A 58-year-old man from Zonhoven, Limburg Province, has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined €16,000 for renting out a property and unlicensed rooms with serious defects.
However, half of his prison term and fine has been suspended.
The court found that at least 15 people were registered at the man’s property, which had been unlawfully divided into two housing units and rooms. Authorities confiscated €41,200 in profits he made from this rental practice.
He has 12 months to fix the property’s issues and meet the requirements of the Flemish Housing Code or face demolition. If repairs are delayed, he will incur a penalty of €150 per day. Should he fail to act, Zonhoven municipality or the Flemish Housing Inspectorate will carry out the work at his expense.
The building had been split into two sections, one of which was further divided into five rooms, falling far short of basic health and safety standards. It had outdated ventilation systems, unsealed heating devices, and hazards such as mould, damp, wood rot, and deteriorated finishes.
On 10 October 2023, authorities deemed the rooms unfit and uninhabitable. Despite this, the rooms were rented out to Romanian construction workers, and up to 60 people were reportedly registered at the property.
“The suspect prioritised profit over making any investment in the property’s condition,” the court stated.
It added that a chance police intervention finally put an end to the practice, which might otherwise have continued unchecked.
