House rules are in place to ensure the comfort and safety of all tenants. Mutual consideration and understanding, as well as compliance to certain rights and responsibilities are the best prerequisites for good neighbourly relations. House rules are therefore part of the tenancy agreement. There are several important topics you should always keep in mind:
Using the public spaces of the house and housing estate
You have to keep stairways, corridors, courtyards and green spaces clean at all times in the interests of all tenants. If you pollute the public spaces in a way that exceeds normal use, you are responsible for cleaning up the dirt.
Fire protection requirements
Stairways, hallways, attics, entrances to basem*nt or cellar rooms, etc. have to be kept free of furniture, bicycles and other large objects. Inflammable material such as packaging, paper, newspapers and mattresses must not be stored in any parts of a housing estate. Fuel oil, fuel and liquefied petroleum gas can be stored provided the strict storage regulations for such materials are adhered to.
Also gas heaters need to be maintained and checked on a regular basis in order to guarantee their safety and energy efficiency. Especially during heat waves the numbers of accidents with gas heaters are increasing causing carbon monoxide poisonings.
Chimney sweep services and waste separation
An inspection and survey of chimneys and gas-fired systems takes place once a year in every house in Vienna. The chimney sweep inspects chimneys as well as gas-fired systems such as boilers, gas-fired hot water tanks and gas ovens. The chimney sweep must have full access to all these facilities even to those that are currently not in use. Even though modern chimney sweeping is an efficient and clean process, it is possible that there will be some dust and dirt. You should therefore seal all chimney connections (also if you have gas-fired systems) in good time before the inspection.
It is prohibited to store highly inflammable materials. Please put all your household waste and other refuse into the designated waste containers. There are two types of waste containers in the garbage room or courtyard of every house. The green container with the red lid is for waste paper, and the black or grey container is for residual waste. Please note that it is prohibited to dump bulky waste beside the containers. You will find waste containers for other materials at collection points close to your house:
- Metal and metal dins (blue lid)
- Clear glass (white lid) and stained glass (green lid)
- Plastic bottles (yellow lid)
Noise, dogs and other animals
Tenants must avoid any disturbing noises or sounds such as playing loud music, conducting vocal or instrumental practice or banging doors that will interfere with the rights, comforts or convenience of other occupants of the house after 10 pm. Hours of rest also apply on Sundays and bank holidays. If you would like to throw a party, you should inform your neighbours about it in good time. In this case, a short written notice at the main entrance is sufficient.
Tenants are basically allowed to keep dogs or other commonly accepted pets in housing estates as long as they do not interfere with the comfort and convenience of other tenants. Pet owners are obliged to clean up all animal waste at their own costs.
Toilets, laundry room, water consumption
It is prohibited to throw solid waste into the toilets. Tenants are responsible for repairing any damage resulting from misuse of the toilets.
The janitor (Hausbesorger/Hausbesorgerin or Hausmeister/Hausmeisterin) or any other person responsible for the laundry and drying rooms has to take care that the tenants use the laundry and drying rooms only during designated hours.
Tenants are asked to conserve water and avoid wasting it. All tenants are therefore obliged to repair any leaking taps or running toilets.
Keys and absence of tenants
Please note that you will have to hand in all keys (for your dwelling, office or rented rooms as well as for the main entrance, storage rooms and garage) when you move out. In some housing estates the main entrance is locked at an agreed time in the evening for security reasons. If tenants are absent for a longer time, they will have to tell the property management where they keep the keys for their dwellings and storage rooms for security reasons.
Vehicles
Motor vehicles may only be parked on rented or designated parking spots. It is prohibited to clean or repair motor vehicles and to have the motor running in the courtyards and gardens of the housing estate.
Satellite TV systems
Please ask your property management if it is permitted to install satellite TV systems before actually installing them.
