Pensioner desperate:

“Help, there are 3 ghost tenants living in my apartment!”

Pensioner Christine G. is desperate. The 61-year-old lives with three other people and knew nothing about it.

(Bild: Bartel Gerhard/Gerhard Bartel)

Several bogus registrations from unknown people are driving a 61-year-old pensioner in Vienna-Favoriten to the brink of despair. She has now even suffered financial damage as a result. But how can you protect yourself?

For more than 20 years now, pensioner Christine G. has been living alone in a small cooperative apartment in Favoriten. Only together with her Labrador dog "Bella". At least that's what the 61-year-old thought. But first things first.

For a few months now, Ms G. has been receiving mail from strangers at her address in Favoriten. At first, the pensioner didn't think anything of it. After all, it happens from time to time, she says. It was only when the number of letters increased and included important letters from the authorities that she became a little suspicious. 

Housing benefit rejected because she doesn't live alone
In March 2024, the minimum pensioner then applies to MA50 for housing benefit. But her application is rejected. The reason? She doesn't live alone. Ms. G. is completely flabbergasted. "The municipal official told me that there were three other people living in my apartment. That was a real shock. At first I thought it was a joke," says G. in despair. Without her knowledge, three complete strangers had registered in the 48 square meter apartment.

Ms. G. immediately contacted the police, but they were unable to help her and referred her to the magistrate's office responsible for the 10th district. The registration service tersely told her that they could not provide any information about the tenants in her apartment for data protection reasons. As Ms. G. stated that she had not signed any registration forms for other people, the authority then initiated official deregistration proceedings against other flatmates. With the warning that it could take several months. In addition, no information on the content of the ongoing proceedings may be provided.

Message: "I was registered with you"
Particularly brazen: a short time later, Ms G. finds a note in her postbox. One of the unknown flatmates asks her to get in touch with them. It was about medicines to be delivered to Mrs. G.'s address. Postscript: "I was registered with you."

One of the unknown flatmates wrote to Ms. G. and asked her to contact him.

(Bild: zVg,Krone KREATIV)

In response to a "Krone" inquiry, the responsible municipal department MA62 said: "The deregistration procedures have been completed. The respective persons have been deregistered. Ms. G. can therefore rest assured." She has now also been granted housing benefit.

How can tenants protect themselves? We asked the Vienna Tenants' Association about this. According to the interest group for tenant protection, Ms. G.'s approach was exactly right. If you receive letters or letters from authorities with someone else's name at your own address, you should cross out the recipient and write "Unknown". However, such cases would occur again and again and they would also become more frequent. In the case of Ms. G., it can be assumed that her signature was forged. 

Fictitious registrations are not a trivial offense
Registering a place of residence without de facto (actual) accommodation is in any case a criminal offense and not a trivial offense. It is an administrative offense. It is punishable by a fine of up to 726 euros, or even up to 2180 euros in the event of a repeat offense.

But how can I find out who is registered at my address? Apartment owners can request information about the names of all persons registered in their apartment. Tenants can contact the property management company. They can request information about the names and addresses of all persons registered in the building (on a staircase or in an apartment).