Illegal tourist apartments uncovered in the Tenth District during a raid
Authorities in the Vienna-Favoriten area uncovered a major case of housing exploitation after raiding a residential building where several illegal tourist apartments were operated. The inspection was carried out by the emergency measures group in cooperation with the building inspection department (MA 37).
It has been found that the six-story building contains multiple apartments rented to tourists without obtaining the necessary business licenses. Officials also discovered the registration of people who do not actually reside at the address within these apartments.
In a confirmed case, it was found that one of the registrants was receiving minimum social assistance while also being linked to illegal tourist rentals. This raised additional concerns regarding fraud in the social welfare system alongside unlicensed business activity.
Investigations are currently underway into both illegal business activities and suspected misuse of social assistance. This case highlights how some individuals exploit loopholes in housing and social care systems for personal gain.
The city of Vienna has confirmed that it is determined to take strict measures against the misuse of housing, emphasizing that housing should remain affordable and available for genuine residents of the city, rather than being converted into illegal short-term rentals.