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Living in Vienna

You are new to Vienna and might ask yourself: How do I now find an apartment? And what do I have to know when renting an apartment? My name is Derek Gonzales, and in this StartWien video, I will give you an overview of living in Vienna.

Types of housing and searching for housing

In Vienna, there are a wide variety of housing options. You will find:

Condominiums that you can buy or rent.

Privately rented apartments that you can rent from private individuals. This type of housing is very common among newly arrived Viennese.

City-owned apartments and subsidized apartments—you can obtain these directly from the City of Vienna under certain conditions.

Cooperative apartments—you rent these from non-profit housing cooperatives.

You can find housing offers on the internet, in newspapers, at property management companies, or real estate agencies. For assistance in finding low-income housing, contact the Wohnungsdrehscheibe of Volkshilfe Wien. More on this topic can be found in our StartWien video "Apartment hunting and types of housing."

Lease agreement and costs

A lease agreement regulates several key aspects:

What the rental object is.

The amount of the monthly gross rent.

Whether the lease term is fixed-term or indefinite, with a minimum term of three years.

When you rent an apartment, it’s important that you transfer the rent on time. The monthly rent includes:

The main rent for the living space.

The operating costs excluding electricity, gas, internet, cable, etc.

A 10% sales tax.

There are two types of rent:

The main rent, which you pay when you sign a tenancy agreement with the owner of the apartment.

The sublease, if you sign the lease agreement with the main tenant.

Upon signing the lease agreement, the following costs may be incurred:

A deposit, which you will receive back in full or in part at the end of the tenancy.

A transfer fee, which you only have to pay for certain investments in the apartment.

My tip: Keep agreements in writing and take out household insurance. More on the topic of tenancy agreements can be found in our StartWien video "Apartment rent."

Mandatory residence registration

The mandatory residence registration, known as the Meldepflicht, applies to all people living in Austria. If you have a new residential address, you must report this within three days. The residence registration certificate (Meldebestätigung) is issued by the respective municipal district office (Bezirksamt).

You will need:

A valid passport.

Your birth certificate.

The birth certificates of all minor children in your household.

The completed residence registration form (Meldezettel), signed by the landlord.

A list of all Residence Registration Service Centres, the residence registration form, and other useful information can be found online at [www.wien.gv.at/verwaltung/meldeservice](http://www.wien.gv.at/verwaltung/meldeservice) or directly at your municipal district office (Bezirksamt).

My tip: The mandatory residence registration is extremely important. It facilitates official channels and is one of the prerequisites for applying for citizenship.

Rights and obligations

When you rent an apartment in Austria, you have rights and obligations. These are outlined in the tenancy agreement, the house rules, and by law. Clearly regulated are:

Payment of the rent.

Rights of usage.

Housing condition and maintenance.

Living together.

Maintenance and repairs.

Subletting.

My tip: Find out about your rights and obligations at Mieterhilfe Wien.

Living also means living together. To ensure that living with neighbors in a house is harmonious, there are certain house rules to follow. These include:

Maintaining cleanliness.

Safety and security.

Peace and consideration.

The use of common rooms.

Barbecues in the courtyard and on the balcony.

More on this topic can be found in our StartWien video "Rights and obligations related to housing.