Building Police Discover Illegal Hotel in Vienna-Brigittenau

"Up to unit 35, all apartments here were continuously rented short-term," said department head Günter Nast according to a statement on Wednesday. Already in the spring, the Building Police had dismantled two illegal hotels on the Wiedner Gürtel.

Stricter Rules for Short-Term Rentals in Vienna

With the latest building code amendment, short-term rentals have been severely restricted: apartments may only be rented for a maximum of 90 days per year. Beyond this period, in addition to the consent of all apartment owners, an exemption permit is required, which is only granted under certain conditions. These illegal rentals are often handled through opaque corporate structures, the department head further stated.

This Summer Already 264 Reports of Illegal Rentals

From June to August of this year, a total of 264 reports were received. In 214 cases, they were external, and in 50 cases, internal reports. In addition, during the summer months, 69 penalty applications were forwarded to MA64, which is responsible for building law. Since the new regulations came into effect, there have been more than 1,500 reports. And more than 300 penalty applications have been forwarded.

Vienna Declares War on Illegal Short-Term Rentals

"Illegal short-term rental is not a trivial offense," noted Deputy Mayor Kathrin Gaal (SPÖ). "Especially in the most popular metropolises in Europe - of which Vienna is undoubtedly one - illegal commercial short-term rentals are sometimes getting out of hand and costing residents much-needed living space," Gaal justified the rigorous controls.

(APA/Red)

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