“I almost fell out of my chair” (photo)

Koen Vonckx, a resident of Mechelen, told in the columns of Belang van Limburg his misadventure with the social housing company Woonpunt. After the death of his mother, the Belgian had to pay no less than 1,200 euros to carry out repair and development work in his social housing. “I feel cheated and I want to warn others of these Woonpunt practices,” he testifies.

Koen’s mother lived in social housing and after her death the house, which dates from the 1970s, had to be renovated. “For days we cleaned, painted and removed wallpaper,” he explains. “For lack of time, a small piece of wallpaper was left hanging in the hallway. We also discovered some cracks under the wallpaper. We informed Woonpunt about all these things that were not in order,” Koen testifies.

But on the day Koen had to return the keys, it was not the usual contact person who came, but someone who was part of a private company. Later, he received an invoice for 1,200 euros! “I almost fell out of my chair. I admit that apparently there was a small hole in the kitchen tiles that we hadn’t noticed. And there was also the wallpaper that had stuck, but to charge so much for that? I think it’s very exaggerated, ”says the Belgian again.

Koen really doesn’t understand such a high amount. The company reports a cleaning not done as well as a new work plan necessary. “The kitchen was completely renovated seven years ago and now they have had to install a new kitchen top, so to speak. When I asked if I could see that, I couldn’t because I was no longer a tenant,” laments Koen.

When he contacted Woonpunt, he was told that he was doing well, as there were 8,000 euros in costs in the house. “We have incurred costs of 8,000 euros to be able to re-let the house, but only what is payable by the outgoing tenant is invoiced. Wear is not one of them, ”defended the company.

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