The CERHA HEMPEL Real Estate Insider provides an insight to the real estate industry in Austria and CEE. Besides reviews on case-law and legal developments, the Real Estate Insider covers all aspects affecting the industry including market trends and insights, project and deal reviews, reviews on political and legislative developments, reports on events etc. As one of the leading real estate practices in Austria and CEE, our team is fluent in advising clients on all aspects of real estate law from cross border portfolio transactions to building organizer projects to rental agreements and constructions matters, you name it.
A recently published amendment to Government Decree 707/2021 (XII.15.) regulating the use of the “Glass Gateway” provides more detailed definitions of the construction activities for which the use of the system is mandatory.
In its fourth decision to date on claims for a reduction in rent in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic (Supreme Court decision of 25/01/2022 in case 8 Ob 131/21d), the Supreme Court has now addressed the question of whether (potentially) offering a takeaway and delivery service from the premises of a catering business during the "second lockdown" (17 November to 6 December 2020) constitutes partial usability of the leased property and therefore whether this also gives rise to an obligation on the part of the tenant to pay (part of) the rent.
On 14 January 2022, the Government of the Slovak Republic submitted a draft law on urban planning and a draft law on construction to the National Council of the Slovak Republic for discussion
On the last day of 2021, the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus was amended by Law No. 141-Z. Among other significant changes, some changes related to the taxation of real estate were introduced.
In 2021, the preliminary theses of the Code of Territorial Planning, Urbanism and Construction (the "Urbanism Code") were published. Various specialists, representatives of public institutions and professional entities with competences in the field of construction were involved in drafting these ideas that served as the basis for the Urbanism Code.
In its judgement 3 Ob 78/12y of 21 October 2021, the Austrian Supreme Court dealt for the first - but probably not for the last - time with the question of rent reduction during lockdown. With regard to a complete nonusability of business premises due to officially ordered prohibition of access, a first fundamental decision is now at hand.
On 4 September 2021, the new Regulations on Concurrent Building Design and Construction (the "Regulations") approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 486 dated 27 August 2021 came into force.
There have been several changes to the Hungarian real estate market recently, particularly in relation to apartments in Budapest.
Despite the pandemic, the real estate investment sector in Bulgaria remains dynamic. While the interest in suburban housing and second homes has certainly risen as a reaction to the restrictions introduced in relation to the pandemic, urban real estate investments remain the focus of larger investors as demand continues to rise.
Since the general restrictions were launched back in 2020, no new regulation has been introduced in Hungary with respect to limiting private accommodation services, including Airbnbs.
