Are tenants with non-Austrian names less likely to get rental contracts?
An experiment by an Austrian newspaper has revealed that tenants with a foreign looking name will find it much harder to find a flat in Austria than someone with a more Austrian name. But what are the rules?
Der Standard newspaper sent the same applications to various ads for rental apartments one from someone with the first name Franziska and the other Muzayen.
Whilst applications from Muzayen received messages such as "unfortunately, the apartment is already gone" or no responses at all the equivalent applications from Franziska received many more invitations to send further documents for a viewing.
Both applications included inquiries stating they were looking for similar apartments in Vienna with a similar budget, and both said they were young, female, Austrian and employed by the same employer. However, while Muzayen Al-Youssef was invited to 48 viewings and received 52 rejections, Franziska was invited to 71 viewings and received 29 rejections, according to a Der Standard report.
When considering only private landlords - removing professional brokers - the difference is even more evident. Franziska received 34 invitations for viewings and 16 rejections, while Muzayen received only 16 invitations and 34 rejections.
READ ALSO: Muslims and black people discriminated against in Austria, new report reveals
According to the report, written by Der Standard journalists Muzayen Al-Youssef and Franziska Zoidl, often the same renter would reply to Muzayen saying the apartment wasn't available anymore but invite Franziska for a viewing. If both are invited, it happened once that the landlord also asked Muzayen to bring proof of Austrian citizenship - a request that Franziska never received.
The reporters then identified themselves as journalists and asked renters why "Franziska Zoidl" was invited for visits but "Muzayen Al-Youssef" wasn't.
The justifications they received varied but there was no admission of racism or discrimination.
They ranged from "It was a mistake" or "the request had slipped through" to excuses that they were still working on applications or they were overwhelmed by the flood of messages.
What are the rules?
Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity is prohibited in Austria, including when looking for housing. However, it's a crime that is difficult to prove - theoretically, landlords and landladies could refuse an apartment for other reasons.
Additionally, the methods to discriminate against foreigners or people with "foreign-sounding names" have become more subtle.
READ ALSO: UPDATE: Why is support for Austria’s far-right FPÖ rising?
If discrimination is proven, the person is entitled to compensation for damages.
Asiye Sel from the Vienna Chamber of Labour, a member of the Equal Treatment Commission, told Der Standard that she advises those affected to apply for a review by the Equal Treatment Commission in case of suspicion.
The body then conducts a procedure free of charge in which it assesses whether discrimination has occurred. The only problem is that this review takes time and is not legally binding. So, for those affected actually to receive compensation, they first have to sue for it - which can become expensive and result in being paid only a few hundred euros. As a result, few cases end up in court or are solved in out-of-court settlements.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
For these reasons, it is difficult to quantify the problem. The anti-discrimination office Zara and the Ombud for Equal Treatment (GAW), which advise those affected, report several dozen cases annually. However, der Standard said they emphasise that the number of unreported cases is probably much higher.
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Der Standard newspaper sent the same applications to various ads for rental apartments one from someone with the first name Franziska and the other Muzayen.
Whilst applications from Muzayen received messages such as "unfortunately, the apartment is already gone" or no responses at all the equivalent applications from Franziska received many more invitations to send further documents for a viewing.
Both applications included inquiries stating they were looking for similar apartments in Vienna with a similar budget, and both said they were young, female, Austrian and employed by the same employer. However, while Muzayen Al-Youssef was invited to 48 viewings and received 52 rejections, Franziska was invited to 71 viewings and received 29 rejections, according to a Der Standard report.
When considering only private landlords - removing professional brokers - the difference is even more evident. Franziska received 34 invitations for viewings and 16 rejections, while Muzayen received only 16 invitations and 34 rejections.
READ ALSO: Muslims and black people discriminated against in Austria, new report reveals
According to the report, written by Der Standard journalists Muzayen Al-Youssef and Franziska Zoidl, often the same renter would reply to Muzayen saying the apartment wasn't available anymore but invite Franziska for a viewing. If both are invited, it happened once that the landlord also asked Muzayen to bring proof of Austrian citizenship - a request that Franziska never received.
The reporters then identified themselves as journalists and asked renters why "Franziska Zoidl" was invited for visits but "Muzayen Al-Youssef" wasn't.
The justifications they received varied but there was no admission of racism or discrimination.
They ranged from "It was a mistake" or "the request had slipped through" to excuses that they were still working on applications or they were overwhelmed by the flood of messages.
What are the rules?
Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity is prohibited in Austria, including when looking for housing. However, it's a crime that is difficult to prove - theoretically, landlords and landladies could refuse an apartment for other reasons.
Additionally, the methods to discriminate against foreigners or people with "foreign-sounding names" have become more subtle.
READ ALSO: UPDATE: Why is support for Austria’s far-right FPÖ rising?
If discrimination is proven, the person is entitled to compensation for damages.
Asiye Sel from the Vienna Chamber of Labour, a member of the Equal Treatment Commission, told Der Standard that she advises those affected to apply for a review by the Equal Treatment Commission in case of suspicion.
The body then conducts a procedure free of charge in which it assesses whether discrimination has occurred. The only problem is that this review takes time and is not legally binding. So, for those affected actually to receive compensation, they first have to sue for it - which can become expensive and result in being paid only a few hundred euros. As a result, few cases end up in court or are solved in out-of-court settlements.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
For these reasons, it is difficult to quantify the problem. The anti-discrimination office Zara and the Ombud for Equal Treatment (GAW), which advise those affected, report several dozen cases annually. However, der Standard said they emphasise that the number of unreported cases is probably much higher.
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