Economy Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) has spoken out against what he called a “general suspicion” of landlords following a resolution passed Saturday by coalition partner SPÖ, which calls for a new criminal offense targeting rent gouging. “There is already a criminal offense for usury,” the minister told APA on Monday on the sidelines of a press event in Kundl, Tyrol. He added that this was “an internal SPÖ discussion.”
He declined to comment further, saying it was “problematic to place people under general suspicion or even criminalize them.” Hattmannsdorfer emphasized that the priority should be joint coalition efforts “to bring inflation down toward two percent.”
Austria, he said, “has a very good housing environment,” adding that the country “can be proud of that.” If “further adjustments” regarding rent gouging were needed, he said, it would be “wise to address this together.” The minister noted that the federal government had already introduced measures through its “rental package.” Regardless of these initiatives, he said, “usury must of course always be punished,” and that civil law already provides the necessary legal tools for doing so.
SPÖ Passes Resolution On Housing Issues
Over the weekend, the SPÖ adopted a resolution at its “Thematic Council” calling for a specific criminal offense for rent gouging and violations of tenancy law. The party also seeks stricter regulation of short-term tourist rentals through mandatory registration. SPÖ leader and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler said that housing was a basic right.
