Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1

Housing/living in Vienna
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Housing issues
10   things to do before signing a rental contract
     1. Obtain an English version of the prospective rental contract;
     2. Never make any payments before verifying all related information;
     3. Make sure that you are aware of rental contract details before
         signing a binding offer;
     4. Carefully consider all paragraphs of the rental contract;
     5. Suggest inclusion of a diplomatic clause (early termination clause)
         in your rental contract when signing a limited lease;
     6. Negotiate real estate agent fees;
     7. Pay your deposit into a savings account;
     8. Be aware of complicated and cumbersome contractual constructs;
     9. Be aware of appliance renewal arrangements;
     10. If you feel uncertain about the contract, consult a lawyer.

     things that should be in a rental contract
 5   1.
     2.
     3.
          Duration of lease, start and end dates;
          Description and exact address of property;
          Monthly rent and additional (e.g. maintenance) charges;
     4.   Deposit;
     5.   Diplomatic clause.

     things which should not
 3   show up in a rental contract
     1. Obligation to repaint;
     2. Compensatory payment for early departure;
     3. Any sort of discrimination clause.

     absolute condition
 1
     Before renting a place, find help to check the contents of the rental
     contract.
Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Contents
Welcome ..........................................................................................................3

Housing/living in Vienna
   What types of accommodation are available in Vienna?............................4
   Is short term accommodation for singles/couples
   on short contracts available?.......................................................................4
   What does a partly furnished apartment include?......................................4
   What is included in a furnished apartment/house?....................................4
   Are there standard heating systems?..........................................................4
   What are the typical rental costs for an apartment or a house?................4
   Is there something I need to know about rent levels?.................................5
   What kind of rental subsidy can I get?........................................................5
   How are utility costs handled?.....................................................................5
   What is the typical commission paid to real estate agents?......................5
   What do house maintenance costs (Betriebskosten) include?..................6
   What is Value Added Tax (VAT)?..................................................................6
   What is the deposit?....................................................................................6
   What is the cost of living index?..................................................................7
   Can I purchase a property?.........................................................................7
   What are typical conditions?.......................................................................7
   Where to live?...............................................................................................8
   What does rental accommodation usually cost?......................................10
   Do I have to pay tax?..................................................................................10
   What is Ablöse?..........................................................................................10
   Can the landlord terminate my lease contract?........................................ 11
   What happens if I have to move out earlier than expected?..................... 11
   Do I need separate insurance coverage for my apartment
   and for my personal belongings?.............................................................. 11
   Are internet, cable TV, satellite TV available?............................................12
   Who is responsible for changing the name on the outside
   buzzer of the apartment building?.............................................................12

                                                        1
Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you recommend an insurance company, a transport service, or
   storage facilities?........................................................................................12
   Do I have to repaint my apartment prior to moving?................................12
   If I want to buy property, can you assist?..................................................12
   Is the VIC Housing Service free of charge for members of all
   organizations?............................................................................................12
   What is the consumer price index?...........................................................12
   What are the postal codes and names of the districts in Vienna?...........13
Useful vocabulary...........................................................................................14
Helpful hints....................................................................................................16
   Private short term accommodation...........................................................16
   Useful links.................................................................................................16
   Public transport..........................................................................................16
Emergency numbers....................................................................... Back cover

                                                        2
Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Housing/living in Vienna
Welcome
Finding suitable and convenient           • Counselling with regard to
accommodation in a strange                  Austrian rental law;
city can be daunting. You need
                                          • Rental accommodation listings
to consider location, calculate
                                            (database);
costs, find out about utilities and
services, and understand the              • Help with rental related queries.
pertinent legislation. The VIC
                                          Note: contracts concluded
Housing Service is here to help
                                          with landlords not listed with
you decide where to live and to
                                          the Housing Service cannot be
advise you on renting property.
                                          reviewed; however, please visit the
Welcome to the IAEA Housing               web site www.vichousing.org for
Service. We are happy to                  helpful hints.
support you in your quest to
                                          Email: VIC-Housing.Contact-
find appropriate and affordable
                                          Point@iaea.org;
accommodation in Vienna by
providing the following services:         Our office is located in:
                                          Building A, 7th floor, A-0764
• Individual evaluation of our
  customers’ requirements;

