When considering renting apartments, homes or commercial spaces there is a significant distinction between a main rental agreement and a sublet or sublease agreement.
For a main rental, a lease contract is held between the landlord and the tenant and it is engaged immediately. In a sublease, the lease contract is between the main tenant and the sublet tenant. It is important to check with the landlord whether the main tenant has the right to sublet the facility. In a sublet agreement, the tenant does not have direct contact to the owner (owners, managers) of the apartment, but with the main tenant.
In residential communities such as group houses or shared apartments, it is the possible for all roommates to be individually contracted with the landlord. This arrangement can prove complicated and may lead to disputes. Another arrangement is for a single person of the residential community to sign the lease contract as main contact person and to then sign sublet contracts with each of the other roommates.
The Austrian National Student Union provides a useful pamphlet (in German) full of information about living in residential communities.
During the period of the rental contract, the landlord (or in cases of sublease, the main tenant) may select to terminate the lease only in the circumstance of serious grounds. The definitions of such serious reasons are enumerated in the Landlord and Tenant Act. One such example is the event of non-payment or an "adverse use" of the rental property.
There are both temporary and permanent leases. In perpetual leases, it is more difficult for a rental agreement to be terminated whereas in temporary leases a contract may be more easily ended. A commission and security deposit is charged in the initial rental contract which is usually the sum of up to three months' rent (including operating costs and 10% VAT).
More information about rental contracts for tenants and landlords may be found at these links:
Apartment listings may be found online at:
Depending on availability, full-time enrolled students in Austrian universities are first in line for student housing and dormitories. In most circumstances student housing facilities are also available to part-time university students and students of Austrian colleges.
Places in student housing facilities, which are supported by Federal funds are allocated based on the criteria of social need, academic success and distance to home.
More information and a list of student homes and dormitories in Austria is available on the site of the Austrian National Student Union.