The federal government plans to establish special courts where consumers can address their legal issues. Minister of Consumer Protection, Rob Beenders (Vooruit), revealed this in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws.
These new courts aim to make it easier for citizens to take on fraudulent companies. Beenders particularly targets the construction sector.
“For example, people who build or renovate a house and face problems if the contractor goes bankrupt. Or those who buy a new apartment only to find the parking is not watertight,” he explained.
“Suing contractors and developers is often difficult because they have time and money and can wear people down. The law currently does not adequately protect consumers.”
Therefore, the minister wants to modernise the Breyne Law, which has regulated the construction and sale of homes in Belgium since the 1970s, and establish new consumer courts.
“These courts should ensure quicker and easier procedures so that people are not deterred by threats from the opposing party,” Beenders stated.
The intention to “shorten the judicial procedure for consumer disputes” was already in the coalition agreement but had not been detailed yet.
Beenders is now consulting with the Justice Department on where to set up these new courts.
