82 CultureShock! Austria
and furniture left behind by a previous owner. If something
breaks down, such as the refrigerator, oven or heating,
the renter is usually responsible (unless the contract says
otherwise). Many of the older houses have only one phone
line and phone outlet. It is wise to ask the landlord to install
a second outlet, especially if you want to use a computer or
keep a second phone upstairs.Utilities
Make sure that all the utilities are in your name and be
prepared to put down deposits for them. Gas and electricity
usage is billed quarterly. The total due may take you by
surprise as it is based on the previous year’s consumption—a
shock if the previous tenant had six kids! Unfortunately, the
meter is read only once a year, so wait for the yearly itemised
bill or Jahresabrechnung. Either a credit or a debit will show
up on the next quarter’s bill based on your usage of gas or
electricity, so don’t despair.
Your phone bill comes bimonthly with Telekom Austria,
otherwise the bills are sent via e-mail and can be retrieved on-
line. There will be a base charge from Telekom Austria (which
provides the telephone line), and an itemised list of your calls
by area from the telephone company of your choice. If you
want a breakdown of the telephone numbers called, you will
need to contact the telephone company personally.