"As motivation"

100 euro “penalty rent” for small, empty apartments

Up to 92,000 apartments are said to be unused in Upper Austria, while rents and the cost of living are exploding. Now the idea of a "penalty rent" for vacancies is taking shape and is to start at 100 euros per month. However, there is political disagreement on this issue.

"The figure itself seems very high to me: According to Statistics Austria, there are 92,000 empty apartments in Upper Austria. Even if it's only half, that's around the amount of social housing that will be built in Upper Austria in 20 years. So there is potential to be tapped." Chamber of Labor President Andreas Stangl would also like to see a vacancy tax in Upper Austria so that owners are "motivated" to rent out unused square meters. "I can imagine that 100 euros per month for a single or couple's apartment would make a difference," says Andreas Stangl.

The government's rent freeze only improved the situation for 15 percent of respondents. On the other hand, dissatisfaction with the housing situation increased. There is room for improvement

Heinz Stöger analysierte die Zufriedenheit mit der Wohnsituation

Majority will be difficult to find
In Upper Austria, however, the issue of "punitive rents" is controversial. The Reds are clearly in favor, the Blacks not entirely against, but they would prefer to increase the taxes for second homes. The Blue Party is against it, as they see it as a "wealth tax".

Not everyone who has more than 3,000 euros net at their disposal no longer worries about housing

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com)

Up to five percent more expensive
While people are arguing here, there is growing anger in the country about the rising cost of housing and living. "Last year, 31 percent of Upper Austrians rated the affordability of housing as poor, currently it is already 35 percent," says Heinz Stöger from the Economic and Social Policy Department at the Chamber of Labor, referring to the current housing satisfaction index in Upper Austria. For this, 800 people were surveyed, regardless of whether they live in rented or owned property. Tenants and house builders with a flexible loan in particular are complaining about more worries, as rents and interest rates have risen by up to five percent in one year - see also our chart. On average, an apartment costs 9.30 euros "cold" per square meter in subsidized housing and 10.30 euros on the open market.

Satisfaction has also risen
It is interesting to note that the proportion of those who can afford to live very easily has also risen - from 25 to 28 percent. "Those who have no debts or fixed-interest loans have benefited here," say the AK experts. 64% of Upper Austrians who live in rented accommodation feel burdened by the increase in housing costs over the last two years, while rents have remained the same for 10%.

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Unsurprisingly, young people are the least able to afford housing. And this is perhaps the most important lever that could be used: The young need start-up assistance and thus affordable housing that enables them to save up enough money to then, in the best case, lay the foundations for ownership.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

With such temporary, low-cost housing, some people could escape the rental price spiral and show personal responsibility. After all, those who prefer to squander their savings on going out, expensive cars or vacations have set the wrong priorities in the long term.