What is cohousing? Maybe you’ve heard of it, but don’t know what it specifically means? Here are the answers to the most common questions and all the pros and cons.
Contents
- What is cohousing?
- 6 requirements under the law of cohousing
- What are the best common areas?
- What lease do I need?
- What are the benefits?
- What are the drawbacks?
- Is there a difference between cohousing and co-living?
- Where can I find cohousing projects?
What is cohousing?
Cohousing is a form of housing. The word says it all: you are going to live together(co) with others(housing). This can be buying or renting. Co-residents are not just your partner or your family, but often a larger group of singles or families. To speak of cohousing, at least two households must share at least one living space and also have at least one separate, private living space.
6 requirements according to legislation
- You use the building primarily to live in, not to work in.
- You have at least one private living space.
- The home must meet minimum housing quality standards.
- At least 2 households or independent persons additionally share one space (e.g., living room, kitchen, bathroom).
- There are several residential units, but they may not be completely independent residential units.
- There is shared management of the common areas.
- Residents have their own private space.
Note: Are you going to build a cohousing house? Then you (usually) need to apply for an environmental permit. Read all about it in the article“Application for a new subdivision” of the Omgevingsloket Vlaanderen
What are the best common areas?
Which common areas are shared depends on situation to situation. In some cases, this is just the living room or kitchen. In other cases, all areas outside the bedroom and bathroom. All residents must agree on this choice. So discuss this well. Most cohousing projects are in between these 2 extremes. The living room, garden, garage and laundry room are usually common grounds. Some even share bicycles or cars. Before you get into a cohousing project, determine these things in advance. After all, cohousing doesn’t mean that fellow residents will just barge into your bathroom if you don’t want them to! You discuss the level of privacy with all residents. Make very clear agreements and document as much as possible on paper.
What lease do I need?
Will you be cohousing? Then you need 2 things, namely a lease and a co-tenancy pact.
1. Lease to co-tenancy
Draw up a custom rental contract. Find a sample cohousing lease according to Housing Brussels here.
2. Co-Hire Pact
Create a co-tenancy pact. The co-tenancy pact contains this information:
- Payment of rent: who pays what and when?
- Payment of the deposit: who pays what and when?
- Cost sharing (electricity, water, gas): who pays what and when?
- Distribution of inventory (furniture): who owns what furniture?
- Dispute settlements.
- Agreements around energy and insurance contracts.
- Arrangements around arrival, departure, eviction and replacement of a resident.
Find a sample cohousing cohousing pact from the Brussels Region here.
Is a domicile required when cohousing?
Yes, you are required to have a domicile address in Belgium. You must register your official primary residence with the municipality of effective residence. Some municipalities require additional documentation about your cohousing project, to verify that the project meets minimum housing quality standards.
What are the costs associated with cohousing?
The cost largely depends on the arrangements you make with your roommates:
- Your share of the purchase/repayment cost or rent of the property.
- Your share fixed monthly costs for energy, water and maintenance.
- Cost of furniture and furnishings for your own unit.
- Your insurance: home insurance, liability insurance and collective insurance for common parts.
What are the benefits?
- You can buy or rent a bigger house together, thanks to your budget put together. This gives you more space in the common parts (kitchen, garden, living room, TV room …).
- You share costs of expensive investments such as a washing machine, dryer, lawn mower or swimming pool.
- You share fixed costs with all residents, such as rent, electricity, water, gas and maintenance.
- You are less likely to be alone and immediately become part of a close-knit community.
- Because you are cohousing with a lot of people, there is almost always someone to take your package from the mail or pick up a loaf of bread from the bakery.
What are the drawbacks?
- You live with other households and are jointly responsible for management. In most cohousing projects, residents meet at least once a month. As a result, you often have social contact. This takes dedication, time and energy.
- Common costs can be expensive. If there are rooms you don’t use, you still pay for them. For example, a hobby room.
- You will often have to come to a compromise that satisfies all residents. The more residents, the more complex this is. It’s important to be on the same wavelength with them. Do you like to let the money roll in, while the rest are rather frugal? What obligations must everyone meet and is that feasible for you? Record these agreements well (on paper) and consult a legal expert if necessary.
Is there a difference between cohousing and co-living?
Yes. Cohousing and co-housing both fall under the term “communal living” (just like kangaroo living and care living). But with co-housing you share at least one non-living space (such as garden, hall, garage, etc.), while with cohousing you share at least one living space. Co-housing is a synonym for coliving. In practice, these 3 terms are used interchangeably, causing a lot of confusion. Looking for a clear delineation? Read our article
Cohousing vs. in which we list all the differences.
Where can I find cohousing projects?
Below are 4 links to platforms with new or existing cohousing projects. These platforms are a small sample of all the offerings. Do your own research and find more platforms and information through your favo search engine like Google or Bing. Not sure where to start? Then be sure to read all the information on the websites below.
The supply is not nearly as great as in the regular housing market, but cohousing is becoming increasingly popular. Can’t find a (future) project in your neighborhood, but still feel itchy to try it out? Start your own project! Getting legal advice is a must for this. After all, you don’t want any surprises.
Sources: Copandi, De Rick Realty, Oximo, Flanders & Zimmo
Would you like to cite this article as a source? Then use:
Biets, R. (2024, Nov. 20). Cohousing: the legislation. Apartment.be. Accessed on (date XX/XX/2024), from https://www.appartement.be/cohousing-al-je-vragen-beantwoord/
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