Vienna apartment landlords oppose stricter short-term rental rules

The Association of Apartment Landlords (VDAV) has publicly opposed planned increases in regulations for short-term rentals in Vienna. Spokespersons Marcel Wegscheider and Felix Gradinaru argued that further regulatory steps should only be considered after the implementation of a planned online register for short-term providers, citing a lack of precise data.

While public debate often cites 14,000 Airbnb listings in the city, the VDAV estimates that only between 4,000 and 5,000 apartments are actually used for regular tourist short-term rentals, based on data from the 'Inside Airbnb' project. The association also noted that their members serve diverse groups beyond tourists, including expats, researchers, students, and workers.

Meanwhile, the City of Vienna has reported a rising number of applications to convert residential apartments into accommodation businesses. However, building authorities noted that these applications also include renovations of existing hotels and pensions, making it unclear how many represent entirely new short-term rental units.