The City of Vienna is preparing a further tightening of its Bauordnung (building code) that would significantly curtail new short-term-rental properties, according to documents seen by The Local on 16 October. Under the draft, any new tourist accommodation in mixed-use buildings must comprise at least three self-contained units and have a separate street entrance—effectively banning single-apartment Airbnbs created by converting former offices or shops. A vote in the city council is scheduled for 20 October. The Association of Apartment Landlords (VDAV) says the plan undermines efforts to revitalise high-vacancy high streets by repurposing empty commercial space. By contrast, housing NGOs and residents’ groups applaud the move, arguing that short-term lets inflate rents and hollow out neighbourhoods. If enacted, the rules will sit alongside a host-registration system scheduled for 2027 and could become a template for other Austrian cities grappling with overtourism. Corporate-housing and relocation providers would need to ensure that any new units in Vienna comply with the ‘three-unit plus own-entrance’ test or risk hefty fines (up to €50,000) and forced reclassification as residential lets. Mobility managers arranging extended-stay accommodation for transferees should lock in existing compliant inventory before the rule change and review cancellation clauses for bookings after 2027, when enforcement is expected to intensify.
Source: The Local Austria
