Vortex
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FAQ
Vortex
- If you are a bachelor or master student at UNIL or EPFL or another higher education institution, we kindly ask you to contact the FMEL (Fondation maisons pour étudiants Lausanne).
- If you work at EPFL, we kindly ask you to contact the Housing Information Service at EPFL
- If you are a member of UNIL staff or an academic host from abroad, please find more information below.
The Vortex opened in the summer of 2020, just outside the Dorigny campus. It is a vibrant area with many facilities: a restaurant, a rooftop bar with a unique view of the lake and the mountains, a nursery, a multipurpose hall and a number of other local shops and businesses.
The Vortex has 46 fully furnished apartments, and around ten unfurnished apartments, reserved for people coming from abroad, in particular those employed by UNIL. Its friendly environment, lively while also academic, owes much to the presence of the many students who live there.
The accommodation is exclusively for the use of UNIL staff and academic visitors newly arrived from abroad or outside the canton of Vaud.
The following are eligible:
- Teachers-researchers
- Visiting professors
- Junior lecturers and post-doctoral researchers
- Graduate assistants and PhD students
- Academic guests
- Administrative and technical staff
Furnished apartments
This accommodation is fully furnished and equipped. Bedding, bath towels and crockery and cutlery are included. All the apartments have a balcony, a fully-equipped kitchen and a bathroom.
An inventory by type of accommodation is available upon request at the following address : welcomecentre@unil.ch
Unfurnished apartments
Some of the accommodations are unfurnished. All the apartments have a balcony, a kitchen and a bathroom.
Unfurnished apartments are available only for long stays (minimum stay of 12 months).
Furnished studio
2.5 room apartment (one bedroom)
3.5 room shared flat (common bathroom)
3.5+ room shared flat (private bathroom)
Furnished apartments may be rented for a minimum period of one month and a maximum of one year with the possibility of a twelve-month extension (maximum).
The date of entry into the accommodation is equal to the start date of the rental contract.
The rental contract can only start on the 1st or 15th day of the month. The rental contract can end on the 15th or 30th/31st day of the month.
For unfurnished apartments, the minimum rental period is one year and there is no maximum period (according to the duration of the employment contract).
For any request for a lease extension, please contact the Welcome Centre at least 3 months before the end of your current lease.
Please note that due to the high demand for rentals, we reserve the right to refuse to extend your lease.
Deposit
Please see the following table for rental periods of 1 - 12 months:
Overview of “long stay” prices by type of accommodation
The following charges are included in the rent:
- Heating
- Hot water
- Drinking water
- Electricity
- Wifi
The following compulsory charges are additional to the rent:
- Administration fees (see the table below)
- Cleaning on departure, between CHF 200.- and 420.- (depending on the size of the apartment)
- Fixed price public liability insurance, between 20 and 60 CHF depending on the size of the accommodation (only available for furnished apartments).
Optional services available on request:
- Cleaning fee for twice-a-month cleaning : 80 CHF for studio (price depends on the size of apartment)
- Monthly linen laundry : 50 CHF (price depends on the number of beds in the accommodation).
Administration fees
An application form for accommodation at the Vortex is automatically sent with any recruitment process or invitation to visit, allowing you to let us know whether you are interested.
The Welcome Centre will then contact you with further information.
Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to contact the Welcome Centre or the secretariat of your unit. They will be very happy to answer your questions.
Le Perchoir
Rooftop bar with a sustainable spirit. Open from Monday to Friday from 11.00 until 11.00 pm, on Saturday and Sunday from 4.00 pm until 11.00 pm.
Vortex Coffee and Food restaurant
The restaurant is situated on the ground floor. You will find more information on their website.
Le Vorace
Composed almost exclusively of local products, this local grocery is managed by an association that follows a participatory operating model. Opening hours: from Monday to Friday from 2.00 pm until 7.00 pm. On Saturday open from 10.00 am until 6.00 pm. The grocery store is closed on Sundays.
The Next Cut
A hairdresser with barbering services is now available in Vortex! Opening hours: Mondays from 12:00 to 7:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. If you would like to make an appointment, please do not hesitate to check their website.
Tonton Grain Bakery
Find delicious bread & pastries, speciality coffee, fresh seasonal juices and an infinite range of sandwiches filled with local products. Opening hours: from Monday to Sunday, from 7am to 6pm. Please find more information on their website.
Vortex Kiosk
Tabacco, food, stationary and office supplies, household and cosmetic products. Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 10pm, Saturday from 8am to 22pm and Sunday from 9am to 8pm. Instagram account.
FAQ
- A copy of your identity card or passport
- A copy of your contract of employment/letter of invitation, including your gross monthly pay
- A copy of the extract from the debt collection register for those who have been living in Switzerland for over three months.
This is a sum of money used by the landlord as security in case there is damage to the apartment. It is given back to the tenant when he or she leaves the apartment, if no serious damage is identified.
For rentals of 3 months and more you can also call on a surety company which will offer a guarantee on your behalf, subject to conditions.
The tenancy cannot be terminated if the stay is shorter than three months.
From the fourth month onwards, the notice period is three months, at the end of the month.
For any request related to extension of the tenancy, please contact the Welcome Centre before that your rental agreement has at least three months to run.
Please note that due to the high demand for rentals we reserve the right to refuse to extend your rent.
Pets are not allowed in Vortex' accommodations.
Once you are registered as a Vortex resident you could receive an invoice from SERAFE. It is mandatory for all households to pay a radio-television licence fee which costs CHF 335.- per year. This is device-independent and must in principle be paid by every household. The fee will be collected by Serafe AG. Serafe will automatically send every household an invoice, using data from the cantonal and municipal registers of residents.
Parking
You can apply for a parking place next to the building. Priority is given to Vortex residents and merchants for a parking space in the building's parking lot, subject to availability. The parking permit is only valid in the yellow spaces of the Vortex parking lot. The monthly price of a parking space is 100 CHF.
For all requests or questions, please write an email at parking@unil.ch
