Yes. Since Brexit, British citizens are treated as non-EU buyers under Lex Koller. Living in the UK, you can buy a holiday home in Gstaad with a Canton Bern permit, within the quota and usually up to about 200 m² of living space. A Swiss C permit removes the restriction. Those resident in Switzerland before 2021 keep earlier rights.
Key facts for British buyers (as of November 2026)
| Your situation | What you can buy in Gstaad |
|---|---|
| UK citizen living in the UK or elsewhere outside Switzerland | A holiday home, with cantonal authorisation, within Canton Bern's quota and the size limit |
| UK citizen who moved to Switzerland from 2021, B permit | A main residence you live in yourself; no holiday home |
| UK citizen with a Swiss C permit, living in Switzerland | No Lex Koller restriction |
| UK citizen resident in Switzerland before 1 January 2021 | Acquired rights kept under the Swiss-UK citizens' rights agreement while Swiss residence continues |
| UK citizen who also holds Swiss nationality | No Lex Koller restriction, wherever you live |
| Swiss work permits reserved for UK nationals, 2026 | 2,100 B and 1,400 L permits, separate from the third-country quota |
| Visa-free stays in the Schengen area, Switzerland included | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period; owning a chalet does not extend this |
| Canton Bern transfer tax on a purchase | 1.8% of the price |
| UK inheritance tax on a Swiss chalet | Applies to long-term UK residents (10 of the previous 20 tax years) since 6 April 2025 |
Figures as of November 2026. A proposal to tighten Lex Koller is under discussion in Bern and is not yet law. General information only, not legal or tax advice.
What changed for British buyers on 1 January 2021?
British citizens lost the EU free-movement status that had placed them outside most of Lex Koller. Since 1 January 2021 they are treated like other non-EU nationals, so where you live and which permit you hold now decide what you may buy.
Before Brexit, a British national living in Switzerland with a B permit could buy property much as a Swiss resident could. That route closed for new arrivals. The Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad, known as Lex Koller, now applies to UK nationals in the same way it applies to Americans, Canadians or Singaporeans.
For a buyer who lives in London, Edinburgh or Dubai, the practical change is smaller than many expect. Holiday homes in Swiss resorts were already subject to authorisation for any non-resident, European or not, so the route into Gstaad works as it always has.
Can I buy a holiday home in Gstaad if I live in the UK?
Yes. Saanen, the municipality that includes Gstaad, is a recognised tourist location where persons abroad may buy a holiday home with a permit from Canton Bern.
The permit is applied for once you have a signed reservation or a conditional purchase agreement, usually through the notary. Each canton receives an annual allocation of holiday-home permits from the federal quota, and Saanen's share is small. Purchases are normally limited to 200 m² of net living space, or up to 250 m² where a greater need is shown. A chalet that is not part of a condominium may stand on up to about 1,000 m² of land as a rule. You, your spouse and your minor children may own only one holiday home in Switzerland. Saanen has adopted no restrictions beyond these cantonal rules, according to Canton Bern's list of tourist municipalities (June 2026), so detached chalets as well as apartments are open to foreign buyers. Our guide to Lex Koller sets out the procedure in full.
Two further rules shape what is available. The Second Homes Act caps new second homes in municipalities where they already exceed 20% of housing, which applies to Saanen, so most holiday-home purchases are of chalets and apartments built before 2012. And under current practice, a resale from one foreign owner to another does not count against the quota. Our article on the Second Homes Act explains which properties may be used as holiday homes.
What if I move to Switzerland?
A UK national living in Switzerland with a B permit may buy the home they live in, without a holiday home on the side. With a C permit, Lex Koller no longer applies.
The main residence must be for your own use, and the property is held in your own name. A C permit is typically granted after ten years of residence for nationals of countries without a settlement agreement, so the restriction is long-lasting for most British arrivals since 2021. Our page on Swiss permits for property buyers compares the categories.
British nationals who were already resident in Switzerland before 1 January 2021, or who had applied for a permit before that date, kept their previous position under the Swiss-UK agreement on citizens' rights. The protection lasts while Swiss residence continues; a long interruption ends it.
How can a British citizen get Swiss residence after Brexit?
There are three routes in practice: a job, retirement with sufficient means, or lump-sum taxation as a non-working resident. Buying a chalet does not, by itself, give any right to live in Switzerland.
Work. Switzerland keeps a separate quota for UK workers, set for 2026 at 2,100 B permits and 1,400 L permits. Employers apply, and the usual conditions on qualifications and salary apply.
Retirement. The Foreign Nationals and Integration Act allows residence for retired people of at least 55 with sufficient financial means and personal ties to Switzerland. Cantons assess each case.
Lump-sum taxation. Canton Bern still offers taxation based on living expenses for non-Swiss nationals who take up residence for the first time, or after ten years abroad, and do not work in Switzerland. The cantonal minimum base is seven times the annual rental value of the home and at least CHF 400,000. Residence for a non-EU national on this basis also needs approval from the cantonal migration office. Our guide to lump-sum taxation covers the calculation.
How long can I stay in my Gstaad chalet each year?
Without a Swiss residence permit, a British owner can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Days in France or Italy count towards the same total.
This is the rule that most shapes British ownership in the Saanenland. A family that skis from Christmas to the end of February and returns for July and August will pass 90 days within some 180-day windows. The EU's Entry/Exit System, which Switzerland applies as a Schengen member, has registered entries and exits electronically since it became fully operational on 10 April 2026, so stays are now counted precisely. ETIAS, the separate travel authorisation, had no confirmed start date as of November 2026.
Does UK inheritance tax apply to a chalet in Gstaad?
