13,000 Social Homes in Flanders Are Underoccupied

More than 13,000 social housing properties in Flanders are considered too large for the people living in them, while over 215,000 people are waiting for social housing.

The figures have raised questions about how available social homes are being used, particularly as thousands of families remain on waiting lists.

According to figures requested by Flemish MP Sofie Mertens (CD&V) from Housing Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit), 13,284 out of 178,743 social homes in Flanders were classified as underoccupied last year. This represents around 7.4% of all social housing properties in the region.

Why Are Some Social Homes Considered Too Large?

A social home is classified as underoccupied when it has at least two more bedrooms than the number of people living there.

For this calculation, a couple counts as one resident. This means that a single person or a couple without children may be considered to have too much space if their home has three or more bedrooms.

Older tenants are particularly affected. In many cases, they moved into their homes when their families were larger, but their children have since moved out, leaving several bedrooms unused.

Extra Rent for Tenants Who Refuse a Smaller Home

Housing companies can offer tenants who have more space than they need a smaller social home.

However, more than 2,300 social tenants refused such an offer last year. As a result, they had to pay an additional charge on top of their rent.

The amount depends on how many unused bedrooms the property has. The rules are designed to encourage tenants to move to smaller homes, making larger properties available to families who need more space.

The additional charge does not automatically apply after every refusal. If the first alternative home is within five kilometres of the tenant’s current property, the charge starts after the tenant refuses that offer.

If the first offer is more than five kilometres away, the tenant only has to pay the extra charge after refusing a second suitable offer. The second property must be in the same municipality or within 15 kilometres of the current home.

There must also be at least three months between the two offers.

More Than 215,000 People Are Waiting for Social Housing

Sofie Mertens said she understands that moving can be difficult for social housing tenants, particularly older residents who have lived in the same home for many years.

However, she questioned how more than 13,000 social homes can be considered too large for their current residents while over 215,000 people are waiting for affordable housing in Flanders.

The figures have renewed the debate over how to make better use of social housing and reduce waiting times for people who urgently need a home.