Average rental price social housing in Flemish Brabant drops by 13% on 4 years Placed at 07:28h in Flemish Parliament, living by Stella VansummerenIn all Flemish provinces, the average rental price of social housing has decreased in recent years.

Only in East Flanders there was a slight increase in 2018 compared to 2014. This is evident from the answer of Flemish Minister of Housing Matthias Diependaele to a written question from Open Vld MP Mercedes Van Volcem. The province of Flemish Brabant in particular experienced a sharp decrease in the average rental price on allocation, by a whopping 13 percent. "These figures support the Flemish government's decision to adjust the calculation of social rents from this year onwards. It doesn't make sense to me that the average price for new tenants in Flemish Brabant fell by 13% in 4 years" time," says Mercedes Van Volcem. "That is why it is so important that the market value and energy efficiency of the home is now taken into account as well as the income of any children living in the age of 18." Flemish MP Mercedes Van Volcem (Open Vld) asked this question in response to the recent decision of the Flemish Government to adjust the calculation of social rents from 1 January 2020. Minister Matthias Diependaele replied that in 2018 all Flemish provinces on average charged lower social rents on allocation than in 2014. Only East Flanders experienced a slight increase from 246 to 250 euros. The province of Flemish Brabant may, in turn, put the most notable decline to its name; they evolve from an average rental price of 311 euros to a price of 272 euros. This accounts for a 13 percent decrease." These figures show a different picture than what is often hung about social rents in Flanders. At 4 years, these, after the province of East Flanders, have fallen everywhere. It shows that the Flemish government's decision to adjust the calculation of social rents at the beginning of this year was well founded. From now on, the energy efficiency and market value of the home and the income of any living children over the age of 18 will be taken into account. A good thing, because it does not make sense that the average price for new tenants in Flemish Brabant, for example, has a 13 percent decrease when you sell 2018 compared to 2014," said Flemish MP Mercedes Van Volcem (Open Vld). In addition, Van Volcem also asked what evolution looked like in the city cities. From the figures we can infer that in 7 out of 13 city centres the rental price has fallen over the last 4 years. Furthermore, there are strong differences between the cities. While the average rental price in Genk was 306 euros in 2018, a social tenant in Roeselare paid only half (161 euros) that year. The sharp decrease in the average rental price in Mechelen is also noticeable, by 12 percent (from 302 to 267 euros) as well as the sharp increase in the price in Aalst, by 11 percent (from 247 to 275 euros). Finally, the minister's answer revealed an interesting fact: the average age of a Flemish social tenant is 57 years old. This age increases by a number of months each year, from 57.16 years in 2014 to 57.82 years in 2018.Mercedes Van Volcem concludes: "The discrepancy between what a resident of a social home has to pay for rent and what someone on the waiting list is for a similar property on the private rental market is huge today. However, those people are in the same socio-economic conditions. We urgently need to adjust a sleeve."