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). […]
Owners of mobile homes, in application of their contract with the campsite manager, are often obliged, when selling their mobile home (even if they sell it to another owner on the same campsite), to give a percentage of the selling price to the campsite manager. If the sale was made possible through the mediation of […]
In 2007 Els Roose wrote a thesis for obtaining the degree of “master in tourism” under the title above. For that dissertation, Els Roose did a study on the integration of second-residents in Oostduinkerke. The conclusion of that study was: “A second-resident distinguishes himself from tourists by the recurring relationship, which builds a familiarity with […]
