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CHILDREN

‘Ninja tests’: What are Austria’s coronavirus sticker book tests for children?

Austria has rolled out a 'playful' sticker book to encourage children to get tested. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 12 May 2021 17:53 CEST
Updated: 14 May 2021 11:26 CEST
School children are regularly tested for COVID-19 at school in Austria (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP)
School children are regularly tested for COVID-19 at school in Austria (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP)

Austria is due to open up on May 19th with a “green pass” which will require people to show proof they have tested negative for Covid 19, recovered from an infection or been vaccinated to gain access to restaurants and events.

For children, there is a similar plan – but one which is a little more fun.

Paper, plastic or digital: How will Austria’s coronavirus immunity card work?

Known as the ‘Covid Ninja’ sticker book, it lets kids do certain things provided they have been tested. 

Here’s what you need to know. 

What is the Covid Ninja sticker book?

Children in Austria are already tested for the coronavirus three times a week at school before starting lessons.

Now they will be able to show they have been tested and gain access to restaurants, cafes, sports facilities and events with a special Covid Ninja sticker book, which will leave a space every week for three negative test “stars”. 

The stickers will remain valid for 48 hours, meaning after children have tested negative for the coronavirus at school they will not have  to test again within this period. 

A pilot project will also be rolled out in Vienna involving more sensitive PCR testing for school children rather than antigen testing.

If successful, PCR testing in schools will be done throughout Austria. In the interim, more sensitive antigen tests will be used. 

“We’re making it easy, almost playful (for kids to get tested)” said Education Minister Heinz Faßmann at a press conference on Wednesday. 

The scheme, which Austrian media are comparing to Panini collector stickers, uses a small sheet of paper decorated with a cartoon ninja. 

There is space for three stickers a week – one for each test – while the piece of paper is small enough to be carried in a wallet. 

Once the test has been carried out, the sticker can be put on the paper by the student or the teacher. 

An example can be found at the end of the page. 

The number of infections is low in schools, the APA agency reports. The positive rate for students is around 0.08 percent.

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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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