© AFP
A number of municipalities along Luxembourg's border with France have proposed the introduction of rental permits, known as "permis de louer".
The rental permit system means a dwelling may only be rented out to tenants if it has undergone previous checks by housing authorities to ensure housing and hygiene criteria have been met, and excluding issues such as damp or electrical risks.
The system does not yet exist in Luxembourg, but neighbouring France introduced the "permis de louer" model around a decade ago, after nearly 200,000 rental properties were found to fall short of the necessary criteria to be safe and habitable. Landlords must submit new requests for permits for each new tenant.
Housing minister Claude Meisch responded to a parliamentary question submitted by The Left MP David Wagner regarding the system, saying that current legislation would have to be adapted, but that rental permits could indeed become an option for the Grand Duchy.
In addition to rental permits, other measures should also be subjected to detailed analysis by a working group, Meisch continued, in a bid to prevent landlords from abusing their power and renting out housing units in poor condition.
