Office to rent or buy in Vienna and Lower Austria

Key points

• Usable floor area (Nutzfläche) and gross floor area (Bruttogrundfläche) are different measures; an area figure is only comparable once it is clear which one is meant.
• Offices are business premises within the meaning of § 1 MRG. Whether the Tenancy Act (Mietrechtsgesetz) applies fully, in part or not at all depends on the building.
• Fixed terms (Befristung) are possible without a minimum duration; under the MRG in writing and with a fixed end date.
• The fit-out standard (Ausbaustandard) ranges from shell condition to a furnished office and determines rent and investment.
• Coworking and a conventional office are different models: flexibility versus freedom to shape the space.
• Commission when renting: up to three gross monthly rents (Bruttomonatsmiete) plus 20% VAT (USt), from the tenant and from the landlord, within the statutory maximums of the Immobilienmakler-Verordnung (Real Estate Agents Regulation). When buying: 3% plus 20% VAT. The "whoever orders pays" principle (Bestellerprinzip) does not apply to commercial property.

What is office property in legal terms?

Definition: Office property is business premises used for administrative or service activities — assessed under tenancy law like other business premises under § 1 MRG, and economically by usable area, fit-out and accessibility.

How we work with office space

An office is chosen around the people who will work in it: how many workstations, how many meeting rooms, how often do clients come, how do staff get there? We start with these questions before we show any space. After that, location and access by public transport, layout, light, cooling in summer and technical equipment count.

We work in Vienna, in the Korneuburg district and in the Vienna suburbs. We advise in German, Russian, Ukrainian and English; contracts are in German, and we explain them in your language.

Usable or gross floor area — why it matters

When calculating the areas of buildings, a distinction is made between gross floor area (Bruttogrundfläche), net floor area (Nettogrundfläche) and usable floor area (Nutzfläche). The gross floor area covers the entire floor area of a storey including the walls. The net floor area is the floor area between the walls; it is divided into usable area, technical area (Funktionsfläche) and circulation area (Verkehrsfläche). The usable floor area is the part that serves the actual purpose — for an office, the work and meeting rooms, excluding corridors, stairwells and plant rooms. This is how a teaching document from TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) on ÖNORM B 1800 describes it; the standard itself is subject to a charge.

What this means for you: "200 m²" can mean noticeably different amounts of usable space depending on the type of area. For every offer we state which area is meant, and with other agents' offers we ask before you compare.

Fit-out standard, additional costs and fixed terms

The fit-out standard ranges from shell condition — professionals say "Shell & Core" — to a furnished office ready to move into. The difference has a direct effect on rent and investment needs; clarify in advance who pays for fitting out to your requirements and in what condition the office is to be returned at the end. Additional costs usually include operating costs (Betriebskosten), cleaning of shared areas and a share of building services maintenance; the split is governed by the lease.

For fixed terms the same applies as for other business premises: no minimum duration, but under the MRG in writing and with a fixed end date. Whether and to whom you may sublet should be expressly governed by the lease.

Coworking or a conventional office

Coworking offers short-term flexibility, usually without your own investment in fit-out and furniture, but with higher running costs per workstation. A conventional office rented for longer allows your own fit-out and, with a stable space requirement, often lower costs per square metre, but requires more initial investment and ties you in for longer. Which model suits you depends on how reliably you can plan your growth.

What to check before the contract

Check whether the space is zoned and approved as an office; using a flat as an office is not permitted without further ado. In buildings with several occupiers, ask about the allocation key for operating costs and about ancillary space such as storage, archive or parking spaces. Check internet connection and cabling, access outside office hours and step-free access.

Accessibility often matters more than floor area: parking at the property, walking time to the nearest U-Bahn or S-Bahn station and the parking situation in the area. A viewing at rush hour shows more than any description. When buying, add the land register, the Nutzwertgutachten (unit value report) and the minutes of the owners' meetings; the incidental costs of the purchase are in the guide Incidental costs when buying property.

More commercial properties are under Commercial, retail units under Retail unit to rent or buy, storage space under Warehouse to rent or buy.

Search mandate: we find your office

Not every office space is online. Tell us how many workstations, which location and which date suit you and whether you want to rent or buy — we search in a targeted way and get back to you with suitable spaces. Discuss a search mandate