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Electricity & gas · Austria
Checked 2026-09-30

🌡️ District heating, heating oil or bottled gas in Austria: what are my rights?

The short answer

Not every home is on the gas grid. District heating, heating oil and LPG have their own rules, and often a different body handles complaints.

📜 The rules in Austria

Heating without the gas grid

District heating is not regulated by E-Control, and its conciliation body does not handle district-heating disputes. Under the Price Act the authority may set economically justified district-heating prices; heating companies can be required to report data to check their prices.

  • For disputes with a district-heating company you can turn to the general consumer conciliation body, Schlichtung für Verbrauchergeschäfte; it is free of charge for consumers. (oesterreich.gv.at)
  • The price authority under the Price Act is the Federal Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism, who may delegate it to the state governors (Landeshauptleute). (ris.bka.gv.at)
Schlichtung für VerbrauchergeschäfteState-recognised, free conciliation for consumer disputes not covered by another body, e.g. with district-heating companies.📞 +43 (0)1 890 63 11🔗 verbraucherschlichtung.at
Official source: ris.bka.gv.at · Checked 2026-09-30

🪜 Step by step

  1. Know what heats your homeDistrict heating from a network, oil or LPG from a tank, or bottled gas. The rules differ for each.
  2. Check the rules for AustriaSee below who supervises heat and fuel suppliers and what they must tell you about prices.
  3. Complain in writing firstWrite to the heat or fuel supplier with your bill and what you want changed. Keep a copy.
  4. Escalate to the right bodyIf that does not help, go to the body named below.

📇 Who to contact

Schlichtung für VerbrauchergeschäfteState-recognised, free conciliation for consumer disputes not covered by another body, e.g. with district-heating companies.📞 +43 (0)1 890 63 11🔗 www.verbraucherschlichtung.at
Verein für Konsumenteninformation (VKI)Independent advice for consumersFor advice, template letters and a second opinion🔗 www.vki.at

❓ Questions

Can I leave district heating?

That depends on the network and the rules in Austria. Contracts are often long; check the notice terms.

Are heating oil prices regulated?

Usually not; you compare offers. Where there is an official price or cap, it is shown on this page.

Who checks the safety of LPG tanks and bottles?

The supplier and the installer have safety duties. If you smell gas, leave at once and call the emergency number from outside.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-09-30

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Also useful

🔑Energy costs for tenants→🏠Heat pump and insulation grants→🤝Help with energy costs→🔄Switching supplier→📈Price increase→

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