Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent warns start-up Gitoo against renting student rooms to tourists. Alderman Sone Bracke cites noise and neighbourhood disruption, allowing only limited expansion to 30–40 rooms under strict oversight.
As VRT News reported, the city of Ghent has criticised Gitoo, a start-up that rents student rooms to tourists during the summer. Ghent officials say the program could disturb student neighbourhoods. They warn that tourists in student areas may create noise, congestion, and put pressure on housing meant for students.
The previous city council allowed subletting if both students and landlords agreed. The current administration is taking a stricter stance. It has asked Gitoo to stop expanding the program and has threatened to ban it if the company continues.
“We fear for the quality of life,”
the company said, expressing disappointment.
“The reactions have been positive and there have been no complaints.”
What is Ghent doing about Gitoo’s summer student rentals?
Flanders authorities have not objected to the idea, but Ghent is focused on local rules. The city wants to make sure student rooms remain available for their main purpose.
“We did everything ourselves. There’s a lot involved: cleaning, setting up the room, receiving and handing over the keys,”
says Gianni Vermeire. He worked with co-founder Thomas De Baerdemaeker.
“It was a success.”
Alderman Sone Bracke of Voor Gent said the city sent a letter to Gitoo, the start-up behind the idea, to express its concerns about the quality of life in student neighbourhoods.
“There is a high risk of tourists causing nuisance. Residents have a quieter period in the summer because they are home more often. Having partying tourists as neighbours at that time is obviously not ideal,” Bracke explained.
Ghent has not yet imposed a ban like Leuven, but the city made it clear that a wider rollout of the program is not acceptable. Officials said they are keeping the option to ban the practice as a safeguard while emphasising that the initiative cannot grow unchecked.
“In addition, there are also roommates, or other people in the building, who stay in Ghent during the summer. They might be students with a summer job, or those who want to prepare for resits. Loud tourists are no fun in those cases either,”
Bracke adds.
Bracke also stressed that the city wants to balance support for entrepreneurship with protecting neighbourhoods.
“We are clear because it would be a shame for these young entrepreneurs to invest time and resources in a project that does not give a return. We support entrepreneurship, but all factors must be considered,”
he said. Gitoo sees the letter as a precaution rather than a rejection.
Co-founder Vermeire said the company understands the city’s concerns but hopes to continue the project next summer. The plan is to expand to 30 to 40 rooms with the help of 2 student workers. Vermeire said the expansion would remain small and manageable to avoid disrupting local life.
“Everyone who contributed is satisfied, and there are no complaints,”
he added.
“We’re also hearing positive feedback from our neighbours. We actively consulted them and received no complaints this summer,”
says Gitoo.
“It’s an original concept for putting unused space to good use, with a win-win situation for everyone. I don’t understand what the city could object to,”
he concludes.
Gitoo, a start-up founded in late 2024 by 2 young entrepreneurs, has launched a project to rent out vacant student rooms to tourists during the summer months. The initiative aims to make better use of student housing while allowing students to earn extra income. The company tested the project in the summer of 2025 with 10 rooms.
