Three new studies were released by the Housing Observatory in early October to mark National Housing Week. In a press release, the Observatory wrote that two-thirds of tenants in Luxembourg experience issues related to their accommodation, compared to half of all mortgage holders. Less than a quarter of low-earning renters said they had no issues with housing at all.
The Observatory noted that just one in four eligible households claims housing subsidies. Upon further investigation, it transpired that 47% of eligible people who had not applied for housing benefits did not know of their existence in the first place. The majority of these are young people aged 19-35, and people from third countries.
45% of the non-claimants said they knew benefits were available, but did not think they were eligible for financial assistance. This proportion was mainly made up of people aged 56-65, households with two children, and EU citizens. The Observatory recommended improving communication to help those who are uninformed, as well as better identifying the eligible households.
In a further study, the Observatory published construction figures between 2016 and 2022, which showed the re-development of residential land was on the rise during that period. 17,000 new housing units were built, while 12,000 properties were remodelled or renovated. Significantly more apartments were built or remodelled, compared to houses. 43% of the surface used for construction had previously been vacant land.
