Government takes action against parking rip-offs and abuse of warnings!

Government takes action against parking rip-offs and abuse of warnings!

On November 25, 2025, the Federal Government's Justice Committee unanimously decided on measures against widespread “parking lot rip-offs” and “abuse of warnings”. These decisions are part of a comprehensive reform approach aimed at providing legal protection for drivers and renters and preventing abuse in the area of ​​trespass lawsuits. OTS reports that the government proposal will now go into review, which will last until January 13, 2026.

One of the planned changes to the law is that minor interventions, such as briefly stopping on paved areas, should no longer be classified as disruptive. In addition, the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS parties support clarifications regarding the value protection clauses in rental agreements. An important decision by the Supreme Court recently hit certain provisions in the Consumer Protection Act and removed their relevance to rental agreements.

Reform measures in detail

The planned laws include several key points that address the problem of parking rip-offs. It is proposed that court fees for disruption of property through motor vehicles be reduced to €70, while the fee for withdrawing a lawsuit before service is only €35. In certain cases, the amount in dispute could also be set at just €40. Reported today that drivers are often forced to pay large sums to avoid costly legal proceedings.

Justice Minister Anna Sporrer has emphasized that the changes to the law are aimed at ensuring that abusive warnings are no longer profitable. In connection with the reform, the fees for lawyers are also to be reduced through a new special assessment basis.

A central concern is to offer injured drivers legal protection. Loud BMJ The possibility is created to appeal to the Supreme Court in motor vehicle ownership disputes, even if the amounts in dispute are smaller. The increase in lawsuits due to property interference shows the need for a uniform regulation, as 13 different regional courts in Austria are currently making different judgments.

Reactions and further steps

Martin Hoffer from the ÖAMTC described the draft law as a first step in the right direction, but calls for further measures against the rip-off. Ludwig Dvořák from the Chamber of Labor (AK) emphasizes the urgency of the problem and announced support in the assessment process. In order to help those affected, the ÖAMTC offers free legal advice to members affected by property interference lawsuits.

The reform plans also address the possibility of introducing a special case for abusive lawsuits in order to protect motorists from incoming threats and to respond appropriately to such claims.

The upcoming measures demonstrate the government's decisive approach to tackling the so-called "parking lot rip-off" and improving the legal framework for drivers. The planned changes are an essential step towards ending the arbitrariness of warnings and ensuring fair access to justice.