Vienna building inspection chief promises faster procedures

Vienna’s new building inspection chief, Ilja Messner, says the authority will work to speed up procedures and make it easier for residents to get advice, ORF reported.

Complaints have repeatedly been raised that the authority is difficult to reach and appointments are scarce. Austria’s Ombudsman Board also called for easier access. Since January, the authority has again offered basic information without an appointment, but Messner, who took office in May, says more needs to be done.

A new free advice service, “Ask the Building Inspection Authority”, will begin on November 12, with sessions every other Thursday in Vienna’s neighbourhoods. An online tool is also being launched for more complex requests, including those from businesses. Users will be able to book appointments, and the authority says it will direct enquiries to the relevant staff and offer an appointment within two weeks at the latest.

Messner said better advice could help applicants submit higher-quality documents and allow procedures to move faster. The authority is also preparing a project to review how its processes can be improved so permits can be issued sooner.

On the house collapse in Färbergasse in September, which killed a woman and injured several people, Messner said the building permit had been granted because the project met building regulations. He described it as a straightforward attic extension that did not require changes to the building’s structure apart from structural improvements. The collapse happened three weeks after construction began, and the public prosecutor’s office is investigating. Messner said investigators would need to determine whether work had been carried out improperly or whether the building had already been in such condition that the collapse was a chance event.

The building remains closed. Messner said securing work would take another two to three weeks and that there was currently no immediate risk of collapse. Residents will have to wait longer to return while services including heating, water and electricity are restored.

Last year, the building inspection authority monitored and inspected more than 12,000 newly started construction projects, as well as existing buildings and tourist rentals. Inspections are prioritised according to risk, taking account of factors such as a building’s age, previous structural defects and public interests.