"It's a scandal that they're knocking all this down" 400 people in Winterthur lose their homes due to vacancies

Around 400 residents in Winterthur's Endliker district are losing their homes. The owner has given notice to 160 tenants at the end of April 2028 to demolish seven apartment blocks and replace them with new buildings.

Around 400 residents in Winterthur's Endliker district are having to leave their apartments. Auwiesen Immobilien AG has given 160 tenants notice of termination with effect from the end of April 2028. The plan is to demolish seven apartment blocks from the 1960s and replace them with new buildings. The Tages-Anzeiger reports on this .

Many of those affected expressed their concerns to the newspaper. They fear that they will no longer be able to find an affordable apartment on the tight housing market. Some have lived in the estate for decades and pay comparatively low rents. "It's a scandal that they're knocking it all down here," one resident told the newspaper.

"They really are lottery apartments"

The owner justifies the decision with the poor structural condition of the buildings. "They really are lottery apartments," said one resident. According to Auwiesen Immobilien AG, sustainable renovation is no longer possible. The new apartments are to be larger and in the mid-price segment.

According to the Tages-Anzeiger, the tenants' association sharply criticizes the vacancy notices and recommends that those affected organize themselves and contest the notices. The administration rejects the criticism and refers to the two-year notice period and ongoing efforts to find replacement apartments.