                                      3
Housing/living in Vienna Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Housing/living in Vienna
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What types of accommodation                be expected; however, some
are available in Vienna?                   landlords are willing to provide
                                           lamps, curtains and wall units.
Apartments
• Modern style, from 1950                  What is included in a
  onwards, furnished or partly
                                           furnished apartment/house?
  furnished;
                                           It can range from very basic
• Older style (Altbauwohnung),
                                           furniture to a fully furnished
  renovated and updated,
                                           dwelling, including crockery,
  mostly 19th century or early
                                           cutlery and linen.
  20th century, downtown
  and suburban, furnished
  or partly furnished.                     Are there standard
Houses
                                           heating systems?
                                           • The most common type of
• Modern townhouses, 2–3
                                             heating is gas central heating —
  storeys, mostly partly furnished;
                                             (Gasetagenheizung) for
• Single family houses in Vienna             individual use.
  and surroundings, partly
                                           • House central heating is typical
  furnished, private garden.
                                             for apartment buildings built in
                                             the ’60s–’80s. The costs are
Is short term accommodation                  usually part of the maintenance
available for those on short                 bill, subject to annual settlement
contracts?                                   of accounts.
Yes, there are a number of fully           • Fernwärme is an alternative type
furnished apartments available               of central heating, provided by
with a maximum rental duration of            the city. This is installed mostly
six months. Normally, all costs are          in new buildings.
covered in the rent.
                                           What are the typical
What does a partly furnished               rental costs for an
apartment include?                         apartment or a house?
Generally, it would have a fully           Costs at beginning of lease:
fitted kitchen with combined fridge/
                                           • First month’s rent in advance
freezer and electric or gas stove
and oven. No other furniture should        • Three months’ rent deposit

                                       4
Is there something I need                   energy provider (Wien Energie) via
to know about rent levels?                  www.wienenergie.at. It is important
                                            to have the meters read at the
Rents vary according to:                    beginning of the lease. The month
• location                                  when the meters of your apartment
                                            will be read appears on the annual
• type of building                          bill. Also, meter readings can be
• furnishing                                sent on line to Wien Energie via
                                            their web site. (Most landlords are
• availability of common facilities
                                            willing to assist in making these
• proximity to public transportation.       arrangements.)
Rents are paid in advance by
bank transfer from your account             What is the typical
to the account of the owners or             commission paid to
their representative.                       real estate agents?
                                            • Two months’ rent — basic rent
What kind of rental                           and house maintenance costs
subsidy can I get?                            if the lease period is more than
                                              three years;
The Division of Human Resources
will be glad to provide advice              • One month’s rent — basic rent
on both policy and procedural                 and house maintenance costs
aspects of the scheme. Please                 if the lease period is three years
refer to them or their web site:              or less;
www.iaea.org/about/employment/
                                            • 3% of the selling price if you
professional-staff/conditions
                                              purchase property;
                                            • 20% VAT on top of the amount,
How are utility costs handled?                added in all cases.
Your gas/electricity bill is based
                                            Please note: verbal commitments
on an estimate of consumption
                                            are binding and will entitle the agent
during the previous year. The
                                            to charge the commission that
accounts are settled each year,
                                            you agreed upon. We recommend
whereby any credit or amounts due
                                            not signing any documents that
are paid. Frequency of payment
                                            you don’t understand. Have them
depends on whether you pay by
                                            checked by competent persons/
direct debit or by installment.
                                            authorities (e.g. lawyers, notaries,
You can choose your method of
                                            tenants’ association).
payment on the website of the
                                        5
What do house maintenance                 Please note: VAT is not
costs (Betriebskosten) include?           applicable if the tenant enjoys full
                                          diplomatic status (P5 and above)
A catch-all charge including —            or if the owner’s income from rent
where applicable — payment for:           and their own business is lower
• caretaker (Hausmeister) and             than a certain amount per year.
  facility management company
• cold water and maintenance of           What is the deposit?
  external water pipes                    Three months’ total rent at
• building insurance (except for          the beginning of the lease to
  your private household insurance)       be paid to the owner or their
                                          representative.
• garbage collection
                                          However, the trend with
• taxes                                   commercial proprietors (e.g.
• cleaning and lighting of common         banks, insurance companies) is to
  area                                    charge up to six months’ rent.
• house administration and lift           How to pay deposits:
• chimney sweeping                        • Cash against receipt. The
                                            amount is refundable, usually
• gardener for common green area.
                                            including normal interest.
Please note: House maintenance
                                          • Bank transfer to the landlord’s
costs are revised at the end of
                                            account.
each calendar year by the house
administration (Hausverwaltung)           • Savings book. The amount is
and adjusted within the first six           paid into a savings book at
months of the following year. Your          your bank and handed over to
total rent will change accordingly,         the landlord, together with the
unless it was agreed that the rent          password.
would be paid as a lump sum,              • Bank guarantee. The bank
inclusive of charges.                       grants a credit up to the
                                            amount specified in the lease
What is Value                               agreement. The charges for
Added Tax (VAT)?                            the credit are approx. 2% per
                                            annum and a one-time fee for
10% on rent for accommodation               issuing the certificate.
for residential purpose, house
maintenance costs;                        Most owners will accept a savings
                                          book from your bank, to be
20% on furniture, heating, garage,        handed over upon signing the
utilities (gas, electricity).             lease or taking possession of keys

