Life changes faster than a household fee: a move, a separation, a death, a holiday home. OFCOM's answers to these cases are short but easy to miss (state: October 2026), and this post gathers them in one place.
01
SERAFE when you move house or separate
You do not have to notify SERAFE. It uses data from the residents' registers of the cantons and municipalities, so what matters is that you tell your residents' register office immediately. SERAFE adds that it uses exclusively the data it receives monthly from the municipalities and cantons, so the register decides who is on the invoice.
02
Emigrating: the refund
If you have received the annual invoice and emigrate in June, you are reimbursed for the remaining six months. The residents' registration office informs SERAFE of the deregistration and your emigration, and you give SERAFE your bank details to receive the refund.
03
Travelling abroad: no exemption
A stay of several months abroad does not exempt you. Only people who deregister their place of residence in Switzerland and move abroad receive a refund; someone who goes abroad only temporarily and keeps living in Switzerland remains liable. The only people who do not pay are those without a principal or secondary residence in Switzerland. The same rule is why Swiss TV does not become free when you travel, see watching Swiss TV abroad.
04
Holiday home, weekly residents and care homes
Three cases that look like a second fee but are not:
| Situation | What OFCOM says |
|---|---|
| A holiday home in Switzerland as a secondary residence | The household's fee covers the main and the secondary residence; if the main residence is abroad, the fee is due for the Swiss secondary residence |
| A weekly resident | The fee is due for the main residence only, so members who live in another place for some days a week do not pay twice |
| A parent in a care home | A collective household: the home pays the collective fee, if the home is the main residence |
05
After a death
If the deceased was the only adult in the household and the annual bill has been paid, the heirs can claim a refund of the excess, because the household is deemed dissolved on the last day of the month in which the person died. To claim, they give SERAFE the certificate of inheritance and the bank details.
06
A checklist for any change
In this order:
- Tell your residents' register office first; SERAFE follows the register
- Check the next invoice for the names and the address
- If a refund is due, send SERAFE your bank details and, after a death, the certificate of inheritance
- If you think you are exempt, see SERAFE exemption
07
Where to go next
See also The SERAFE invoice, SERAFE in a shared flat and TV for newcomers. For the whole picture, start from IPTV Switzerland: licensed providers compared.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to tell SERAFE when I move?
No. You tell your residents' register office; SERAFE uses the registers' data.
Do I get a refund when I emigrate?
Yes, for the remaining months, after the register informs SERAFE and you give your bank details.
Do I pay twice for a holiday home?
No. The household's fee covers the main and a secondary residence, unless the main residence is abroad.
What happens to the fee after a death?
If the deceased was the only adult and the bill was paid, the heirs can claim a refund, because the household is dissolved at the end of the month of death.
Sources
Read next
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