ARBITRATION AND PROPERTY APPRAISAL OFFICE

The Arbitration and Property Appraisal Office (Schlichtungs- und Parifizierungsstelle) is an indirect federal aministration authority created for the purpose of reducing the burden of work at the courts.

The office’s activities derive from the following legal provisions (de):

Art. 37 para. 1 Act on Tenancy Law (MRG)  
Art. 22 para. 1 Non-profit Housing Act (WGG) 
Art. 25 para. 1 Heating Cost Accounting Act (HeizKG) 

Art. 9 para. 2 Residential Property Act (WEG 2002)  

The office will be pleased to provide general, non-binding information (de) on the provisions of the above Austrian laws.

Please note that the purpose of the Arbitration Office is not to specifically represent the interests of tenants, landlords/landladies or property owners, and that the information provided is only intended as a source of help.

Procedural costs

The costs of legal representation are to be borne by each party individually. The provisions of the Arbitration Act (Art. 78 AussStrG) for the reimbursement of court costs do not apply to cases heard at the Arbitration Office.
If no agreement is reached in the dispute, the Arbitration Office terminates the procedure with an official notice to that effect.
If the case is taken to the competent court, the costs of the case, including legal fees, have to be borne by the parties on the basis of equity (Art. 37 para. 3(17)).