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Which Austrian regions have been quarantined due coronavirus infections?

Over the past seven days, stark differences in infection rates have emerged between different states in Austria, with several regions put under isolation measures.

Published: 19 March 2021 16:25 CET
A man carrying out checks in Austria
Christof STACHE / AFP

Parts of Tyrol have been completely cut off from the outside world and locked down.

A village in Carinthia has a seven day incidence of almost 1,000. Meanwhile, in Vorarlberg, restaurants have opened and indoor events are allowed again.

What is the national situation?

Austria has opened its shops with distance rules and hairdressers, beauticians and tattoo parlours with a test requirement.

People must keep two metres apart in public places unless they live in the same household. 

In public, inside rooms, an FFP2 mask must also be worn, including on public transport and in cultural institutions such as museums, art halls, libraries and zoos, which are also open. 

Exit restrictions apply from 8pm to 6am. Outside this time a maximum of two households may meet with at most four adults and six children who must be supervised. 

Schools and kindergartens are open with testing and mask requirements.

Coronavirus hot spots

However, in some areas of Austria where there has been a rapid increase in coronavirus cases, further lockdown measures have been taken. As a rule of thumb, once the seven-day-incidence rises above 400 people per 100,000 inhabitants for one week, this should trigger further restrictions. 

Tyrol, which is experiencing an outbreak of the South African variant of the coronavirus, is also subject to special restrictions, including when travelling to Bavaria in Germany. 

So which areas of Austria are seeing a fall in cases, and which regions are seeing an increase which puts them in the danger zone? 

Carinthia

Hermagor in Carinthia is currently locked down, and  people are only allowed to leave the district with a recent negative coronavirus test. A 24-hour stay at home order is also imposed.  Since lockdown measures were imposed the 7-day incidence has dropped from 700 to 266 (as of Wednesday). The seven day incidence will have to drop below 200 for the district to reopen, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober has said. 

The  village of Zlan in the municipality of Stockenboi is to be cordoned off from Sunday onwards. Leaving will only possible with a negative test. The village has around 400 inhabitants and a seven-day incidence of almost 1,000.

Lower Austria

Exit controls requiring a recent negative coronavirus test have been in place in the city of Wiener Neustadt since last week. The seven day incidence was at 515 in this area on Thursday.

However the districts of Neunkirchen (452.8) and Wiener Neustadt-Land (449.5) are not yet considered a high incidence area according to Health Minister Rudolf Anschober’s ordinance, as the high numbers have not been in place for seven days. 

Salzburg 

In St Johann im Pongau in Salzburg you need a recent negative coronavirus test to leave the municipalities of  Bad Hofgastein, Dorfgastein and Bad Gastein. In Tamsweg in Salzburg, a test requirement to leave is in place until 24th March.

Tyrol 

In Tyrol you need a recent negative PCR or antigen coronavirus test to use cable cars to go skiing. Extra tests and mask requirements are in place for old people and nursing homes. The Tivoli and Greifmarkt markets have been suspended in Innsbruck until 27th March.

There are test requirements in place if you want to leave the  Haiming and Roppen municipalities and Arzl im Pitztal municipality in Imst. The same applies to the municipalities of Matrei in East Tyrol and Virgen 

Since 27th February, people have been required to wear an FFP2 mask outdoors in certain public places in the municipalities of Jenbach, Mayrhofen and Schwaz. 

There are also border restrictions in place for people travelling between Tyrol in Austria and Bavaria in Germany.  However, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Thursday he believed German border controls to Tyrol could end within two weeks, according to the APA agency.

Tyrol was a European hotspot for the South African variant of the coronavirus, but received extra Biontech-Pfizer vaccines from the EU to vaccinate people living in the Schwaz area. The number of active cases of the South African variant has since been reduced from 200 to 60. 

Vienna 

On 19th March stricter measures  involving more testing and stricter quarantine rules were brought in for schools, kindergartens and after-school care groups.

Around 159 teachers and kindergarten teachers fell ill with Covid-19 in Vienna last week, according to ORF Vienna, and the seven-day incidence is highest in the latest AGES figures among 5 to 14-year-olds. The city’s seven day incidence is one of the highest of the federal states in Austria, standing at 276.

Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg, which has one of the lowest seven day incidences in Austria (59.4)  has opened up its restaurants and pubs for people with a recent negative coronavirus tests.

Distance and mask requirements are in place. A maximum of four adults from two households plus a maximum of six minor children may be seated at each table.

