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Why winter tyres could be more expensive in Austria this year

Motorists need to change to winter tyres if they will be on the roads during Austria's cold season, but the switch could be more expensive this year due to the rising cost of raw materials.

Published: 21 October 2021 16:13 CEST
Updated: 24 October 2021 05:26 CEST
Car on snowy winter road
Don't forget to change to winter tyres if you will be driving in Austria this winter. Photo: Lisa/Pexels

The winter tyre season starts on November 1st in Austria, after which winter tyres are a legal requirement for all cars and trucks during wintry conditions (snow and ice) until April 15th. 

The tyre requirement is tied to the weather conditions rather than the date range, so even after November, you can use normal tyres in mild conditions.

Mechanics and auto industry leaders are reporting an increase in the cost of tyres this year.

Mario Alfreider, from Alfreider Auto Repair in Oberndorf, Tyrol, told The Local: “Prices this year are around three percent higher than last year because there is high demand and less supply globally.”

He added that despite this, there were plenty of tyres available in the region, so there was no need for any fears of a shortage.

READ MORE: Key points: Austria announces new rules for winter tourism

Michael Peschek-Tomasi, Branch Spokesman for the Car Tyre Trade in Salzburg, told ORF that winter tyres are 10 to 12 percent more expensive this year due to the rising cost of raw materials.

Peschek-Tomasi also said there are “delivery bottlenecks” for tyres that contain more steel, known as C tyres, because the global cost of steel has increased, leading to less tyres being produced.

C tyres are used on light trucks and vans, which have been popular with buyers in Austria in the past year due to the upcoming NoVA (standard consumption tax) increase.

Commercial vehicles will be more expensive to buy in Austria from May 1st 2022 when NoVA will increase. The tax rise was initially planned to be introduced on July 1st 2021 but was postponed due to supply chain delays for new commercial vehicles.

What’s behind the price rise?

Many of the world’s largest tyre plants are based in Asia and production has been impacted by new disinfection processes at facilities and Covid-19 restrictions. 

Throw in a shortage of steel due to higher prices and it has resulted in less tyres being produced globally.

Peschek-Tomasi, from the Car Tyre Trade in Salzburg, says delivery times for direct orders made to factories in Asia are currently around six weeks.

Reuters recently reported how a tyre shortage in the US is impacting farmers in Illinois during the harvest.

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RENTING

Can I get out of a rental contract in Austria?

Have you viewed an apartment in Vienna o elsewhere in Austria and hastily signed a contract? Don't you like the apartment after all? These are your withdrawal rights in Austria.

Published: 23 April 2024 17:24 CEST
Can I get out of a rental contract in Austria?

In Austria, the rental market is highly competitive, with apartments often staying on rental platforms for short periods due to high demand and limited supply. This, coupled with brief apartment visits (sometimes with other prospective tenants) and the pressure to secure a place, can lead to hasty contract signings. 

Understanding your withdrawal rights is essential in such a market.

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

If you signed a rental contract and then realised you don’t want the place, you might feel stuck in your contract. Austria does have really strict rules on contracts, so that “anyone who signs a rental offer makes a binding declaration that they wish to rent the apartment at a certain rate”, Austria’s Tenants Association says.

The real estate agent will also remind you that you cannot leave your contract, as you signed a contractual agreement (“verbindliches Angebot“, which means a binding offer). But what exactly are your rights then?

It’s all about timing

Basically it’s very tricky and almost impossible to back out after signing a rental contact in Austria.

According to Austria’s Chamber of Labour (AK), Austrian law is on your side – but only in a particular case. 

Under a consumer law that applies to all types of contracts, including rental agreements, you are protected against potential pressure from real estate agents and property owners. If you view an apartment and sign an agreement on the same day, you have the right to withdraw from the contract within the week. Furthermore, if the estate agent fails to inform you of your right to cancel, you can withdraw from the contract within one month.

READ ALSO: Shopping in Austria – What are your consumer rights when purchasing goods?

The Tenants Association is more critical and explains that withdrawal is only possible within the “narrow” limits of the Consumer Protection Act. “If you as a consumer submit your contractual declaration on the same day that you viewed the apartment for the first time, you can withdraw from your contractual declaration in writing within one week.”

If the offer was not signed on the day of the very first viewing, though, there is no right of withdrawal in Austria.

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

If you have the right to do so, the most effective way to withdraw from a rental contract is to do it in writing, preferably by a registered letter, as explained by the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK). This not only provides a clear record of your intent but also empowers you to navigate the legal aspects of the process with confidence. 

If you signed the offer after the viewing, you don’t have the right to withdraw from the contract you signed. In that case, you could ask for a mutual agreement termination, seeking an amicable termination option with the landlord. Otherwise, you’d be bound by the contract, which in Austria usually means you’d have to stay for one year in the apartment and give three months’ notice before leaving.

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