Salzburg is considerably smaller than Vienna, and that is one of the reasons why finding a rental flat is particularly hard. The city has a limited housing supply, and affordable properties can be very difficult to secure.
According to an analysis reported by ORF Salzburg, housing supply in the province remained tight, and it was worse around Salzburg city, where demand continues to put pressure on the rental market.
So where should you start looking, and what should you expect before finally signing that rental contract?
Where to look for a flat?
Willhaben is a useful first stop. It has advertisements from private landlords, real estate agents and property companies.
It also offers very useful filters, so you can look by rent, size and number of rooms. (Remember that in Austria, properties are advertised by number of rooms, not number of bedrooms. So a three-Zimmer apartment would normally have two bedrooms and a living room, sometimes with an open-plan kitchen.)
You can also set up search alerts.
There's also ImmoScout24, which carries private and agency listings, with some advertisements reserved for those who pay a subscription to the site.
Another option is Immobilien.net, which offers similar search filters.
Do remember that Salzburg is both a city and a federal state, so make sure that your search covers the area that you're actually looking for.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why is finding housing in Salzburg so difficult?
What about shared flats?
If you're moving alone or if you're studying in Salzburg, renting a room in a shared flat, also known as a Wohngemeinschaft or WG, may be an interesting alternative.
The WG-Gesucht website carries shared-flat advertisements, including fully furnished rooms and temporary sublets. You can find all sorts of options, plus get to know a little bit better the people who will be living with you.
Students can also check out the housing exchange run by ÖH Salzburg, which is the university students' representative organisation.
In all cases, it's really worth it to ask colleagues, university contacts, people already living in Salzburg, Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, anything that you can find that could help you find out about upcoming vacancies before they are advertised on any websites.
Not every room or flat is advertised widely, especially for WGs. People may search for people within their circle or extended circle.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about living in a flatshare in Austria
How do you apply for a rental flat?
Once you find a place that you're interested in, contact the landlord or real estate agent and request a viewing.
In Austria, it's normal to send a short message explaining who you are, perhaps even a little bit about what you expect from the property, but nothing major in this first contact.
In German, you could write something like "Ich interessiere mich für die Wohnung" (I'm interested in the flat) and "Wäre eine Besichtigung möglich?" (Would a viewing be possible?).
During the viewing, you should check whether the property matches the advertisement and clarify which costs are included in the rent.
Check whether the advertised rent includes Betriebskosten, the building's operating costs. In Austria, the Gesamtmiete or Bruttomiete will often include these charges, but electricity and heating may still be billed separately.
You should also check how heating works and when the flat will be available.
Already during the viewing, but often afterwards, you should clarify with the landlord or agent what documents they may ask you for to show that you can afford the property.
That's often your last three payslips. If you're self-employed, landlords may also accept other proof of income, such as an income statement or tax documents.
There is no universal application checklist. It really depends on the property and the property owner.
But, for example, the Salzburg-based estate agency Team Rauscher asks applicants for a form of identification, the last three payslips and previous landlord information.
Depending on the circumstances, you may also be asked for an employment contract, proof of self-employment income or a guarantor.
So even if you don't have a job in Austria yet, or if you're studying, that doesn't mean that you won't get an apartment. There are other ways to prove that you will be a tenant who pays their bills.
READ ALSO: Property: How to find a rental flat when you first move to Austria
Do you have to pay an estate agent?
Usually not.
Since July 2023, Austria has had the Bestellerprinzip, or first-client principle, for residential rental brokerage contracts.
That means that the person who first commissions the estate agent will be responsible for paying the commission. So in most advertised rentals, that will be the landlord.
However, if you hire a broker to find a flat and they successfully arrange a rental, you may have to pay the commission yourself.
READ ALSO: How tenants in Austria can save money from July 2023
What should you check before signing?
Before signing, check the total monthly cost and the conditions of the tenancy, including how long the contract is valid for.
Rental contracts in Austria can be fixed-term or open-ended. Since January 2026, new fixed-term contracts covered by the Mietrechtsgesetz generally have a minimum duration of five years if the landlord is acting as a business, or three years for smaller private landlords who aren't.
Longer contracts are also possible, so check the dates and conditions for ending or renewing yours.
You can find more information about housing expenses in The Local's guide to living costs in Salzburg.
