Vienna tightens rules for Airbnb rentals
The Austrian capital Vienna is set to bring in tighter rules on renting out homes through the Airbnb platform.
Starting in July 2024, home owners in Vienna will only be allowed to rent out individual units to tourists for a maximum of 90 days a year. Some exceptions will continue although owners will have to apply for these.
So-called ‘residential zones’ in the capital have had a similar restriction since 2018. The new law amends Vienna building codes to extend this rule to all homes in the city. This essentially means that there won’t be a difference any longer between neighbourhoods that are residential zones and those that aren’t – for the purpose of tourist rentals at least.
The law aims to strike a balance between tourist markets and the long-term housing market in the capital, with the 90-day limit seeking to preserve the right of owners to rent out their property while they’re away – for example on their own vacation.
Vienna recorded about 7.5 million overnight stays in the first half of 2023, almost the same number the capital was seeing before the pandemic.
Tourism Vienna spokesperson Walter Strasser told Der Standard that it’s a good move for tourism in the capital.
“The planned amendment takes the sharing economy back to its founding narrative and helps make sure entire dwellings aren’t taken off the housing market,” he said. “That helps contribute to the local population’s support for tourism in general.”
While owners will be able to apply for exceptions to the 90-day rule, these are predicted to be hard to get.
The building will have to have been built without housing subsidies, ruling out cooperative apartments, for example. Co-owners will also have to agree, which may be difficult for those who own condominiums.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are Austria’s rules for Airbnb rentals?
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Starting in July 2024, home owners in Vienna will only be allowed to rent out individual units to tourists for a maximum of 90 days a year. Some exceptions will continue although owners will have to apply for these.
So-called ‘residential zones’ in the capital have had a similar restriction since 2018. The new law amends Vienna building codes to extend this rule to all homes in the city. This essentially means that there won’t be a difference any longer between neighbourhoods that are residential zones and those that aren’t – for the purpose of tourist rentals at least.
The law aims to strike a balance between tourist markets and the long-term housing market in the capital, with the 90-day limit seeking to preserve the right of owners to rent out their property while they’re away – for example on their own vacation.
Vienna recorded about 7.5 million overnight stays in the first half of 2023, almost the same number the capital was seeing before the pandemic.
Tourism Vienna spokesperson Walter Strasser told Der Standard that it’s a good move for tourism in the capital.
“The planned amendment takes the sharing economy back to its founding narrative and helps make sure entire dwellings aren’t taken off the housing market,” he said. “That helps contribute to the local population’s support for tourism in general.”
While owners will be able to apply for exceptions to the 90-day rule, these are predicted to be hard to get.
The building will have to have been built without housing subsidies, ruling out cooperative apartments, for example. Co-owners will also have to agree, which may be difficult for those who own condominiums.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are Austria’s rules for Airbnb rentals?
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