You can obtain information on available apartments, houses and other properties from newspapers (e.g. the Kurier), from estate agents (e.g. at https://www.herold.at/) and from various websites. City authorities and local councils also offer information on vacant accommodation.
Co-operative accommodation can be found on the websites of housing co-operatives. Co-operative accommodation is built by non-profit housing associations and made available for their members to live in.
Average housing expenditure (rent per square metre including running costs) as of the end of 2022 was EUR 8.8 per m2. Of all the provinces in Austria, rental costs are lowest in Burgenland and Carinthia and highest in Salzburg.
The rent depends on many factors such as size, fixtures and fittings, transport links, infrastructure, neighbourhood, etc. Inner-city and suburban properties with good transport links and infrastructure are expensive. Smaller properties are often more expensive per square metre than larger ones. Running costs (around 25% of the net rent) and heating, gas and electricity charges also have to be taken into consideration.
Running costs are understood to mean, for example, water/wastewater charges, sewage clearance costs, charges for waste disposal services, cleaning expenses, heating charges, playground costs, laundry fees, etc., to which every tenant must make a monthly contribution.
In Austria, a tenancy agreement is an oral or written agreement between a landlord (property owner or sublessor) and the tenant or sublessee. A tenant can sublet parts of the property.
Recommendation: if the tenancy agreement is concluded in writing, then you have written evidence in the event of a dispute.
For properties subject to the Landlord and Tenant Act (Mietrechtsgesetz): Tenancy agreements are concluded for a fixed term (usually for at least 3 years, but may also be fixed for longer periods) or for an indefinite period.
You have the option to view apartments before signing a tenancy agreement. Apartments listed in newspapers or on the internet are often offered through estate agents. Viewings are more often arranged over the phone. Make sure to ask as many questions as possible during the viewing and avoid signing any tenancy agreement or tenancy offer without due consideration, even if encouraged to do so.
A tenancy offer serves as confirmation that you wish to rent the property under certain conditions. If the landlord accepts this tenancy offer, the tenancy agreement will then be concluded.
Please note: You will be required to honour any tenancy offer that you make! You should also avoid ‘reserving’ a property. A reservation is often a concealed tenancy offer.
Before you conclude a tenancy or purchase agreement, you should consult an appropriate advice service (e.g. tenants’ associations (Mietervereinigungen), the Association for the Protection of Tenants (Mieterschutzverband) or the Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer)) in order to have the legality of your tenancy or purchase agreement checked.
Commission for estate agents: As of 1 July 2023, the principle will apply that services are paid for by the actual client (Bestellerprinzip). This means that commissions are paid exclusively and fully by the person who originally requested them. In Austria, this is usually the landlord. Estate agents can also be engaged by tenants.
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