Reform of the eviction procedure approved in the Brussels Parliament committee

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Several committee members expressed concern about the resources for the OCMWs, which are given additional tasks by the ordinance. Even though the State Secretary for Housing announced additional resources for the OCMWs via the budget for the Housing Emergency Plan.

Prevention is at the heart of the reform, with an adapted eviction procedure, a general winter moratorium for all – public and private – housing in the Region, the creation of a fund to cover rent arrears and the introduction of a monitoring of evictions.

The PVDA called the winter moratorium an important social step forward, but was less positive about the accessibility of the Solidarity Fund for affected owners. According to the party, this should be reserved for small owners.

MR and N-VA believed that property rights are under threat and that there is an imbalance between the interests of tenants and owners, as also noted by the Council of State. The text makes it almost impossible for landlords to manage their property. The government makes the procedure very onerous and puts up so many obstacles that it becomes very difficult to evict tenants who do not meet their rental obligations. During the winter moratorium, an eviction becomes even impossible. “Moreover, this measure will return like a boomerang: fewer and stricter landlords, fewer rental properties, rising rents and declining housing quality,” warned Mathias Vanden Borre.