Rental deposit in Austria: where it is kept and how you get it back
Last updated: 24 October 2026
Almost every landlord in Austria asks for a deposit (Kaution). It covers unpaid rent or damage when you move out. The money remains yours. The landlord only holds it.
How much
The law sets no maximum. Three months' gross rent, meaning rent plus operating costs, is common in practice. Put the amount and the way you pay it in the contract.
How the landlord must keep it
If you pay in cash or by transfer, the landlord must put the money into an interest-bearing savings account (Sparbuch). Other investments are allowed only if they earn as much interest, are as safe and stay clearly separate from the landlord's own assets. On request, the landlord must tell you in writing how the deposit is held. You may also hand over a savings book instead of money.
If the landlord goes bankrupt, the deposit is protected and may only be used for claims arising from your tenancy.
These rules cover every flat to which the Tenancy Act applies fully or partly, which is most rental flats in Wels. A house with no more than two flats is an exception. There the contract decides.
Getting it back
When the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit with interest without delay. Deductions are allowed only for justified claims: unpaid rent, a back payment from the operating cost statement, or damage you are liable for. Normal wear and tear from living in the flat does not count.
If the landlord keeps too much, you can apply to the district court, which decides on the amount in a procedure designed for tenancy matters. For flats in Wels this is the Bezirksgericht Wels.
Avoiding disputes
- Make a handover report with photos when you move in, signed by both sides.
- Note the meter readings for electricity, gas and water at move-in and move-out.
- Pay the deposit by bank transfer with a clear reference, or against a written receipt.
- Hand over the flat and keys together when you leave, again with a report.
More on the contract itself in the guide on the rental contract. Available flats are in the search.
More guides
- Renting a flat in Wels: the rental contract explained
- Operating costs (Betriebskosten): what your landlord may charge
- Registering your address in Wels (Meldezettel)
- Leaving your flat early: successor tenants and transfer fees
- Shared flats in Wels: main tenancy, subletting and your flatshare agreement
- Buying property in Wels: the additional costs
- Free templates: tenant self-disclosure, handover report, moving checklist