                                      6
against receipt. The interest goes         • Ask friends, neighbours and
to the tenant. In case the owner             colleagues
prefers cash or a bank transfer,
                                           • Negotiate commission and
it should be stated in the lease
                                             terms with agents
contract that the usual interest is
granted to the lessee. Deposits            • Be careful when signing
are refundable at the end of the             documents
lease, either immediately or within
                                           • Note that verbal commitments
four weeks, provided that all bills
                                             are binding
have been paid and the apartment
is in good condition.                      • Find a lawyer to review or draw
                                             up the contract (the lawyer
                                             will need a written statement
What is the cost                             from the Division of Human
of living index?                             Resources confirming the status
All lease contracts provide for a            of your employment in order to
rental adjustment based on the               obtain the Negativbescheid).
change in the official Austrian            • Keep additional costs (10–12% on
cost-of-living index. The most               top of the selling price) in mind:
common practice is to provide for
an increase in rent whenever the            —— 3.5% tax on acquisition
index increases by 3.5% above                  of real estate property
the month of the beginning of the              (Grunderwerbssteuer)
lease. Contracts concluded via              —— 1% for registration of the
the Housing Service provide a                  property in your name in the
figure of 5%.                                  land register (Grundbuch)
                                            —— 1% for registration of the
Can I purchase a property?                     mortgage
Staff of international organizations        —— 1.5–3% lawyer’s and notary’s
and nationals of the European                  fee (do negotiate)
Union are permitted to buy
property on the same terms as               —— 3% to realtor.
local citizens.
Check list:                                What are typical conditions?
• Check your financial situation           Lease period

• Consult with a financial adviser         • Fixed term: a three-year
  you trust                                  minimum is mandatory
                                             according to law. After the first
• Compare mortgage rates                     year, the tenant has the right
• Verify newspapers and websites             to terminate the lease with
  for offers                                 three months’ notice at the
                                       7
end of a calendar month. Prior           walls). All other items are the
 termination by the owner is              responsibility of the tenant.
 permitted only if legal grounds
                                          Please note: Contracts
 apply (e.g. non-payment of
                                          concluded via the Housing
 rent despite written reminder,
                                          Service provide reasonable
 improper use of property);
                                          maintenance clauses.
• Indefinite: permanent duration,
                                          Advice: Before moving in,
  to be terminated by the tenant
                                          we recommend checking
  with three months’ prior notice
                                          if the appliances (stove,
  at the end of a calendar month.
                                          fridge, dishwasher, washing
Please note: the rent law is              machine, heating system) are
not applicable to single- and             in good condition and have
two-family houses. The terms              been recently serviced.
of the contract and the ABGB
(Allgemeines Bürgerliches
Gesetzbuch — the general
                                          Where to live?
civil law) apply. In these                Vienna has 23 districts, each
instances, any lease period               with its own history and
and notice option is possible.            characteristics. The districts spiral
                                          out from Stephansplatz with its
Contracts concluded via the
                                          famous St. Stephan’s cathedral
Housing Service include the
                                          (Stephansdom) — the heart of
diplomatic clause, which grants
                                          the city. This makes orientation
our clients better termination
                                          quite simple. Moreover, the
possibilities than Austrian rental
                                          city’s excellent public transport
law does in the event that a staff
                                          network — a well-integrated
member has to give up duty
                                          system of tram, bus, subway
station Vienna.
                                          (U-Bahn) and suburban/regional
Maintenance and repair                    train (S-Bahn) transport — is fast,
                                          efficient, reasonably priced and
According to local custom,
                                          easy to use.
the tenant is responsible for
keeping the apartment and its             For staff members moving to
specified inventory in good               Vienna with their families, the
condition, including repair               location of their children’s school
of appliances if the damage               will influence their choice of where
is caused by the tenant.                  to live; we’ve included a section
                                          on international schools for your
The owner is responsible for
                                          easy reference.
serious damage (schwere
Schäden) involving the substance          Downtown: Districts 1–9
of the house (roof, facade, outside
                                          The inner city districts offer
windows, lift, pipes inside the
                                          a mix of apartments, offices,
                                      8
convenient, here you can survive
                                         well without a car.

