July 2023: Changes for Home Seekers, Commuters, and New Laws in Austria

The Corona crisis measures end, the account fees rise, but the brokerage fee and in some places the electricity price falls. The commuter flat rate will also be reduced at the start of the holiday in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. This and other things await you in the new month.

1Account fees increase

Banks are also reacting to rising inflation and increase the fees for checking accounts, ATM cards and other services. Since the contracts are linked to the consumer price index (CPI), they can be adjusted accordingly. Bank99 of Austrian Post and Raiffeisenbank Niederösterreich-Vienna have already increased their fees, some significantly.

The following will follow on July 1st First group (8.6 percent), the Bank Austria (10.10 percent). In the BAWAG customers will have to pay even more with an 11.55 percent increase.

2brokerage fee falls

From July 1st, the orderer principle applies to apartment rentals. It means that only those who commission a broker also have to pay for them.

So far, tenants have always had to pay brokerage fees – amounting to up to two gross monthly rents – even if the landlord has hired a broker. In concrete terms, this means that those looking for an apartment will save around 1,300 euros in the future – for an average 40 square meter apartment in Vienna.

3Corona is “normal” disease

All corona crisis measures will end in July. Covid-19 is then no longer a notifiable disease, so the virus is officially treated like flu & Co. In concrete terms, this means above all End of the so-called traffic restrictions.

Covid positives still have to adhere to restrictions for ten days or “test themselves” after five days using a PCR test. All of that will be gone in the summer – everyone will then decide for themselves how to behave in the event of illness.

Corona tests will also no longer be available for everyone in the future. However, they remain free of charge for all symptomatic patients with resident doctors. The e-medication regulation will also be abolished in the future.

4Reduced commuter allowance

In May of last year, the government temporarily increased the amount by 50 percent and even quadrupled the “commuter euro”. The deadline expires at the end of June, commuters will fall over in the future up to 1,800 euros bonus annually one!

The criticism of the cut is great: the Chamber of Labor (AK), the Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) as well as the ÖAMTC and ARBÖ are calling for an expansion of commuter relief and a comprehensive reform.

More >> 1,800 euros less – commuters face the next blow

5Limited medical emergency service

So far it was General practitioner emergency service (HÄND for short) in Upper Austria between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. in the morning. From July 1, it should only be available until 11 p.m. in most districts. Incoming calls are referred to the 1450 health hotline from 11 p.m. Trained health workers report there. A “telephone doctor”, a general practitioner with at least five years of professional experience, is also available in the background.

The reason for this step is the lack of staff in the medical profession. However, medical care in the region should not deteriorate as a result of the system change.

6Partial closure at Wiener Linien and ÖBB

In the U4 modernization work on the reinforced concrete beams is necessary. From 1st to 30th July inclusive the subway line will be divided – it will not run between Schwedenplatz and Schottenring during this period. As an alternative, you can switch to lines 1 and U2Z. The U2Z line will be extended to Schwedenplatz during the partial U4 closure.

The ÖBB expansion makes this possible Pottendorfer Line between Wien-Meidling and Wiener Neustadt a barrier between Münchendorf and Ebenfurth from July 1st to September 4th necessary. A rail replacement service for the trains on the S60 and REX 6 lines will be set up. Even timetable changes cannot be avoided. More on that streckeninfo.oebb.at.

7Electricity prices fall

Die Energie Steiermark AG reduces its electricity prices by a whopping 20.1 percent as of July 1st. Over 330,000 private customers as well as farmers and commercial customers are affected. A household customer should save up to 600 euros per year, depending on the respective heating system.

Also catfish stream lowers prices by 14.1 percent. For the approximately 28,000 existing customers, the gross energy price will only be 26.29 cents/kWh from July 1st. Electricity customers in Wels receive an additional one-time payment of up to 125 euros.

More >> Usury electricity prices! Who now gets up to 125 euros

8Mega concerts and TV highlights

In the coming weeks, concerts and festivals for all tastes are on the program. A rough overview:

July 1st and 2nd: Pink in the Ernst Happel Stadium (W)
July 1: hit boom in Kitzbühel (T) – with Florian Silbereisen, Andreas Gabalier, Al Bano & Romina Power, among others
July 1: Hollywood Vampires at Burg Clam (Upper Austria) – with Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Steve Perry (Aerosmith)
2nd July: Roland Kaiser in front of Schönbrunn Palace (W)
2nd July: Melissa Naschenweng in the eastern bay of Lake Wörthersee (K)

July 6: Radio Green and White Open Air in Bruck an der Mur (ST) – with Melissa Naschenweng, GG Anderson, Semino Rossi, among others
July 7th and 8th: Star night at the Wörthersee – including Andreas Gabalier, Howard Carpendale, Andrea Berg, Beatrice Egli
8th of July: Harry Styles in the Ernst Happel Stadium (W)
8th of July: Lovely Days Festival in Eisenstadt – with Jethro Tull, Joss Stone, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, among others
July 13-15: Area 53 Heavy metal festival in Leoben (ST) – with Kreator, Feuerschwanz, Hammerfall, Soulfly, among others
July 14: Red Hot Chili Peppers in the Ernst Happel Stadium (W)

July 18: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band in the Ernst Happel Stadium (W)
July 18: Schlager night at Lake Neusiedl (B) – with Matthias Reim, Nik P., Andy Borg, Charly Brunner & Simone, among others
July 19: Howard Carpendale on the lake stage Mörbisch (B)
21 July: Depeche Mode in the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt (K)
22nd of July: Martin Grubinger on farewell tour on the Donaubühne Tulln (Lower Austria)
July 28: Hubert von Goisern at Clam Castle (Upper Austria)