With "concentrated power"

Vienna launches campaign against real estate speculators

Ludwig and Gaál with Vienna's "concentrated organizational power": (from left) Christian Bartok (Mieterhilfe), Walter Hillerer (Gruppe Sofortmaßnahmen), Bernhard Jarolim (Stadtbauamt) and Gerhard Cech (Baupolizei).

(Bild: Urbantschitsch Mario/Mario Urbantschitsch)

The city is now taking action against real estate speculators with a massive coordinated strike. The black sheep among landlords are to be targeted with complaints, charges and raids. The city already has twelve houses in its sights.

There are increasing numbers of cases in Vienna where speculators are getting rich off the backs of tenants - often in slum areas, but also behind inconspicuous facades. The city now wants to make an example of the twelve worst buildings "spread across the city". Mayor Michael Ludwig wants to achieve the following: "Potential speculators should know that they are up against the concentrated organizational power of the City of Vienna."

City enters uncharted legal territory
Mieterhilfe, the immediate action group, the city building authority and the building police are entering the ring together. According to the head of Mieterhilfe, Christian Bartok, there are only "a handful of speculators in Vienna, but we will put a stop to them". This is to be achieved in two ways: On the one hand, the city wants to use familiar levers more intensively than ever before: Notices, inspections and compulsorily ordered repairs are to be hailed against the rent sharks.

In addition, the city is breaking new legal ground, on the one hand with a flood of criminal charges ranging from fraud to accusations of criminal association, and on the other with Section 6 of the Tenancy Act, which has hardly ever been used before. This allows the forced administration of houses if maintenance obligations are disregarded. The city could then, for example, have these houses renovated at the owner's expense and even conclude new tenancy agreements itself.

There is not yet a wave of speculation, but every case is one too many.

Bürgermeister Michael Ludwig

Bild: Urbantschitsch Mario/Mario Urbantschitsch

Ludwig does not want to promise that the town hall will actually win such lawsuits: "In court and on the high seas, you are in God's hands." However, he hopes for the deterrent effect and promises not to be discouraged by setbacks.

City hall does not want to be put under pressure
The town hall is also aware that speculators could put the city under pressure by throwing tenants out on the street - and emphasizes: In this case, the usual support services are available, but no more, especially not with council apartments: "That would support the speculators' business model."

Deputy Mayor Kathrin Gaál, City Councillor for Housing, emphasized that there were only a few black sheep. However, the aim is to take countermeasures before a wave of real estate speculation hits the city, as happened once before in the 1980s. Most landlords in the city are "responsible and keep their properties in good condition: You have to say thank you for that, especially at this point."