Austrian office leases are landlord-friendly by default, but every clause below is negotiable if you raise it before signing. This is the checklist we would use on any of the 111 buildings in our Vienna catalogue.
Term, break options and notice
Standard terms run 3–5 years. Fixed-term contracts (befristet) end automatically; open-ended ones (unbefristet) need 3–6 months notice. Push for a break option after year two — in the value districts landlords grant it routinely to close the deal.
Rent, indexation and operating costs
Net rent is only the anchor: the Wertsicherung clause ties it to the consumer price index, and Betriebskosten add 15–25% for heating, water, maintenance and building management. For context, the median across our listings is €22/m²/month net; if an offer sits far above that, the extras had better justify it. VAT applies only if the landlord opted in — ask, because it changes cost by 20% for businesses that cannot reclaim it.
Deposit and guarantees
Three to six months of gross rent as a bank guarantee or cash deposit is normal. A bank guarantee keeps the cash on your side of the table — worth the small fee for most companies.
Fit-out and hand-back
Agree in writing who pays for the fit-out and what "original condition" means at hand-back — this is the clause that costs tenants real money five years later. Photograph everything at handover.
When you want none of this
Serviced offices and coworking bypass the whole apparatus: one page of terms, monthly billing, furniture included. Compare both formats in our Vienna listings — cards show the all-in monthly price, so the contract maths is done before you enquire.