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Living in a tiny house according to legislation

Tiny house, the housing form trend that is becoming increasingly popular. Tiny housing – also known as microhousing – is alternative housing form, in which you choose a minimalist lifestyle. You live in a compact, often home-built home among the 18 m² and 50 m². This form of housing offers financial and ecological advantages. What is a tiny house, what does the legislation say (required permits and other practical matters)?

What is a tiny house?

A tiny house is an alternative form of living where people live in small, affordable and often completely self-sufficient homes. These homes have an area between 18 m² and 50 m². People build a tiny house with efficiency, minimalism and sustainability in mind. Prices are considerably lower than those of normal homes, usually between 25,000 and 100,000 euros. Despite the limited space, it offers a comfort of a normal home, on a smaller scale. When designing, it is important to be creative with the available space and think carefully about the layout. They range from simple cabins on wheels to ingeniously designed architectural masterpieces, where clever storage solutions and multifunctional furniture are the norm. Moreover, tiny houses have a much smaller carbon footprint than standard homes and people often build them with sustainable materials. In addition to being a permanent home, a tiny house also (sometimes) serves as a vacation home, a guest house or a care home. There are quite a few home builders specializing in custom modular construction. Examples include: Ecohouse, Ernesto and Stido.

tiny house at sunset

 

What are the benefits?

  1. Financial benefits: Lower costs than traditional homes. They are affordable in terms of purchase price and maintenance costs, making them an attractive option for people with limited budgets.
  2. Environmental friendliness: The ecological footprint is significantly lower due to their small size. They require less energy and materials during construction and usually have lower energy consumption for heating and cooling. In addition, they encourage sustainability and minimalism.
  3. Mobility and flexibility: Many tiny houses are built on wheels, making them easily movable. This provides the ability to change locations, which can be convenient for people who like to change their living environment or for those looking for temporary places to stay.
  4. Easy maintenance: The smaller size means less space to clean and maintain. This can make for less time and effort needed to keep the home in good condition.

 

What are the drawbacks?

  1. Limited space: You obviously live in a limited space. It sometimes takes adjustments to live in a compact environment, especially if you are used to more space and more storage options.
  2. Possible legal restrictions: Some areas have restrictions on living permanently in a tiny house, especially in specific locations such as farmland. Be aware of the laws and regulations in your area.
  3. Limited facilities: Because of limited space, some amenities are also limited. For example, you may have to compromise on kitchen appliances, storage space or bathroom amenities.
  4. Privacy: Intimacy and privacy can be challenging, especially if you live with several people in the same space. It is important to consider whether you are comfortable with the limited privacy associated with this form of living.

 

What does Flemish legislation say?

What are the conditions?

  • Tinhouses and mobile residential care homes are subject to area standards and housing quality standards: you can find these in our article Housing Quality Standards Under the Law.
  • The tiny house has a maximum area of 50 m² and is subject to the permit requirement of the Flemish Code of Spatial Planning (VCRO). There is no distinction between a primary residence or a secondary residence.
  • A tiny house on wheels falls under the regulations surrounding caravans. If you move it frequently, it falls under movable property. If it stays somewhere for a long time, it does require a permit.
  • The mobile care unit is a subordinate residential unit of a home, is temporary and movable. A mobile care unit has no permit requirement and a notification of the care unit is sufficient. Read all the conditions on the Flanders website: Care living without worries.

 

What premiums can I get?

As owner:

 

As a landlord:

 

As a tenant:

 

Mandatory Direct Debit

If you want to live in Flanders, you must meet certain minimum requirements in terms of safety, health and housing quality. The living area for one person must be at least 18 m² and the height must not be lower than 2.20 meters. A tiny house smaller than these dimensions does not meet the standards. In addition, a tiny house must have bath/shower, kitchen and toilet facilities that are dry and frost-free accessible.

 

A man a child in front of their tiny house

 

Looking for other affordable housing options? Cohousing is a great alternative to live independently yet not bear the full cost alone.

 

Would you like to cite this article as a source? Then use:

Dillen, E. (2024, Feb. 1). Small-scale living: tiny house. Apartment.com. Accessed on (date XX/XX/202X), from https://www.appartement.be/tiny-houses

 

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Evelien Dillen

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