Yes, if you are a long-term UK resident. Since 6 April 2025, UK inheritance tax reaches worldwide assets of anyone who has been UK tax resident for at least 10 of the previous 20 tax years, including a chalet in Switzerland.
The test replaced domicile. A person who leaves the UK can remain within scope for between three and ten tax years afterwards, depending on how long they lived there. For British families this often matters more than any Swiss tax, because Canton Bern levies no inheritance or gift tax on transfers to spouses, registered partners or descendants. Other heirs pay Bern tax above a CHF 12,000 allowance, at rates that rise with the amount and the distance of the relationship.
Switzerland and the UK have a convention on estates and inheritances, signed in 1993. It allows Switzerland to tax Swiss immovable property, and the UK gives a credit for that Swiss tax against its own. Where Bern charges nothing, as for children, there is nothing to credit, and the UK charge stands. Swiss succession rules, including the reserved shares for close family, are covered in our article on Swiss inheritance law and property.
How are rental income and a later sale taxed?
Switzerland taxes the property where it stands: wealth tax, any rental income and the gain on sale are taxed in Bern. The UK can tax the same income and gains if you are UK resident, with relief for the Swiss tax under the 1977 double taxation convention.
Non-resident owners file a Bern tax return for the property. The gain on sale is subject to Bern's property gains tax, which falls with the years of ownership. A UK resident then reports the gain in sterling, so movements in the pound against the franc affect the UK figure even when the Swiss price has not moved. Our note on currency risk explains this in more detail.
Can I buy through a UK company or trust?
A company does not avoid Lex Koller. A company controlled by persons abroad is itself treated as a person abroad, and a holiday home bought through a company would not normally be authorised.
Trusts raise their own Swiss and UK questions, and the 2025 UK reforms changed how settlements holding foreign assets are taxed. Most British buyers in Gstaad hold in their own names, jointly or individually. Our article on buying through a company sets out the limits.
Could the rules change?
Possibly. The Federal Council opened a consultation on tightening Lex Koller on 15 April 2026; it closed on 15 July 2026, and nothing has been adopted.
The proposals would affect British buyers directly. Third-country nationals living in Switzerland would need a permit even for their main residence and would have to sell within two years of leaving. Resales of holiday homes between foreign owners would count against the quota. Parliament has yet to debate a bill, and until it does, the current rules apply.
What we see on the ground
British buyers have been part of the Saanenland for generations, and Brexit did not change the essentials for those who live in the UK. What we notice is a different order of questions. The Lex Koller permit is rarely the obstacle; the 90-day limit and UK inheritance tax are. We suggest settling both with a UK adviser before choosing a property, because they can point towards a different structure, a different ownership split between spouses, or a plan to move to Switzerland.
The quota matters most in the choice of property. A chalet already authorised for foreign ownership, sold by a foreign owner, is the simplest route under today's practice. We check the status of a property early, alongside the Second Homes Act position, so that a reservation is signed only once the route to a permit is clear.
Frequently asked questions
Can a British person buy a chalet in Gstaad?
Yes. A British citizen living outside Switzerland can buy a holiday home in Saanen, which includes Gstaad, with a Canton Bern Lex Koller permit, within the annual quota and usually up to about 200 m² of net living space.
Did Brexit make it harder for UK citizens to buy Swiss property?
For UK residents buying a holiday home, very little changed. For British people moving to Switzerland since 2021, it did: with a B permit they may buy only their own main residence, and the full freedom arrives with a C permit.
Does owning a chalet give me Swiss residence?
No. Property ownership gives no right to a residence permit. British owners without a permit are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
Is there a quota for UK nationals?
There are two different quotas. Holiday-home permits under Lex Koller are allocated by canton, for all persons abroad. Separately, Switzerland reserves work permits for UK nationals: 2,100 B and 1,400 L permits in 2026.
Will my children pay inheritance tax on a Gstaad chalet?
Not in Canton Bern, which exempts descendants and spouses. UK inheritance tax may apply if you are a long-term UK resident, as it reaches worldwide assets since April 2025.
Can I get a Swiss mortgage as a UK resident?
Some Swiss banks lend to non-resident buyers of holiday homes, usually with a larger deposit than for residents. See our guide to Swiss mortgages for foreign buyers.
What does a British buyer pay on purchase in Gstaad?
Canton Bern's transfer tax is 1.8% of the price, plus notary and land register fees. Our page on notary and purchase costs gives the detail.
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Sources
- Federal Office of Justice: Acquisition of real estate by persons abroad (Lex Koller)
- Canton Bern, Regierungsstatthalterämter: Acquisition of real estate by persons abroad
- Canton Bern, Office for Economic Affairs: Restrictions in tourist municipalities (9 June 2026)
- Homburger: Impact of Brexit on UK real estate investments in Switzerland
- law.ch: Federal Council opens consultation on tightening Lex Koller (April 2026)
- Vischer: Quotas for foreigners in Switzerland in 2026 (Federal Council decision of 19 November 2025)
- French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs: The Entry/Exit System goes live on 10 April 2026
- GOV.UK: Inheritance Tax if you're a long-term UK resident
- legislation.gov.uk: UK-Switzerland convention on estates and inheritances (SI 1994/3214)
- GOV.UK: Switzerland tax treaties (1977 double taxation convention)
- Canton Bern Tax Administration: Inheritance and gift tax
- Canton Bern Tax Administration: Taxation based on expenditure
This guide uses published information from Swiss federal and cantonal authorities, the UK government and specialist law firms. It is not legal or tax advice. Last checked 6 November 2026.
For a confidential conversation about buying in Gstaad from the UK, contact The Gstaad Collection.