all important administration tasks including permit and visa help." The settling-in and schooling service combines "comprehensive support with setting up essential services such as banking, insurance, and utilities" plus "guidance extends to selecting the right school for your children and discovering leisure activities tailored to your family's lifestyle; ensuring a smooth transition and a true sense of belonging in your new home."

RelEx describes two distinct customer types: corporate clients and individuals. For corporate clients, "we will ensure that your international employees and their families are settled and integrated into Switzerland in a professional manner. Our support releases them from any administrational burden. Our services will cover all aspects after arrival in Switzerland. You can choose from our tailored services. We will take the burden off your HR department. Your new employee can focus on the new job." For individuals, the pitch is "We help you to avoid unnecessary obstacles during an exciting but sometimes stressful relocation and settling-in period. We are here for you to answer any question and to react to your needs. You can pick and choose from a wide range of services. We are your reliable and trustworthy partners. You can focus on your new job. We take care of everything else. Our services include spouse and family support as well."

Sources and methods

For housing and temporary accommodation, the firm "work[s] closely with real estate agencies, social media, private channels and other providers. We monitor the market daily and act fast on new opportunities." For schooling and child care, the firm "provide[s] you with information on public or private schools or childcare providers and set up an appointment with them." For banks and insurance, "We are well positioned to facilitate the registration process with the authorities efficiently and as simple as possible. We work closely with banks and insurance providers to ensure you will get the best services."

Customer experience

A client testimonial on the site is from Marco Vanoli of "A. Menarini GmbH," who said he moved from Italy to Switzerland during Christmas and urgently needed an apartment on short notice. After several unsuccessful attempts, he was referred to RelEx. Within just a few days, they found exactly the apartment he was looking for, in the right location and within budget. He highlighted three concrete strengths: speed of service (a few days), attention to budget and location constraints, and availability during a holiday period when many service providers are closed. His report was: "I felt professionally supported and warmly welcomed."

What the firm does not specify

Like most Swiss relocation firms, RelEx publishes no pricing. The site does not list staff qualifications beyond identifying Sandra Burki as the leader. It does not specify the scope of immigration help; whether it represents clients before cantonal authorities or merely assists with paperwork, or whether it covers permit changes after arrival is unclear. The site also does not detail temporary housing arrangements or specify a timeline, maximum viewings, or success rate for home searches.

A practical relocation service with clear coverage areas

RelEx is most obviously suited to anyone relocating to one of its five named regions: Zug, Zurich, Lucerne, Geneva or Lausanne. The regional focus is practical and transparent; the firm does not claim to serve the entire country. The emphasis on administrative help and permit support addresses the real problem that Swiss administration is canton-specific and unfamiliar to newcomers. The willingness to help during holidays (as noted in the client testimonial) suggests a practical approach to the real timing pressures of relocations. The mention of spouse and family support, as well as post-arrival schooling and leisure activities, suggests the firm's service extends beyond the first-week crisis into genuine integration.

What remains opaque is the quality of service compared to Swiss local real estate agents and administrative consultants hired separately, and what RelEx's actual pricing comparison suggests about its value proposition. A home-search firm that works closely with real estate agencies may be either passing along deals the agencies themselves would find, or adding genuine value by filtering and vetting. Readers must contact the firm to find out. The company's apparent longevity (it has been operating long enough to develop corporate client accounts and individual testimonials) is confidence-building, though no explicit track record is published on the site itself.