Home evictions in Brussels will once again be possible from 1 September, following the end of a region-wide prohibition that has been in place since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
The moratorium, which prohibited home evictions in the Brussels Region, suspended all judicial and administrative decisions ordering evictions.
“Given the rapid spread of the coronavirus epidemic, and as a protection of the health of the people of Brussels, it is essential to prevent people from being put out of their homes, and without any structural solution being found, to simply put them out on the streets,” said regional secretary of state for housing Nawal Ben Hamou at the time.
This measure was extended to the current deadline in May, with Ben Hamou commenting that “it is essential to continue to protect the tenants most weakened by the crisis whose effects will be felt well beyond the lifting of the measures of containment.”
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This extension faced strong opposition by the National Union of Owners and Co-owners (SNPC), which appealed to the Council of State, but the appeal was rejected.
In a statement, the SNPC expressed “amazement” at this decision, stressing that it was providing unfair shelter for those already in debt before the coronavirus crisis.
“Given the length of the procedure and for having been able to obtain an eviction judgment before the confinement and suspension of hearings, it can be said that the procedure had to be initiated by the owners before January 2020,” the union added. “They could, therefore, be deprived of more than eight months’ rent in the event of insolvency.”
Currently, no such extension has been discussed for this date.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
