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Government · Switzerland
Updated September 2026

🔨 My neighbour is building without a permit or breaking the rules — who checks?

Direct answer

Building rules are enforced by the building authority — Bauamt / Baupolizei der Gemeinde (ch.ch): they check whether a permit exists (permits are public, you can ask to see it), inspect, and can stop works or order demolition. Boundary distances, height, windows facing your garden — those are in the permit or the zoning plan. If a permit was granted and you disagree, you can object to the permit within a short deadline (often 4–6 weeks from publication) at Gemeindeverwaltung / Stadtverwaltung (ch.ch); afterwards it is Verwaltungsgericht des Kantons (bger.ch). Works that damage your property are a civil matter in parallel.

Call firstBauamt / Baupolizei der Gemeinde
Report toGemeindeverwaltung / Stadtverwaltung
If that failsVerwaltungsgericht des Kantons

🗣️ What to say

"At [address] construction works are under way since [date]: [what]. I ask whether a permit was granted and, if not, for an inspection and enforcement. [If a permit exists: I object to the permit because …] Photos attached."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Check for a permitAsk Bauamt / Baupolizei der Gemeinde or the online register; permits are public. Look at the plans — what was approved.
  2. No permit: enforcementReport with photos; the authority inspects and can order a stop.
  3. Permit exists: object on timeThe deadline runs from publication of the permit, not from when you notice the works. File at Gemeindeverwaltung / Stadtverwaltung with your interest (light, privacy, distance).
  4. Damage to your propertyCracks, water, a fence removed: document, notify the neighbour in writing, your insurer, and consider an expert report.
  5. Ignored: Verwaltungsgericht des KantonsAfter the objection decision, the administrative court; legal aid if needed.

📇 All contacts

Bauamt / Baupolizei der GemeindeBuilding permits, objections, stop ordersFor works without a permit🔗 www.ch.ch/de/wohnen/bauen
Gemeindeverwaltung / StadtverwaltungMunicipal administration: residents, order, noise, waste, lost propertyFor anything the municipality regulates🔗 www.ch.ch
Verwaltungsgericht des KantonsAppeals against administrative decisionsWithin 30 days of the decision🔗 www.bger.ch
Unentgeltliche Rechtspflege (Gericht) / Rechtsauskunft des KantonsFree legal information and court costs on low incomeWhen you cannot afford a lawyer🔗 www.ch.ch/de/gerichte/unentgeltliche-rechtspflege

❓ Frequently asked

Can I stop works that annoy me but are legal?

No. Noise and hours are separate rules (see the noise page); the permit covers the building itself.

They built too close to the boundary

Zoning rules set distances; the authority enforces them if you report. Old buildings may have prior rights.

Can I look at the plans?

Yes — permits and plans are public documents in every EU country; you may need to ask in writing.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “neighbour building without permit report Switzerland”
  • “object to building permit deadline”
  • “building authority complaint”
  • “construction too close to boundary”
  • “check building permit online”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

🤝Neighbour dispute→🔊Noisy neighbours→📩Object to a decision→💡Broken streetlight→

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