During the corona crisis and the related travel restrictions, there was a noticeable increase in media attention for the problems of second home owners, especially in Spain, whose properties were occupied by squatters. Getting these people out of your house or flat is not as easy as it is often thought. In this blog post, […]
With a petition on its website, the interest group TWERES is once again mobilising owners of second homes abroad to act against the ban on going to their property. The association says it has been inundated with angry reactions from people who do not understand why they have to wait until 19 April, or perhaps […]
One of the main objectives of the non-profit association TWERES, is to establish a dialogue and a constructive cooperation with local authorities. TWERES was therefore very satisfied with the positive reaction of the Mayor of Bredene, Steve Vandenberghe, towards our association, indicating when we met on 18 September 2020: “together we can achieve much more”. […]
The recently founded association VZW “TWERES” (“TWE”- two, “RES”- RESidents Secondaires) wants to give a strong voice to second residents in Belgium. The initiative originated during the corona lockdown. Contrary to some neighbouring countries and against the recommendation of health-experts, second-residents were forbidden to access and to stay at their second home during the lockdown. […]
As far as we know, nobody knows the number of second homes in Belgium. For the Flemish Region, the Study Service of the Flemish Government mapped out the number of second homes in the Flemish Region for the last time in 2016. The study distinguishes between second homes in private camping sites and holiday parks, […]
The measures taken in Germany to combat the coronavirus were not, from the outset, aimed at a general ban on access to second homes. At the beginning of the pandemic, there were different rules for second homes depending on the Land. There were recommendations, and in some regions citizens who did not have their main […]
In the afternoon of Tuesday 17 March, France, like most other countries in Europe around the same period, went into lock-down. Only a few movements were allowed and only on the basis of a certificate. In the absence of proof, our French neighbours risked a fine of 135 euros. Contrary to what we saw in […]
Many second homes, especially on the Belgian Coast, are apartments in apartment buildings. Owners of these apartments – permanent residents, non-permanent residents and landlords – are then in a relationship of forced co-ownership and together form an association of co-owners. More than once, the co-owners complain about a lack of transparency on the part of […]
Taxpayers pay additional personal income tax on their income in the municipality where they are domiciled. The proceeds of that tax go to the municipal treasury. In Flanders, supplementary personal income tax averages 7.2% of taxable income. Like any taxpayer, second residents pay additional personal income tax in the municipality where they first reside. However, […]
BNP Paribas Fortis Bank regularly reveals the figures of its “second home barometer”. The 4th and last barometer refers to 2019. The figures relate to second homes bought by Belgians and located in Belgium and abroad. However, the figures also include second homes purchased for rental purposes (including student rooms in university towns, for example). […]
