Wrong rubbish in the wrong place: Writing a building report without a public accusation
Describe wrongly placed rubbish comprehensibly and organise an appropriate building report without turning an observation into a public accusation.
Knowledge & practice
Practical articles for Austria and Germany – from property marketing and social media to everyday office life. Every article is reviewed editorially.
Latest articles
1120 articles
Visit for several weeks: Agree the shared everyday living before arrival
Discuss longer visits before arrival: sleeping places, shared rooms, daily routines and the end of the agreed support remain clear to everyone.
Storing furniture between two flats: what you really want to keep and collect later
A storage unit solves lack of space during temporary living, but can create a second move and longer-running costs. Compare based on your actual inventory what should be kept for the later home and what is merely deferred.
A flat is offered as a sublet: check contracting parties, legal basis and continuity before moving in
The contract title alone does not yet explain whether you will become a main tenant or a subtenant. Check the actual contractual chain and the applicable legal framework before treating an offered subletting as an equivalent substitute for a main tenancy.
After the tenancy change comes the annual bill: allocate operating and heating costs differently in Austria
A later billing balance after a tenancy change does not always belong to the old or new tenant under the same rule. Distinguish the MRG annual flat-rate settlement, HeizKG periods of use and the actual contractual framework that applies.
Ablöse first, tenancy later? Jointly examine taking over a kitchen during an Austrian change of tenancy
A fictitious kitchen case links the items taken over, demonstrable value and the still-open tenancy. The article explains the limited legal classification of Ablöse and a coordinated approach before payment and handover.
A place in an Austrian student hall: plan contract, hall year and move-out to fit your studies
For a hall place a usage contract and the hall statute belong together. The article links the hall year, extension request and possible change of place of study with a concrete personal housing timetable.
Already moved in but no signed tenancy paper: clarify the existing status before you confirm a new draft
A missing signed sheet does not yet answer whether a tenancy exists. Separate the documentation of a previous agreement from later proposed changes and check any asserted fixed-term agreement within the appropriate Austrian legal framework.
A pet is to move into the rented flat: check your own contract instead of deriving a general permission from a judgement
What does the Austrian animal-keeping decision of 2025 actually say and what remains open for your contract? A hypothetical household shows how to prepare the desired keeping, the contract wording and a concrete enquiry together.
Rent arrears in Vienna: finding advice for securing housing appropriate to the actual procedural status
For Vienna the different starting situations in rent arrears are ordered: no proceedings yet, a court letter or already an eviction date. The article shows current advisory routes and separates assistance with the application from an assured cash payment.
Working professionally in an Austrian rented flat: Clarify the actual use before you start
Describe the planned professional activity in your rented flat concretely and separate contract, official requirements and practical everyday living. The article explains why the word Homeoffice neither permits every use nor means the same assessment for every activity.
Preparing Vienna housing allowance: clarify household, income and desired start of benefit together
Organise household, up-to-date evidence and desired start of benefit for a Vienna housing allowance application. The article explains limited regional rules without anticipating a personal entitlement or subsidy amount.