You should also check the conditions for rent increases, for terminating contracts, and if there are any provisions on who pays for what costs if something is broken in the apartment.
Many listings here come with a full kitchen, for example, but if an appliance breaks, oftentimes the tenant needs to fix it. So make sure to check all those details before signing anything.
You should also be very careful when asked to sign a Mietanbot. That is a formal offer to rent a property.
So submitting a binding offer that the landlord then accepts can already create a legally enforceable rental agreement, and backing out of that could cost you a lot of money.
So don't sign any type of Anbot or Mietanbot just to reserve a flat if you're still continuing your search or if you haven't seen the actual rental agreement beforehand.
READ ALSO: The words you need to know before renting a flat in Austria
How much deposit will you need?
Most properties will come with a required deposit, which is known in Austria as a Kaution, and the most common amount is three gross monthly rents.
There's no single maximum for every deposit. But Austria's Supreme Court has usually accepted deposits of up to six gross monthly rents, although the amount needs to be proportionate to the landlord's legitimate security interests.
So a property with more expensive appliances, for example, may have a justified need for a higher deposit.
It's also common for people who do not have, for example, a steady income to offer to pay a larger deposit beforehand, sort of as a guarantee, a rental guarantee.
The deposit covers potential claims such as unpaid rent or any damage beyond normal wear, and it should be returned at the end of the tenancy, minus any justified deductions.
Another payment you might need to make upfront is known as an Ablöse, which is a one-off payment for furniture or any improvements left by a previous tenant.
That is more common when you take over an apartment that has already been rented by someone else, especially if the person has made any improvements to the house or is leaving behind any furniture.
These payments aren't necessarily unlawful, but they must reflect the actual value of what you're taking over where the relevant tenancy rules apply. Overpriced payments, or payments simply to secure the flat, can be illegal.
READ ALSO: Renting in Austria: How much can the landlord ask for as a deposit?
Can newcomers apply for municipal subsidised housing?
Like much of Austria, Salzburg has municipal and subsidised housing, but it's not often an immediate option for someone who has just moved to the city.
Under the City of Salzburg's Wohnservice housing allocation rules, applicants need to have lived in Salzburg city continuously for at least five years, or for a total of 15 years in their lives, to be eligible for those lower rental options.
Another option is to meet the local connection requirement through five consecutive years of employment in the city, or ten years in total.
These are Salzburg city's allocation rules, not the requirements for every subsidised property in the province.
There are also additional requirements concerning income, housing needs and citizenship or residence status. EEA and Swiss applicants generally need to provide proof of permanent residence, although an exception applies to German citizens.
So you need to check those conditions before applying for a subsidised home.
And even if you are eligible, there is no guarantee that you will get an apartment. There is no guaranteed waiting time, and demand does exceed the number of available flats.
Another option is to register directly with a non-profit housing association, such as Heimat Österreich, which offers subsidised properties in Salzburg city and elsewhere in the state.
These flats are commonly known as Genossenschaftswohnungen.
Each of those providers has its own application processes and requirements. Many of them also require an upfront financing contribution.
READ ALSO: How much cheaper is social housing than private renting in Austria?
What happens when you get the keys?
When it's all said and done and signed, you should inspect the flat and document its condition.
Oftentimes, the property manager will give you an Übergabeprotokoll, which is a handover report that should record any existing damage, meter readings and the number of keys that they provide you.
Do take photographs. Those will help you avoid any deposit disputes later.
You'll also typically need to arrange for electricity, heating and internet contracts where these aren't included in the tenancy, and they often aren't.
You will see that different providers in Austria might be able to offer their services in different areas. So you won't be able to sign up with every possible internet provider. Sometimes they just don't operate in your area, and this can be down to the street level.
Finally, remember to register your new address within three days of moving into your accommodation.
You'll need a completed Meldezettel, signed by both you and the person providing the accommodation, usually the landlord or main tenant. A signed rental contract doesn't replace this form.
READ ALSO: Meldezettel: Everything you need to know about Austria’s compulsory address registration system
Key vocabulary
Mietwohnung – rental flat
Besichtigung – property viewing
Kaution – refundable rental deposit
Betriebskosten – building operating costs
Mietanbot – legally significant offer to rent a property
Meldezettel – Austria's residence registration form
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