Vienna-Neubau: District boss Reiter fights against illegal Airbnb key boxes!

Vienna-Neubau: District boss Reiter fights against illegal Airbnb key boxes!

Things are currently going really well in the heart of Vienna-Neubau, as the district is doing everything it can to defend itself against illegal short-term rentals. District leader Markus Reiter (Greens) took the initiative and personally removed an unauthorized Airbnb key box on Sankt-Ulrichs-Platz. This box, which was used to anonymously hand over apartment keys, was not only a nuisance, but also led to increased stress on the living environment. Residents complain about constant visits from strangers, and many are already sensing a loss of sense of neighborhood.

The situation is explosive: around 700 newly built apartments have now been converted into holiday apartments, which accounts for around 4.2 percent of the district's total housing stock. In the last ten years, the number of listed Airbnb offers has increased tenfold - from 70 in 2014 to an impressive 720 in 2024. "There is something there," says Reiter, who clearly identified the ban on Airbnb in residential zones as a core issue before the election. But the city government has not yet acted. In order to improve the unfortunate situation in the long term, Reiter is calling for a change to the building regulations in order to stop the loss of urgently needed living space.Housing spokesman Georg Prack (Greens) also supports this demand and advocates a general ban on Airbnb rentals within the belt and only very limited options outside.

Strict regulations and their problems

In this context, stricter rules for renting apartments in Vienna have been in force since July 2024. These only allow tourist rentals to be used for a maximum of 90 days per year. If you would like to rent for a longer period of time, you must apply for this to MA 37 (building police). But it seems that these regulations are proving to be ineffective in the densely populated districts. Many providers continue to use the option of allowing up to 20 percent of a property to be used commercially. This comes at the expense of the quality of life and available living space for Viennese residents, who urgently need affordable rental apartments.

Reiter called on the public to report suspicious key boxes. All illegally installed boxes should be removed across the board and tenants should be given more room to breathe. “We have to look for solutions together to protect the living environment in new buildings,” says Reiter, emphasizing the need for intensive cooperation with the City of Vienna.

The situation in Neubau reflects a larger problem affecting many urban areas. Illegal Airbnb rentals not only endanger living space, but also the quality of life of local residents. It is therefore to be hoped that the strict measures and pressure from the district government will have an effect and bring about a rethink in how we deal with short-term rentals.

The citizens of Vienna-Neubau can help here by keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, because it should remain livable - for everyone!

For more information and updates on the situation in Neubau, visit the articles on Krone.at, OTS.at and ORF Vienna.