Air conditioning without a balcony? Avoiding heat becomes a nightmare!

Air conditioning without a balcony? Avoiding heat becomes a nightmare!

The topic of air conditioning is currently being hotly debated in Meidling. A wheelchair user struggles against the oppressive summer heat in her apartment and is urgently looking for solutions to cool down. However, her request to install an air conditioning system with the property management company “Neues Leben” was unsuccessful because the special conditions of her rental apartment presented a challenge. This situation reflects the dilemma of many tenants who want a cooling solution but have to struggle with bureaucratic hurdles. According to the regulations for rental apartments, such installations require the approval of the landlord or property management company - especially when it comes to structural changes.

What makes air conditioning installation so complicated? Well, in Austria, air conditioning units can only be installed if they are not visible from the outside, as is necessary in many cases, for example by mounting them on a balcony. But here is the problem: the apartments on the first floor of the affected building do not have a balcony, which significantly limits the chances of approval. The property management has already made it clear that air conditioning cannot be approved for reasons of cityscape. This particularly affects residents who are dependent on these technical aids.

The role of permits

As smartklimatizen.de explains, approval to install air conditioning depends on many factors, especially in rental apartments. Not only is permission from the landlord required, but also compliance with noise regulations and structural requirements. For unauthorized installations, tenants risk warnings or may even have to remove the devices.

• Eigenheim: Hier können Hauseigentümer meist ohne Baugenehmigung bauliche Veränderungen vornehmen.
• Eigentumswohnung: Die Zustimmung der Eigentümergemeinschaft ist notwendig, was eine Abstimmung in der Eigentümerversammlung erfordert.
• Mietwohnung: Die Zustimmung des Vermieters ist unverzichtbar.
• Mobile Klimageräte: Diese benötigen keine Genehmigung und sind eine gute Alternative für Mieter, die nicht auf Genehmigungen warten möchten.

Legal framework

Installing an air conditioning system requires not only approval, but also consideration of local regulations, as described by anwalt-seiten.de. Aspects such as noise protection, distance areas and the design of the facade are crucial here. Strict noise regulations that set maximum noise levels apply, especially in residential areas. The wheelchair user in Meidling has already purchased blinds to reduce the heat in her apartment, showing that creative solutions often have to be sought to meet the challenges of living space.

She tries to cool down a bit on the communal balcony. But despite these measures, concerns remain about the coming summers. The urgent need for air conditioning in rental apartments without balconies shows how important it is to rethink the legal framework. Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether the property management in Meidling will modify its regulations to provide tenants with a more pleasant living situation.