Flanders Allocates €5 Million to Probe Foreign Assets of Social Housing Tenants

The Flemish Minister of Housing, Matthias Diependaele, has released an additional 5 million euros to have asset investigations carried out abroad when a social housing tenant is suspected of also being a property owner, reports Belga. This fund will be distributed among the social housing companies that will be selected for these investigations. The objective is to detect any possible fraud.

For Mr. Diependaele, it is necessary to carry out these investigations, out of a sense of justice, so that housing is allocated to those who are really in need. His administration is also working to determine which private investigation firms can help the Flemish housing companies in the hunt for social fraud.

Last year, 13 social housing tenants owning real estate in Morocco had been evicted from their housing in Antwerp and then prosecuted by the justice system. According to the law, no one can claim social housing if they own real estate, even abroad.

The investigation carried out made it possible to detect 13 cases of fraud, one concerning a man who owns 14 houses and building plots in Morocco, five others relating to tenants residing abroad. These have been subletting their social housing.