Tiny House Gent: What are the possibilities?

Are you interested in the Tiny House living model and would you like to know what the possibilities are in Ghent? Then read on. In this article, we will delve deeper into some important aspects of the Tiny House concept in Ghent.

Less suitable for the city

Although Tiny Houses can be an interesting alternative for people who want to live smaller, they are less suitable for the city. The individual mini houses are compact, but take up more space than a comparable living area in a more compact building form, such as row houses and stacked houses. This makes them less energetically interesting and more difficult to fit into an urban context.

Mandatory environmental permit

For the construction of detached container homes or the placement of mini houses in the garden, an environmental permit is required, even if the surface area is smaller than 40 m². This application must be tested against the applicable urban planning and subdivision regulations, as well as good spatial planning. The plot on which you want to place the Tiny House must be suitable for living according to the zoning plan, the subdivision permit, and the Flemish Spatial Planning Code.

What about the EPB energy standards?

Tiny Houses are exempt from EPB energy requirements as standalone buildings with a total usable floor area of less than 50 m² (Energy Decree Art. 9.1.22). If the modular building consists of multiple containers, which together have a floor area of more than 50 m², there is an EPB obligation.

Is registration possible?

Permanent residence and therefore registration is only possible when a Tiny House meets all urban planning requirements. If you want to rent out your Tiny House, it must also meet the housing quality standards of the Flemish Housing Code. In practice, a Tiny House will not be so easily meet these standards, since the Flemish Housing Code also prescribes, for example, how large a dwelling must be at a minimum. In addition, you should take into account the fact that Tiny Houses placed on a plot where another house already stands will have the same address as this house. Both the residents of the Tiny House and of the other house will be registered as one family with registration.

For more information and advice, you can contact the Woonwijzer in your area. Make your appointment online or call during opening hours to the number 09 266 76 40. For questions and more information about registration, citizens can contact the Civil Affairs Department.