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

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

In Vienna, around 14,000 apartments are offered for short -term rental via platforms such as Airbnb. This corresponds to the entire living space of the Josefstadt. The massive effects of this practice on the housing market in Vienna are currently the focus of urban politics. According to OTS criticizes District Council from left in the 3rd district, the inadequate measures of the city for combating illegal Short -term rentals. He emphasizes that the controls take place too rarely, while special permits are often granted.

The city's residents feel left alone by the authorities. They complain of noise and garbage through the influx of tourists. Harrasses and members from left have already collected 1,400 complaints from residents who cover a tenth of all Airbnbs in Vienna. These anonymized reports are handed over to the responsible authorities, but often ignored.

Problem for residents

A affecteder affected reports that these illegal rentals have negative effects on the quality of their living space. The construction police and the district head would have failed to respond appropriately to the complaints of the residents. The homeowners are often real estate investors who have no direct connection to the residents.

Angelika Adenamer, spokeswoman for left, calls for a residential policy that is based on the real needs of the population. It criticizes the constant misuse of living space and demands strict restrictions on short -term rentals, as well as taxes for vacancy.

growing housing shortage throughout Austria

The problem of illegal short -term rentals is only part of the much larger topic of the lack of living space, which Austria currently employs. A study by the "Social Wohn" association alliance shows that around 550,000 apartments are missing nationwide, which affects the increasing housing costs. In recent years, living space needs have increased particularly due to high immigration numbers, while numerous apartments are empty. Reforms in housing are left behind the goals and. BPB emphasizes that the construction activities are still inadequate.

The construction numbers stagnate: In 2023, only 294,400 apartments were built, while the federal government is aiming for the new construction of 400,000 apartments annually. Forecasts for 2025 show a completion of only 150,000 to 200,000 units. For many, especially in large cities, the rental load rate is 28%today. It shows that people have to spend up to 50% of their income for rent. The problem of rising rents has become more and more central in recent years.

In comparison, Germany is faced with a similar shortage of living space. In 2022 there were 1.9 million apartments that stood empty, whereby many could not be integrated into the ordinary housing market due to the lack of construction activities and strict regulations. These facts throw a strong light on the need for targeted measures in order to effectively combat both illegal short -term rental and the general lack of living space.