Guide for landlords
Renting out a flat in Vienna, step by step
You want to rent out your flat privately, without an agent and without nasty surprises? Here is what actually needs to happen in Austria: from the mandatory documents to the right rent and the handover. And your listing goes online on wohnwahn for free, usually in under a minute.
The 7 steps at a glance
- 01
Decide: fixed-term or open-ended
Fixed-term residential leases must be in writing and run for at least 3 years. Your tenants may terminate after the first year with 3 months notice; you are bound to the term.
- 02
Gather the documents
Above all the energy certificate: HWB and fGEE are mandatory in the listing. Plus a floor plan, the service-charge statement and a few good photos.
- 03
Set a realistic rent
Depending on the building, either the regulated "Richtwert" rent applies (typical for pre-war buildings) or a freely agreed rent. Compare similar flats via the price per square metre and state service charges separately.
- 04
Create the listing
Honest title, clear key facts, good photos, a concrete location description. On wohnwahn your listing is automatically enriched with real location data for your address.
- 05
Enquiries and viewings
Enquiries go straight to you. Bundle viewing appointments instead of running individually, and ask the key questions early (move-in date, household size, income).
- 06
Sign the lease
In writing, with clear rules on deposit (three gross monthly rents are customary), service charges and maintenance. The former lease stamp duty for flats has been abolished.
- 07
Document the handover
Handover protocol with meter readings, condition and photos, signed by both parties. It spares you most arguments at the end of the tenancy.
Obligations and documents: what you must have
The energy certificate is mandatory, already in the listing
Under the Austrian Energy Certificate Act (EAVG), the heating demand (HWB) and the overall energy efficiency factor (fGEE) must appear in the listing itself, and since 30 May 2026 the energy efficiency class as well. Without a certificate, administrative fines of up to 1,450 euros are possible. The certificate is valid for 10 years; for many flats one already exists with the building management.
- Floor plan
- With square-metre figures; otherwise prospective tenants will certainly ask.
- Service charges
- The current statement from the building management; show them separately from the rent in the listing.
- Photos
- Bright, tidy, landscape format. The first photo decides the click.
- Proof of ownership
- Keep a land-register extract ready; serious tenants ask for it.
The right rent: regulated or free?
How much rent you may charge depends on the building. Simplified: for many pre-war flats (building permit before 1945) the "Richtwert" system of the Austrian Tenancy Act applies, the Vienna reference value is published officially, with surcharges and deductions for location and fittings. For new buildings and most newer condominiums, the rent is freely agreed.
Two things almost always hold: for fixed-term leases in the regulated segment, a 25 percent fixed-term deduction applies. And an excessive regulated rent can be challenged at the arbitration board years later, so honest pricing protects you too.
For orientation: compare similar flats in your neighbourhood via the price per square metre (net rent divided by area) rather than the total rent, and state rent and service charges separately. It looks professional and avoids questions.
This guide is orientation, not legal advice. Whether regulated or free rent applies depends on the individual case; in doubt, the arbitration board or brief legal advice helps.
The listing: free, honest and online in minutes
Since the buyer-pays principle ("Bestellerprinzip"), the agent commission is paid by whoever hires the agent, for rentals that is you. Listing yourself saves that entirely, and on wohnwahn it costs nothing: no package, no term, no hidden fees.
- Live in minutes
- An automatic quality check reviews your listing; if it passes, it goes online right away, no waiting for approval.
- Real location data included
- wohnwahn automatically adds what no portal shows: accessibility by mode, sun hours, climate, noise and the surroundings of your address. Your listing becomes more credible.
- Provider account included
- You see views and enquiries per listing, edit it yourself at any time and mark it as let with one click.
- Enquiries straight to you
- Interested people email you directly, no middleman, and wohnwahn earns nothing from it.
Lease and handover: the last mile
- Fixed term
- Fixed-term residential leases: in writing, at least 3 years. Tenants may terminate after one year with 3 months notice.
- Deposit
- Three gross monthly rents are customary, kept separate from your own assets (for example a savings account). It is returned with interest at the end, minus documented damages.
- Service charges
- Settle once a year; within the full scope of the Tenancy Act by 30 June of the following year.
- Handover protocol
- Meter readings, condition, number of keys, photos, two signatures. Five minutes that always pay off.
- Tax
- Rental income is subject to income tax. A brief consultation with a tax advisor is worth it.
Common questions about renting out
What does it cost to list my flat?
Nothing on wohnwahn. No package, no term, no commission. wohnwahn is a private, independent project and earns nothing from the transaction.
May I rent out my flat without an agent?
Yes, of course. There is no agent requirement. Since the buyer-pays principle, the commission is paid by whoever hires the agent, so listing yourself saves that cost entirely.
Do I really need an energy certificate?
Yes. HWB and fGEE must appear in the listing itself (since 30 May 2026 the efficiency class as well), and the certificate must be presented at signing at the latest. Fines of up to 1,450 euros are possible without one. It is valid for 10 years and often already exists for the building.
How long do I have to fix the term?
A fixed-term residential lease must be in writing and run at least 3 years. Shorter terms are invalid and the lease counts as open-ended. Your tenants may terminate after the first year with 3 months notice.
What is the difference between regulated and free rent?
Within the full scope of the Austrian Tenancy Act (typically pre-1945 buildings) the rent is capped via the "Richtwert" system, with surcharges and deductions and a 25 percent deduction for fixed terms. For new buildings and most newer condominiums the rent is freely agreed. In doubt, the arbitration board clarifies it.
How fast is my listing online?
On wohnwahn usually in under a minute: an automatic quality check reviews the details, then the listing is immediately visible in the search. Only edge cases get a quick human look.
Read on
- Regulated rents & location surcharge in detail →
- Writing the listing: structure, title, template →
- Post directly: how it works →
- Letting commercial space →
Last updated: July 2026 · Orientation, not legal advice