Sometimes you will not be living in your house for a longer period. In a number of cases, you can let someone else live in your house temporarily, while you keep the tenancy rights. However, some rules apply to this, and you always have to ask permission.
Rules for house stewardship
You can request stewardship if you:
need to go abroad or outside the region for work, study or do an internship for a period of at least three months.
are admitted to a nursing home, imprisoned or make a trip of at least three months.
move back to the country of origin (remigration).
cohabit on a trial basis.
Rent payments and housing benefit
You may not charge the steward a higher rent than the rent you pay to Lieven de Stad.
House stewardship usually has consequences for the amount of housing benefit, if applicable. House stewardship may also affect the municipal taxes you have to pay.
The steward is not eligible for housing benefit.
Rules for sub-renting
It is imperative to Lieven de Stad that stewardship is not abused. For example, it may not involve a concealed sub-rent. If you ask your steward for more rent than you pay Lieven de Stad, your rental agreement will be terminated. We will apply the notice you gave us before the start of the stewardship. Furthermore, if we discover that you are sub-renting, you will be fined EUR 2,000 and you must pay the difference between the rent you received from the steward and the rent you paid to us, i.e. Lieven de Stad.
Duration of house stewardship
During the term of your rental agreement, you can request stewardship for a maximum of two years. Lieven de Stad can only decide to allow a longer period in exceptional cases.