Vienna in Airbnb chaos: 10% of apartments rented illegally!

Vienna in Airbnb chaos: 10% of apartments rented illegally!

In Vienna, around 14,000 apartments are offered for short-term rental via platforms such as Airbnb. This corresponds to the entire living space in Josefstadt. The massive impact of this practice on the housing market in Vienna is currently the focus of city policy. Loud OTS Daniel Harrasser, district councilor of LINKS in the 3rd district, criticizes the city's inadequate measures to combat illegal short-term rentals. He emphasizes that controls are carried out too infrequently, while special permits are often issued.

The city's residents feel abandoned by the authorities. They complain about noise and garbage caused by the influx of tourists. Harrasser and members of LINKS have already collected 1,400 complaints from residents, covering a tenth of all Airbnbs in Vienna. These anonymized reports are handed over to the relevant authorities, but are often ignored.

Problem for residents

An affected resident reports that these illegal rentals have a negative impact on the quality of her living space. The building police and the district administration failed to respond appropriately to the residents' complaints. The homeowners are often real estate investors who have no direct connection to the residents.

Angelika Adensamer, spokeswoman for LINKS, calls for a housing policy that is based on the real needs of the population. She criticizes the ongoing misuse of living space and calls for strict restrictions on short-term rentals, as well as taxes for vacant properties.

Growing housing shortage throughout Austria

The problem of illegal short-term rentals is only part of the much larger issue of the housing shortage that is currently affecting Austria. A study by the “Social Housing” association shows that there is a shortage of around 550,000 apartments nationwide, which is affecting rising housing costs. In recent years, the need for housing has increased, particularly due to high numbers of immigrants, while at the same time numerous apartments remain empty. Housing reforms fall short of targets and . bpb highlights that despite the need, construction activities are still inadequate.

Construction numbers are stagnating: Only 294,400 apartments were built in 2023, while the federal government is aiming to build 400,000 new apartments annually. Forecasts for 2025 show completion of just 150,000 to 200,000 units. For many, especially in large cities, the rent burden rate is now 28%. It shows that people have to spend up to 50% of their income on rent. The problem of rising rents has become more and more central in recent years.

In comparison, Germany faces a similar housing shortage. In 2022, there were 1.9 million apartments that were vacant, with many unable to be integrated into the regular housing market due to a lack of construction activity and strict regulations. These facts shed strong light on the need for targeted measures to effectively combat both illegal short-term rentals and the general housing shortage.