52 Belgian Government Buildings Sit Empty, Costing Millions

Fifty-two government-owned buildings in Belgium have been completely vacant for more than a year, covering nearly 245,000 square metres — the equivalent of 34 football fields — and costing taxpayers over €2 million annually in direct maintenance, security, and tax costs alone, according to an investigation by Het Laatste Nieuws.

Context

The Belgian federal government’s Buildings Agency, known as the Regie der Gebouwen, is the country’s second-largest property holder after the national railway company (NMBS). It manages 2,317 buildings across 867 sites, covering nearly 7 million square metres — approximately 1,000 football fields. Two-thirds of these properties are state-owned, while the rest are rented. The government also owns nearly 3 million square metres of land.

Beyond the 52 long-vacant owned buildings, a further 60 government-owned sites stand completely empty, and 37 rented buildings are partially or completely vacant, covering an additional 125,000 m². The scale of the problem has drawn sharp criticism from opposition MPs across the political spectrum.

Conflicting Figures and Rising Costs

Parliamentary inquiries have produced strikingly different figures depending on how questions were framed. MP Nele Daenen (Vooruit) reported 154,333 m² of vacancy focusing only on rented buildings, while Franky Demon (CD&V) documented over 380,000 m², and Britt Huybrechts (Vlaams Belang) calculated 411,000 m². The discrepancies have led to accusations of poor record-keeping or deliberate under-reporting.

According to Vlaams Belang, Huybrechts calculated that taxpayers pay approximately €27 million annually in rent for unused portions of leased buildings — a figure disputed by the minister’s cabinet but nonetheless emblematic of the scale of waste. The Regie der Gebouwen’s total rent spending in 2026 stands at €467 million.

Utility and security costs for fully vacant owned buildings have nearly doubled, rising from €408,498 in 2023 to nearly €800,000 in 2025. In addition, the government paid over €1.25 million in dilapidated property taxes to local authorities last year.

Notable Empty Properties

The vacant portfolio includes surprising assets: the Conservatorium in Brussels, the historic Bruegelhuis, a WWII bunker in Brussels’ Warandepark, and various former Rijkswacht (gendarmerie) sites with residential buildings. These properties, some empty for multiple years, highlight the challenge of managing a diverse and aged real estate portfolio.

As Franky Demon noted in his October 2025 analysis, “I sincerely wonder how one can develop a sound management strategy for the federal property portfolio with such an attitude. It is high time the responsible minister got her services in order.”

Government Response and Progress

Minister Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), responsible for state property management, has defended the government’s actions. “It’s not that no action is taken when a building is empty,” she told HLN, emphasizing that some vacancy is unavoidable during transitions between occupants or renovations. “In a period when efforts are asked of citizens, we must manage government buildings as efficiently as possible.”

Since early 2025, the government has sold 33 properties, generating €10.4 million in revenue, with 30 more currently on the market. In 2025, 49,000 m² of rental contracts were terminated. A consolidation plan to move several agencies to the Eurostation site near Brussels-South station is expected to save €7.9 million annually. Since 2019, 270 rented buildings covering 313,000 m² have been shed, and the government agreement targets a 15% reduction in rented office space by 2028.

Minister Matz has also announced the first version of a digital property cadaster, initially accessible only to parliament members.

Broader Implications

The issue is not confined to the federal level. The Brussels Times reported in November 2025 that the Flemish government owns 137 vacant buildings — nearly 6% of its portfolio — covering 66,255 m². Meanwhile, 25-35% of all Brussels office space stands vacant, with so-called ‘zombie buildings’ throughout the city.

What’s Next

Critics argue that the pace of reform remains far too slow. The structural nature of the vacancy — many buildings have been empty for three to five years — suggests that deeper administrative reforms are needed. The question of whether the government can accelerate sales, repurpose historic buildings, and bring transparency to its property management will determine whether this long-standing issue moves toward resolution or continues to drain public funds.

Britt Huybrechts summed up the sentiment of many critics: “Use those buildings, sell them or repurpose them. But stop the waste.”