shops, theatres, museums,
galleries, bars, coffee houses and
restaurants. The 1st District —          Suburbs: Districts 13–19
with its parks and palaces —             These residential districts — with
is inside the Ringstrasse and            apartments, family homes, parks
the other districts surround it          and swimming pools — stretch to
in sequence. Rents tend to be            the vineyards and foothills of the
high and parking expensive but,          Vienna woods. Parking is easier,
since public transport is very           suburban life is quieter and there

                                     9
is still a convenient infrastructure        North/Northwest Langenzersdorf,
of shops, restaurants and wine                              Bisamberg,
taverns (Heurigen).                                         Korneuburg,
Transdanubia: Districts 21–22                               Klosterneuburg
                                            East/Northeast Grossenzersdorf,
                                                            Gerasdorf,
                                                            Seyring,
                                                            Deutsch Wagram
                                            South/Southeast Schwechat,
                                                            Lanzendorf,
                                                            Himberg,
                                                            Fischamend
                                            West/Southwest Perchtoldsdorf,
                                                            Brunn am Gebirge,
                                                            Mödling
These districts have modern
apartments and houses with                  What does rental
gardens and are in the vicinity of          accommodation usually cost?
the Vienna International Centre
and the Vienna International                Rent in Vienna varies according
School. They are also close to              to location (prime criteria), type of
the Danube, the Alte Donau and              building, furnishing, availability of
the Donauinsel, recreational                common facilities and proximity to
areas also very near the VIC.               public transportation.
Transdanubia is a vast area and
while public transport is good,             Do I have to pay tax?
in the areas where it is less
accessible a car is convenient.             Where applicable, VAT must
Parking is generally not a problem.         be paid by all staff, with the
                                            exception of staff holding grade
Neighbouring residential areas              P5 and above.
Vienna is easily accessible to
the near-lying rural towns and              What is Ablöse?
villages, where various types of
accommodation are available.                This is a one-time payment to the
Some are easy commutes by                   preceding tenant to compensate
train; for others a car would               for permanent, non-removable
be more convenient. Rents are               improvements. According to
reasonable, there’s a village               Austrian rental law, an Ablöse
community atmosphere, and                   can be exacted to compensate
surroundings are vineyards,                 for substantive upgrades made
meadows and forests.                        to a rental property, such as the

                                       10
installation of a bathroom, toilet,          lease can be terminated after you
heating system, or new electrical            give written notice is provided
wiring. Where stipulated in the              by you three months in advance,
lease, it is also common practice            whereby the notice must arrive at
for the preceding tenant to                  the landlord’s address by the last
request an Ablöse in exchange                day of the month. In the absence
for being allowed to pass on                 of such a stipulation, written
the terms of the existing rental             notice to your landlord must
contract to the successor, in                be processed by the court and
particular with regard to the                served via judicial notice.
amount of monthly rent. As the
Ablöse can be substantial, staff
planning to remain for only a
                                             Do I need separate insurance
short time, (less than five years)           coverage for my apartment
are generally advised against                and for my personal
considering rental properties                belongings?
requiring an Ablöse.                         It is strongly recommended to
                                             conclude a household insurance
Can the landlord terminate                   policy that covers theft, third
my lease contract?                           party liability and damage caused
                                             by defective appliances such
Your landlord must have a serious            as fires from faulty electrical
reason to terminate your lease               devices or water damage
contract. In essence, the two main           from washing machine or dish
justifications to terminate would be:        washer. It is also recommended
• non-payment of rent (or at least           to make sure that a clause is
  part of it) despite a written              included specifically covering
  reminder;                                  glass breakage of windows,
                                             stovetops, or fish aquariums.
• inappropriate use of property —            You can expect to pay E150–250
  either the dwelling is being               per year for such household
  physically destroyed or                    coverage. Please consult your
  neighbours complain of being               insurance representative for
  severely and frequently disturbed.         further details. It is helpful and
                                             cost effective to inquire about a
What happens if I                            package deal to combine your
have to move out                             household insurance with any
                                             other insurance requirements
earlier than expected?
                                             you may have, such as accident,
Please check the terms of the                supplementary medical, legal
notice clause in your lease.                 protection, and life insurance.
Where expressly stipulated, a

