What’s changing?
The most important changes are:
- More living space: For new facilities and new locations of existing facilities opening on or after October 1, 2026, a minimum living area of 15 m² gross floor area (GFA) per resident applies.
- More privacy: At new locations, each resident will, in principle, have their own bedroom. Only at the request of residents (for example, partners) may a room be shared by up to two people, provided this is documented in writing.
- Mandatory registration: The type of housing must be correctly registered in Informis, providing better insight into the various housing types.
- Greater responsibility for companies: Companies must confirm, via a statement signed by management, that the locations comply with fire safety requirements and that they have verified whether the locations in question are subject to a reporting or permitting requirement.
What does this mean for inspections?
Living Space and Privacy
During on-site inspections of locations with a start date on or after October 1, inspectors will verify that at least 15 m² of gross floor area (GFA) per person is available and that each resident has their own bedroom. If two residents share a bedroom, a written statement must be provided indicating that this is their own choice. Even in that case, a minimum gross floor area of 15 m² per person applies, and the bedroom must meet all applicable standard requirements, including the required closet space and a minimum area of 3.5 m² per person. In addition, the information card for new locations—which includes supplementary rules—must be available on site. This information card is included in Appendix 6 of the standard.
Registration of the Type of Housing
The correct registration of the type of housing will be part of the administrative inspection. The various types of housing are listed in Appendix 5 of the standard. The most common error in registration is classifying a location as B. Hotel/guesthouse instead of C. Residential units in a building complex.
The registration of residential units and housing on recreational grounds also regularly leads to confusion. If these housing types do not have their own BAG house number, the bungalow or unit number must be registered as a supplement.
If you’re unsure about the correct type of housing or how to register it, please contact one of our inspectors. We’re happy to help you figure it out.
Fire Safety and Permitting Requirements
Starting October 1, 2026, declarations regarding compliance with fire safety requirements and the notification or permit requirements will also be requested during administrative inspections.
The declaration, signed by management, must confirm that a verification has been conducted to ensure that locations with a start date on or after October 1, 2026, comply with the applicable fire safety requirements (Bbl and municipal building code). In addition, a statement must be provided confirming that a verification has been conducted to determine whether the location is subject to a notification or permit requirement. Additional information is included in Appendix 4 of the standard.
100% Inspection 2025/2026
In 2025/2026, all locations for which your company is primarily responsible must be re-inspected.
We therefore ask you to schedule the necessary inspections in a timely manner.
Our schedules fill up quickly, and timely planning is essential to conduct the inspections within the desired timeframe. To accurately determine the required inspection time, we check in advance in Informis the number of locations, the capacity, and the region in which the locations are situated. Any changes to your location registry must be reported to us. This applies to both the removal and addition of locations, even if the inspections have already been scheduled. Such changes can affect the required inspection time and, consequently, the established schedule.
Would you like to understand what these changes mean for your organization?
We’d be happy to help you figure this out