“This year in September we had the same extent as last year,” says Christian Wögerbauer, social worker at REWO (regional living). He advises people in the Mühlviertel who are threatened with eviction and knows that the numbers are increasing: “There has already been an increase of 30 percent from 2021 to 2022.”
Last year there were 492 proceedings throughout Upper Austria, with the threat of ten apartment losses per week. Those affected are often long-term unemployed, single parents, but also families with dual earners. Suddenly there is no longer enough money. He says: “A mother had just started working again when her husband lost his job after being sick. He could have started working for a foundation, but he didn’t go there or deregister because his unemployment benefit was stopped. Then the car had an engine failure – and there was no money left for housing.” Often high arrears. Arrears would range from one month’s rent to up to 8,000 euros, the social worker knows. Those affected should seek help; it would take around four months from the first warning to the eviction date. Compulsive consumption is increasing. Why are there more and more evictions? “Income cannot keep up with inflation. The pressure to consume is increasing: In order to keep up, a lot of people are running on credit,” he tries to explain. Read also the comment from “Krone” editor Markus Schütz on the topic: At Easter there are still Christ child installments. Call me a bean counter or an old-fashioned thinker. Doesn’t matter. But we certainly don’t have a package under the Christmas tree that hasn’t been paid for. “Buy now, pay later”, “Instalment purchase for 12 months” – that’s not a concession from the dealers, that’s simply a scam and for some families it’s a step into the poverty trap . Because the financial situation probably doesn’t look any better at Easter, as the installments for Christmas presents are still running, even though the next packages are already being hidden on credit. And measuring the Christ child solely by his expenses is wrong anyway!
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