                                        11
Are internet, cable TV,                  the law applies to apartments in
satellite TV available?                  older buildings (built before 1945).
                                         You are advised to check the
Internet is available through            terms of your lease.
several providers. Cable is
not available in all districts.          Tenants of apartments cannot
Some apartment buildings and             be asked to repaint the property
houses are equipped with a               after the lease as long as
common satellite dish serving all        damage is within normal wear
occupants, and the installation          and tear. Please note that
of a private dish requires               this does not apply to rented
the consent of all other co-             houses. You are advised to
owners living in the building.           check the terms of your lease.

Who is responsible for                   If I want to buy property,
changing the name on                     can you assist?
the outside buzzer of the                Our database provides
apartment building?                      information on accommodation for
Please consult the owner                 rent only. We strongly recommend
or the property manager                  that sales agreements be verified
(Hausverwalter).                         by a trusted lawyer or notary.

Can you recommend                        Is the VIC Housing Service
an insurance company,                    free of charge for members
a transport service, or                  of all organizations?
storage facilities?                      All employees of VIC based
                                         organizations are entitled to
Five local insurance companies
                                         use the VIC Housing Service
are currently represented in
                                         at no charge.
the VIC, Building F, 9th floor.
We regret that we are not
permitted to recommend or                What is the consumer
promote commercial firms,                price index?
but do ask your colleagues.
                                         CPI and HICP overview
                                         The consumer price index (CPI) is
Do I have to repaint my
                                         a measure of general price trends
apartment prior to moving?               and of inflation in Austria. The
According to Austrian rental law         harmonized index of consumer
normal wear and tear must be             prices (HICP) is the basis for
taken into consideration. However        a comparative measurement

                                    12
of inflation in Europe and                  1060 – the 6th district (Mariahilf)
for evaluating the stability of
                                            1070 – the 7th district (Neubau)
monetary values within the
Eurozone. In addition to its role           1080 – the 8th district (Josefstadt)
as a general indicator of inflation,
                                            1090 – the 9th district (Alsergrund)
the CPI is used for the valorization
of fixed amounts of money (e.g.             1100 – the 10th district (Favoriten)
rents, living costs), and it also           1110 – the 11th district (Simmering)
provides the data on which wage
and salary negotiations are based.          1120 – the 12th district (Meidling)
Both consumer price indices are             1130 – the 13th district (Hietzing)
thus key indicators for Austrian
and European data users. The                1140 – the 14th district (Penzing)
CPI has been subject to revisions           1150 – the 15th district
since 1958, and was revised for             (Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus)
the eighth time at the beginning
of 2011. The previous Consumer              1160 – the 16th district (Ottakring)
Price Index 2005 was replaced by            1170 – the 17th district (Hernals)
a series based on 2010; the new
index series is thus known as CPI           1180 – the 18th district (Währing)
2010. Appropriate chaining factors          1190 – the 19th district (Döbling)
(available on the web site only
in German) are used to continue             1200 – the 20th district
previous indices.                           (Brigittenau)
                                            1210 – the 21st district
What are the postal                         (Floridsdorf)
codes and names of                          1220 – the 22nd district
the districts in Vienna?                    (Donaustadt)
1010 – the 1st district                     1230 – the 23rd district (Liesing)
(Innenstadt or Innere Stadt).               1300 – Vienna International Airport
1020 – the 2nd district                     1400 – Vienna International Centre
(Leopoldstadt)                              (UNO-City, United Nations offices
1030 – the 3rd district                     in Vienna)
(Landstraße)                                1500 – Austrian United Nations
1040 – the 4th district (Wieden)            Peace-Keeping Forces
1050 – the 5th district
(Margareten)

