Overijse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – From September, Overijse residents will benefit from reduced rates when placing containers or racks on public land, easing financial strain during renovations.
For instance, while you’re remodeling or moving.
The rates will be significantly lowered. You will even be exempt from paying for 60 days if you renovate a protected structure. Some residents have paid up to 33,000 euros in recent years for improvements that involved the placement of scaffolding or a container.
The rules governing the occupation of public domain in Overijse have been the subject of intense criticism in recent months due to the occasionally high stakes involved.
Residents will pay 50 cents per square meter every day, rather than 2 euros, starting on September 1st, if they choose to utilize the public road for a maximum of three months.
“Many residents and entrepreneurs have paid excessive amounts in the past,”
says opposition councillor Tim Vloebergh (Fel).
The price will drop from 3 to 1 euro for the next three months. It’s free for the first 14 days.
“It remains prohibited to occupy public space without prior permission,”
says mayor Inge Lenseclaes (OV2002-N-VA-CD&V).
“The intention is not to fill the municipal coffers with this, but to ensure that people use the public domain for as short a time as possible. In this way, the passage of emergency services, cyclists, pedestrians and cars can be assured.”
Councillor for Public Domain Filip Boon (DynamiekVoorOverijse) admits that the rates have led to some hefty bills in the past.
“That regulation dates from 2022 and was approved by the previous management team, of which I was not a member. Placing a position could be expensive at the time, although I would like to emphasise that not dozens of people had to pay such high amounts, but a few.”
Opposition party Fel proposed to annul the retribution regulation retroactively, so that victims could get (some of) the money back, but that will not happen.
“There must be legal certainty, legal advisors have advised us not to do that,”
says alderman Boon.
“A great pity,”
says opposition councillor Tim Vloebergh.
“We have been advocating for fair compensation for months. We pointed to legal precedents in other municipalities that showed that a withdrawal of the regulation would indeed be possible. Yet the majority refused to take that path, so the victims will not get their money back.”
How will the reduced fees in Overijse affect residents’ renovation decisions?
In the past, high costs for scaffolding or containers have discouraged some residents from beginning or finishing renovations. Overijse makes restoration more affordable by lowering or eliminating these costs, particularly for protected properties, which motivates more homeowners to carry out necessary repairs.
Research suggests that cost reductions or subsidies, like tax credits or reduced transaction costs, encourage improvements in energy efficiency and property upkeep. Over time, this may result in increased property values and better home quality.
Decisions about renovations are frequently impacted by the perceived inconvenience and expenses of interruption. By reducing the financial impact of temporarily occupying public space, lower costs help allay these worries and make restorations less onerous.
