Finally there is a solution for the ‘lonely house’ in the Jacob van Deventerstraat in Eindhoven. Landlord Trudo already had all the houses around it demolished, but had to leave this house standing. It was the only owner-occupied house on the block. However, it will soon come to an end. “We will demolish it within two or three weeks,” says Trudo spokesman Thijs Portz.
The landlord wants to build sixty new homes there, but the owner of the owner-occupied house did not want to leave. The entire block of houses around it with more than thirty social houses has already been demolished. Then everything and everyone left and the owner-occupied house was the only one left standing. On a bare plain with a fence around it. Trudo already had a plan B and wanted to build around the house if necessary.
It was the result of a long-running case. Talks started two years ago. “We have been trying for a long time to start negotiations with this man. He kept holding it off. We also visited homes. But he held off for a very long time.”
“Now we can just keep going.”
The question is why the man eventually wanted to sell. He himself does not want to tell, but according to Portz, the situation was no longer tenable. “Until the moment came when he realized that it was becoming difficult to keep the house. He sought legal help and that is how he entered the negotiations. That took a while.”
Finally, Trudo can breathe a sigh of relief. There was a final inspection on Thursday. That in itself was not really necessary because the house is going to be demolished anyway. “It was mainly a formality. That is part of the process.” The keys have been returned. The house passes the notary the same day and then Trudo is the owner of the house again.
“We never like lingering things, of course. Now we can go on. It is best for all parties if we can implement a plan in its entirety without all having to make adjustments. We can put an end to it.”
The corner house was bought in 2007 with Trudo’s ‘Smarter Buying’ scheme: with this scheme, rental houses are sold at a substantial discount to the market value. For how much it has now been bought back by Trudo, the spokesman does not want to say. “We are not commenting on that.”
Construction will begin early next year.
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