Belgium Forum - Moving to Brussels, advice needed
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kirstywalton
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From: England
12/6/2005 19:01
I am moving to Brussels to work in the European Parliament for 6 months on an intership. I would like some advice about practical considerations before i leave in January, and to ask if anyone can recommend a reliable landlord / agency. I would rather rent through word of mouth than searching the internet, which so far has been fruitless. Any advice of any kind would be well received. I'm currently a student a Leeds University, England.
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Brasstacks
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From: Germany
12/13/2005 05:03
HI saw your post. First the best source for housing is www.xpats.com..this is an excellent source. Warning..I lived in Brussels for one year. First, Brussels is a dangerous city. I wrote speeches for an important politican there, she was car jacked three times.I was robbed once and my car was vandalized once. The police are extremely aggressive, so be careful with them too.Dealing with the local is also a nightmare. They want you to sign complicate leases and most charge outrageous deposits and rent. The mentality is of another world. In fact Belgium reminds me of third world country going through a transition.Belgium is the only European country that I have ever been to where there are massive roadblocks all over the countryside capricously checking you out. Have your papers in order. Also, Belgium was the only country I have ever been to were the some police appraoch your car with an automatic rifle.If all you do is go home and then to work. YOu should not have much of a problem. Be careful about registration. It is so confusing in Belgium. Almost every person I meet was not registered. If fact many local Belgiums had a scheme to avoid taxes. If you rent an apartment, the local commune finds very quickly whether you are in fact registered or not. They simply check the utiltiy provider who gives them all your information. So share a room with some else. Get a garage for your car and for heaven sakes do not share a room with any local people, share with an ex pat.
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cocoa
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From: Belgium
12/13/2005 11:51
i lived in brussels for 16 years before returning to glasgow and have never had a problem as you have described and I found it very safe, much safer than the center of glasgow in the evening.
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JOELLE
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From: Belgium
12/16/2005 16:24
my Name is Joelle Supply and have lived for 7 years in Holland.I'm an Belgian Citizin and I have my own company in services.
Therefore I want to offer you a package of services only for Expats which includes everything meaning from the moment you have your date of departure we look for properties and give you a proposition of 4 properties ,info over the enviroment and country, insurances, schools for the childeren. Everything.If you want more info or an offer don't hesitate to contact me on : joelle.supply@skynet.be and
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Macnash
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From: Belgium
12/18/2005 05:37
Dear Joelle,
I am the owner of www.macnash.com and I would be interested to talk with you about common business.
For your information, 72% of our customers are foreigners !
Call me anytime on my mobile 0475/266.777 or pm@macnash.com
By the way, I am a Belgo-American and I love Brussels !
Best regards,
Patrick MENACHE
CEO & Real Estate Appraisal
Macnash AssociateS
rue Darwin, 65 (Place Brugmann)
1050 Brussels
Tel +32.2.347.11.47
Fax +32.2.346.20.36
Mobile Gsm +32.475.266.777
Email : pm@macnash.com
Skype : www.macnash.com
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zii
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From: Chile
4/24/2006 15:48
I lived in Bxl for 4 years and have never had any bother. Once down Blaastaat around midnight I crossed over the road to avoid some dangerous looking drunken rabble, but other than this, nothing.
There some parts of Brussels that are undisirable, but most large cities have these and you learn where not to do.
However, recently (last week) a teenager was stabbed to death in Gare Centraal by a couple of teenagers as they tried to steal his MP3 player. These are rare events.
During my time in Brussels I have never known of any body who was a victim of a crime, but like all cities around the world, its the same, although like some one commented earlier, I feel safer in Bruxelles than Glasgow!
The commune never found me in my apartement, although I did register eventually as one has to after 3 months as an EU citizen. (the utility bills were in the owners name). This process was straight forward as a single person, although if I had have spoken good French/Flemish it would have been easier as I would have understood everything. It required three visits to the hotel de ville (or whatever its called - 1000 postcode is on Anspachlaan), and some baring queuing and this was all. More uneventful than stressful. I registered as an independant worker. (self-employed).
Apartements: I rented three there: Two where it all was inclusive. I paid one months deposit and all bills (gas/elect/water) were included. The last one the management company asked for two monthe rent as a deposit, which they placed into a special bank account that the bank would not release unless landlord and tenant signed the paper. The amount plus interest was returned to the outgoing tenant. This last apartement was a renewable 3 year lease, but I could leave at any point but would loose most of my deposit if I didn't give three months notice.
If one frequents the EU area one will find regualar policemen with guns, because there are frequent demonstations, often against the EU or some other nation who has representation in the Brussels. The US embassy, last time I looked, was pretty much a fortress, but this is often the same for the US embassies the world over ;)
Some demonstations have led to vandalism of public and private property, and its best to stay away. In my 4 years there I was stopped once and asked for my ID - I showed them my companies ID badge, which was acceptable. I lived in 1000 so this is as central as you can get.
Having lived in Chile now for three years, I can honestly say that the writer Brassstacks has no idea what a 3rd world country is, nor what a developing country is, so that his comparison of Belgium to the 3rd world is ludicurous.
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