Events for up to 100 people can take place indoors and outdoors with testing and mask requirements in place along with other safety measures.

Sports for children and teenagers up to 18 years can take place inside with testing. Outdoors, 20 people up to the age of 18 and three trainers are permitted to train together.

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RENTING

‘Betriebskosten’: What are the extra costs renters must pay in Austria?

Renting an apartment in Austria means you’ll have to budget not only for the rent, but other somewhat hidden monthly costs and expenses.

Published: 30 April 2024 11:29 CEST
'Betriebskosten': What are the extra costs renters must pay in Austria?

Understanding operating costs or the specific expenses landlords or property agencies charge renters, is crucial for staying on top of your monthly payments when renting a place in Austria. These extra costs, known in German as Betriebskosten, are strictly regulated by Austria’s Tenancy Act. 

Here are the operating expensses that are chargeable to tenants, according to the MieterHilfe Public Association:

  • Water/wastewater and costs of leak testing, plus excess consumption due to burst pipes, but does not include disproportionate additional consumption for commercial operations;
  • Rubbish removal (and also clearing out floors and cellars);
  • Clearing out abandoned property;
  • Pest control, with costs such as extermination and periodic inspection or removal of pigeon droppings. Installation of pigeon screens is not included;
  • Sweeping fees (chimney sweep);
  • Electricity for lighting and communal facilities, such as the stairwell, but also replacement of light bulbs, fuses or switches;
  • Insurance premiums for fire, liability and water damage;
  • Insurance premiums for glass breakage and storm damage provided that more than half of the tenants have agreed to this being passed on;
  • Management fee (there is a set administration fee per square metre of usable space and building construction year)
  • House cleaning, including wages and social payments if there is a caretaker, plus materials; 
  • Public charges, unless there is a prohibition on passing them on – offsetting of property taxes is permitted;
  • Ongoing operating costs for communal facilities (lift, heating, playground, green areas, common rooms, etc.).

However, costs such as maintenance and repair work can never be charged under operating expenses.

The same goes for any ‘disproportionate additional costs or consumption due to commercial operations ‘, which refers to costs that are significantly higher than what would be considered normal for residential use or costs that are incurred due to the operation of a business within the rented property. 

READ ALSO: Tenant or landlord – Who pays which costs in Austria?

Vienna’s association for tenants MieterHilfe has a calculator that uses average values to show whether the Betriebskosten you pay are comparatively low, medium or high. The association notes, however, that even low values could be considered unauthorised billing in some cases. In contrast, high values could be correct – the calculator only shows if you are paying too much compared to other properties in the city.

You can check the values HERE. You will need to know either the total usable area of the building or the usable area of the flat and the operating cost share—this information is usually shown in a payment statement you receive from property management. 

What if I believe I am being unfairly charged?

If you think you are paying too much, but the charges are legal – such as for water electricity etc, then you would need to raise this issue with property management. They could take measures to save on operating costs, such as replacing old light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones or setting lights to a timer instead of a traditional light switch, for example.

There are many possible reasons for high or low values, according to the City of Vienna. For example, you may pay comparatively low for water one year because of a small number of residents, while the following year, there are leaking sanitary facilities and a burst water pipe that raises costs.

Buildings with many communal areas and green spaces often tend to have higher operating costs, especially for water, electricity, and housekeeping. 

However, things are different if you think you are being unduly charged—that is, there are charges in the operating costs that do not belong there, such as unapproved construction repair.

READ ALSO: Renting in Austria – The key things foreign residents need to know

If you are unsure of the costs, there is a significant deviation from average prices for no particular reason, or you believe that you are being charged for something not legally admissible as an operating cost, you could have a free check carried out by MieterHilfe or a tenant protection organisation. 

If there is a suspicion of unauthorised billing that cannot be dispelled between tenants and the property management company, this will be clarified at the arbitration board. The arbitration board is an independent body that mediates disputes between tenants and landlords. It is a point of contact before the courts in case of difficulties or legal disputes, and its decision is legally binding.

Property management companies and landlords must settle the operating costs for the previous year by 30 June at the latest and disclose them to tenants. This deadline is set to ensure that tenants have sufficient time to review their cost statements and raise any concerns before the new rental year begins. All expenses must be itemised in the statement, providing transparency and allowing tenants to see exactly what they are being charged for.

They are obliged to provide tenants with a detailed summary of the statement and the invoice documents. If the operating costs per square metre exceed €2, a more detailed review is recommended, according to the City of Vienna.

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