Government wants stricter penalties for rogue building promoters | Interior

Van Quickenborne and Bertrand (Open Vld) received questions from Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit), Reccino Van Lommel (Vlaams Belang) and Koen Geens (CD&V) about the 37 families who fell victim to a suspected rogue building promoter in Roeselare, West Flanders. .

For the State Secretary, consumers should be better protected against this. In concrete terms, she is working with Van Quickeborne and Minister of Economy and Employment Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS) on legislative initiatives to strengthen enforcement of the Breyne Act, which regulates the construction of homes in our country, including by imposing fines. if consumers have paid illegal advances.

In addition, supervision of the law must be strengthened by transferring supervision to the economic inspectorate. Bertrand also wants to close the legal loopholes so that contractors and promoters cannot circumvent the law. Finally, it is working on a specific ombudsman service for the construction industry with the aim of raising consumer awareness, preventing disputes and seeking amicable solutions in the event of problems.

According to Van Quickenborne, the problems mainly arise with contracts that do not involve a civil-law notary, and “that must be remedied”. “With better controls, we will get the cowboys out and prevent them from continuing to victimize.”

Depraetere called it good that enforcement of the Breyne law is being tightened up, but also asked for the role of the construction conciliation committee to be strengthened, so that consumers do not have to go to court for every dispute. Van Lommel argued for more control powers for civil-law notaries and an extension of the Breyne Act, Geens asked for the ceiling of legal insurance in construction contracts to be raised.