                                       13
Glossary
Ablöse                                      Heizung
One-time, non-refundable                    Heating
payment to the preceding tenant
                                            Immobilien
to compensate for permanent,
                                            Real estate
non-removable improvements.
                                            Immobilienbüro
Anwalt (Rechtsanwalt)
                                            Real estate office
Lawyer
                                            Kabinett
Bad/Bäder
                                            Small room (8-12 meter square)
Bathroom(s)
                                            Kaufvertrag
Befristet
                                            Sales agreement
Of limited duration
                                            Kaution
Betriebskosten
                                            Deposit
See Hausbetriebskosten
                                            Lage
Ess (Speise) zimmer
                                            Location
Dining room
                                            Makler
Gasetagenheizung
                                            Real estate agent
Individual gas central heating
                                            Marmor
Gefördert
                                            Marble
Subsidized
                                            Miete/Mietzins
Hauptmiete
                                            Rent
Lease agreement with owner of
the house or apartment                      Mietwohnung
                                            Flat for rent
Haus
House/building                              Monatlich
                                            Monthly
Hausbetriebskosten
House maintenance costs (includes           Nebenräume
common running costs of the                 Additional rooms (kitchen,
building: water, sewage, garbage            bathroom, WC, storage room,
disposal, insurance, housekeeper (if        utility room, hallway,
any), house administration, chimney
sweeping, electricity for common            Nettomietzins
parts of the house, pest control,           Basic rent (excluding house
taxes and fees to municipality)             maintenance costs and taxes)

                                       14
Parkettboden                       Unbefristet
Parquet floor                      Unlimited
Provision                          Untermiete
Commission                         Sublet, lease agreement with the
                                   Hauptmieter (the tenant who has
Reihenhaus
                                   the right to sublet the apartment)
Townhouse
                                   Verfliest
Schlafzimmer
                                   Tiled (floors or walls)
Bedroom
                                   Wohnung
Spannteppich
                                   Apartment
Wall-to-wall carpeting
                                   Wohnzimmer/Salon
Sparbuch
                                   Livingroom
Savings book
                                   Zimmer
Umsatzsteuer/Mehrwertsteuer
                                   Room
VAT, value-added tax

                              15
Living in Vienna
Helpful hints
Private short term                                       • Bar Association, Lawyers
accommodation                                              https://www.rechtsanwaelte.at/
                                                           en/bar/regional-bars/vienna
If you are new in Vienna and have
not yet found an apartment for                           • Austrian Statistical Office
the long term and are looking for                          (Cost Of Living Index)
something more private than a                              https://www.statistik.at
hotel room, we recommend one of
                                                         • The Home Page of the City of
the furnished apartments that are
                                                           Vienna
available in all districts of Vienna.
                                                           https://www.wien.gv.at/english
Several companies offer short-
term accommodation.                                      • Tenant’s Association
                                                           https://mietervereinigung.at
You will find several short-term
options in the Housing Service                           • Electricity Supply
database.                                                  https://www.wienenergie.at
We are happy to support you in                           Public transport
your quest to find appropriate
                                                         Using public transport in Vienna is
and affordable accommodation
                                                         easy. This website will give you the
in Vienna.
                                                         details of getting from any area
If you wish to access our data                           or address to another showing
base and search for listings,                            exactly the possible modes of
please send an email to                                  transport:
VIC-Housing.Contact-Point@iaea.org
                                                         • https://anachb.vor.at
and we will provide you with a
user account and a password.                             Other useful websites for public
                                                         transport are:
Useful links
                                                         • www.wienerlinien.at
Beyond finding accommodation,
here are some links to websites                          • www.oebb.at
for further information relevant to                      • www.viennaairport.com
living in Vienna.

The contents of this brochure has been compiled for you by TGSS (Transport and General Support
Section) and includes information that is valid at the time it was printed/posted. Information, regulations
and web sites may change and we apologize for these inconveniences.
We will do our upmost to keep the information up-to-date, any information that you find lacking or which
can be improved please pass it on to us at the TGSS Customer Service Point at the VIC in A-0750 or per
e-mail to VCU.Contact-Point@iaea.org

                                                   16
Housing issues
10   things to consider when
     looking for accommodation
     1. Your needs
     2. Price range
     3. Area (e.g. district, rural, urban)
     4. Furnished or unfurnished accommodation
     5. Duration of rent
     6. Required amenities
     7. Neighbourhood, infrastructure
     8. Distances to VIC and schools
     9. Parking space availability
     10. Proximity to recreation areas – think about your off time.

