Bernhard Heinzle:

“Many people are already up to their necks in water”

The high cost of housing is a particular problem for many people in Vorarlberg.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

More and more people in Vorarlberg are struggling to make ends meet. The consumer protectors at the Chamber of Labor are feeling this every day.

Between January and June 2024, the consumer protection department of the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labor counted a total of 27,487 services - these can be telephone calls, personal consultations, responses to email inquiries, but also interventions for clients. By comparison, "only" 22,164 services were registered in the same period of the previous year. Head of department Karin Hinteregger knows why demand has risen by a whopping 25 percent: "We are noticing very clearly in consumer advice that people are looking more and more at money, especially in the area of operating costs."

The consequences of inflation are eating away at the substance
In this segment, the number of inquiries has increased by almost 90 percent. Inquiries in the areas of insurance (+52%) and financial services (+34%) as well as telecommunications (+35%) have also exploded. "We have noticed that rejections of services and increases in insurance premiums or bank charges are being scrutinized very closely. The increase in the telecommunications sector is largely due to the issue of service charges, which has still not been conclusively clarified, and the ORF contribution."

We don't need more new-build apartments for rich investors, but finally enough affordable living space.

Bernhard Heinzle, Präsident der Arbeiterkammer

Bild: Stiplovsek Dietmar

Chamber of Labor President Bernhard Heinzle is not surprised that people apparently have to turn over every euro twice: "Unfortunately, the figures are not surprising, as we know from our regular online surveys on inflation, for example, how much people in Vorarlberg are now burdened by the high cost of living and housing." Most recently, an alarming 83% stated that they were "burdened" or even "severely burdened" by their housing costs.

There is a lack of affordable housing in the country
The rise in prices is a massive concern for Vorarlberg residents, and the lack of affordable housing would make the situation even worse: "Many people are already up to their necks in housing costs - it's not just a feeling, we get confirmation of this every day in the inquiries we receive," warns Heinzle. Vorarlberg's state politicians are called upon to counteract this dangerous development as quickly as possible: "We don't need more new-build apartments for investors that are unaffordable for the average Vorarlberg resident, but finally enough affordable housing!"