Where can you find bridging accommodation between two homes in Antwerp?

The sale has gone through, but the new house is not ready yet. Or a leak, a fire or a late builder has made your home unusable for a while. Either way, you need somewhere that works for weeks, with a kitchen and room for the family.

When do you need bridging accommodation?

Bridging accommodation is needed whenever the dates of two homes do not line up. In Antwerp that usually means one of four situations. In each one, the gap is longer than a weekend with family but shorter than a normal lease.

• Sale before purchase. The deed for your old home is signed before you get the keys to the new one.
• A late renovation. The new home, or the one you live in, needs more time than planned. Our guide to temporary housing during a renovation covers that case in detail.
• Water or fire damage. Your home is unsafe or unusable until repairs are done.
• Arriving before your lease. You start a job in Antwerp before your rented home is free.

For the wider picture of living in Antwerp for a few weeks or months, see our main guide.

Which bridging accommodation options are there in Antwerp?

Bridging accommodation in Antwerp comes in four main forms: family or friends, a hotel, a short-term lease and a furnished apartment stay. Which one fits depends mostly on how long the gap is and whether the end date is certain.

Bridging options compared

A lease gives you more legal protection but asks more work: furniture, energy contracts and an inventory. Our guide on choosing between a short-term lease or a furnished stay explains the difference. In a bridging period, most people also need storage for their furniture. A furnished place means you only move suitcases.

Does insurance pay for bridging accommodation after water or fire damage?

Insurance often pays for bridging accommodation after fire or water damage, but the details depend on your policy. Assuralia, the Belgian insurers’ federation, told VRT that hotel nights are usually covered by fire insurance. The same goes for temporary replacement items.

The amount and the period depend on the individual contract. The article followed a fire in a block of flats on the Left Bank. Assuralia added that first payments take about 30 days on average. So you may have to pay first and claim later.

Tip

Call your insurer before you book. Ask what it reimburses, for how long, and which proof it wants: an invoice, the dates and the names of the guests. Mention this when you send your dates to us.

Bridging accommodation from 2 nights to 6 months at Hoost

Hoost offers bridging accommodation in four furnished apartments in one building at VIIde-Olympiadelaan 19, in Antwerp South near Middelheim Park. There is one 1-bedroom apartment for up to 2 guests and three 2-bedroom apartments for up to 4 guests each. One booking runs from 2 nights to 6 months, and a longer stay continues with a new booking.

What that means during a move:

• Suitcases only. Every apartment has a kitchen with cooking basics, bed linen, towels, a TV, a dining table and a double bed in every bedroom.
• No utility contracts. Electricity, heating and water are included in the stay.
• Laundry. A shared washing machine and dryer are in the building.
• Children. A cot and a high chair are available on request.
• Late moving days. Self check-in with a lockbox works from 15:00, even after a long day of carrying boxes.
• No deposit. Dates can be changed if the new dates are free. Remaining nights are not refunded if you leave early, except in an emergency.
• Getting around. Trams 2 and 6 stop near the building. There is no parking on site, but P+R Olympiade is about 0.2 km away and there is paid parking nearby.

Because leaving early is not refunded, book the period you are sure of. Then extend when the new date is firm.

Which address do you keep during a bridging stay?

During a bridging stay at Hoost, your registered address (domicile) stays elsewhere, because address registration at the apartments is not possible. Stad Antwerpen says you must report a new address within 8 working days of moving, and a police officer checks that you really live there.

If your own home is being repaired, you may not need to change anything. The city explains that an absence of more than 3 months can be reported as a temporary absence. You then stay registered at home, as long as nobody else moves in. If you have sold, ask the city’s address desk before the deed date where you can stay registered. Our guide to registering your address in Antwerp explains the rules.

When Hoost is not the right choice

Hoost is not the right choice for every bridging period. Be honest with yourself about these points before you send your dates:

• You need to register your address at the accommodation.
• You need one contract for longer than 6 months.
• You are moving with a pet: pets are not allowed.
• You need parking on site, for example for a van.
• You want daily cleaning or hotel services. Cleaning is done per booking; on longer stays, extra cleaning about every two weeks can be arranged.
• You want to stay next to your new home or school in another part of town.

If none of these apply, a furnished apartment takes the pressure off the move. For everything else about settling into the city for a few months, our living guide is the next read.