The government wants stricter penalties for rogue construction promoters

Bertrand and Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD) received questions from, among others, Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) from Harelbeke. The reason is the 37 families who fell victim to a suspected rogue building promoter from Roeselare.

Higher fines

For the State Secretary, consumers should be better protected against this. In concrete terms, she is working with Van Quickenborne 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.

The idea is to impose fines, among other things, if consumers have paid illegal advances. In addition, supervision of the law must be strengthened by transferring supervision to the economic inspectorate, and Bertrand 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.

Reconciliation Commission

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 take victims.”

Depraetere called it good that enforcement of the Breyne law is being tightened up, but also called for the role of the construction conciliation committee to be strengthened, so that consumers do not have to go to court for every dispute.

Read all about the victims of the building promoter in Roeselare here.