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VIENNA

Vienna: How to get up to €1,000 to buy a cargo bike

Austria's capital is offering to subsidise the purchase of cargo bikes (electric or not) for private individuals. Here's how to apply for the funds.

Published: 5 October 2022 16:42 CEST
Vienna: How to get up to €1,000 to buy a cargo bike
Cargo bikes can be subsidised in Vienna (Copyright: PID / Christian Fürthner)

If you are considering purchasing a transport bicycle and live in Vienna – where those bikes are becoming more popular – you can apply for up to €1,000 in financial support from the City of Viena.

“Transport bicycles are bicycles with added value. They can carry the weekly shopping, the things needed for an excursion, or children after a day out at a playground. All this without emitting harmful emissions. A win-win situation for people and the climate,” said Martin Blum, Managing Director of the Vienna Mobility Agency.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to claim your €200 voucher for electronics repair in Austria

The purchase of cargo bikes for private individuals is subsidised by up to €1,000. In addition, “special bikes” such as wheelchair cargo bikes or wheelchair rickshaws, mainly used to transport people with walking disabilities, will also be subsidised.

“In order to advance climate protection in Vienna, a variety of measures are needed. In addition to expanding public transport, sharing services and cycling infrastructure, we are also promoting transport bicycles,” said Mobility City Councillor Ulli Sima.

How much will the City finance?

Private individuals with their primary residence in Vienna have the opportunity to receive a subsidy. A maximum of 50 percent of the purchase price is refunded.

For transport bicycles without an electric motor, the maximum subsidy is €800. The maximum support for cargo bicycles with an electric motor is €1,000.

The subsidy applies to newly purchased transport bicycles and retroactively.

READ ALSO: Energy costs: Vienna to support 200,000 households with up to €500

Transport bicycles purchased after March 1st 2022, can be submitted for funding. The City of Vienna’s transport bicycle subsidy for private individuals will run until the end of 2026.

How do I apply for the subsidy?

The applications are made online and in two steps.

The first requires applicants to send documents with details on the bike and its cost and their own data, including your proof of residence.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about cycling in Austria

After the request is approved and you buy your cargo bike, the second step needs to be completed. It involves sending the invoice for the cargo bike, including a picture of it, and other information, including your bank account details, so that the payment can be made to your account.

In other words, the funding comes only after you’ve purchased the bike, but it is confirmed beforehand – so you don’t need to worry about buying a bike and ultimately paying the total price for it.

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For members

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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