 5   things you should look for
     when renting accommodation
     1.   Historical or newly constructed building
     2.   Size/layout
     3.   Number of bedrooms, bathrooms
     4.   Security (e.g. safety doors, intercom, concierge)
     5.   Utilities and appliances needed (e.g. washing machine,
          air conditioning, dish washer).

 3   things that should not
     be found in an apartment
     1. Mould and moisture
     2. Existing damage to surfaces, provided furniture,
        windows and doors
     3. Negative overall environment.

 1   absolute rule
     Before renting a place, find help to check the contents of
     the rental contract.

                                   3
Emergency contact numbers
Emergency numbers (calling from inside VIC)                  Public information and communication:
VIC emergency number: Ext. 99 (UNOV Security)                +43 (1) 2600-21273
VIC medical emergency: Ext. 22222 (VMS)                      Medical duty officer: +43 (669) 165-21580
Emergency numbers in Austria (from outside VIC)              MTIT service desk: +43 (1) 2600-26150
Police: 133                                                  SGIS service desk: +43 (1) 2600-22246
Ambulance: 144                                               Emergency Legitimation card authentication:
Fire brigade: 122                                            +43 (1) 90115- 4411
General European emergency: 112                              Other local emergency numbers
Hospitals in Vienna (from outside VIC)                       After hours pharmacy service: 1455
Donauspital Vienna: 01-288-020                               After hours medical service: 141
General hospital (AKH): 01-404-00                            Emergency dental service: +43 (1) 512-2078
Seibersdorf                                                  Woman’s emergency hotline: +43 (1)-717-19
SPF Security control room (24/7):                            Children’s and adolescents’ emergency: 147
+43 (1) 2600-28655                                           Poisons information centre: +43 (1) 406-43-43
(Ext. 28655/7777 from inside complex)                        Psychiatric counselling in emergencies: +43 (1) 313-30
                                                             Emergency veterinary service: +43 (1) 531-16
Other IAEA offices
                                                             Animal welfare helpline: +43 (1) 4000-8060
New York: +1 (212) 963-6010 iaeany@un.org
Monaco: +37 (7) 9797-7272 MEL@iaea.org                       Household emergencies
Geneva: +41 (22) 917-3620 iaeage@unog.ch                     Electricity emergency service: 0800-500-600
Tokyo: +81 (3) 3234-7186                                     Vienna gas service emergency repairs hotline:
Toronto: +1 (416) 928-9149                                   +43 (1) 401-28-88 Emergency 128
                                                             Emergency blocked toilets or domestic sewers:
General support services
                                                             +43 (1) 795-14-9300
Emergency during travel (24/7):
                                                             Emergency water repair service: +43 (1) 599-590
+43 (1) 26060-3903 (UN Security duty room)
                                                             Lock and key service: 0800-283-773
AMEX/AX-Travel Management: +43 (1) 2600-23040                Public lighting: repairs hotline: 0800 33 80 33
Travel visa emergency: +43 (699) 165-21255
                                                             Other
To obtain information about an emergency:                    Vehicle breakdown assistance:
www.unvienna.org/emergencyinfo                                  ÖMTC: 120
Radiological emergency (24/7):                                  ARBÖ: 123
+43 (699) 165-26660 (IEC) or reportevent@iaea.org            Vienna airport info: +43 (1) 70-700
                                                             Vienna train info: 517-17
IAEA Central Security Coordinator: +43 (699) 165-22011
                                                             Lost property service hotline: +43 (1) 4000-8091
IAEA Chief Information Security Officer:
                                                             Taxi: +43 (1) 313-00; +43(1) 40-100; +43 (1) 60-160
+43 (699) 165-24629

                                                                                                  18-05009E 9-2018

                                                                Transport and General Support Section (TGSS)
                                                         Division of General Services, Department of Management

                                                                TGSS Customer Service Point +43-1-2600/25555
                                                                   Intranet http://insite.iaea.org/tgss-services
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