Houseboats and floating houses

For many people, living on the water is a big dream, but there are also people who want to live on the water. Legally, however, living by the water or on it is treated differently.

Ownership and renting

If you live on the water, you can do so as an owner or as a tenant. You are then either the owner of a property or a tenant of it. When you live on the water, you may be the owner of the houseboat and a tenant of the berth. It is also possible that you own the berth. It is also possible that you rent the houseboat with berth.
A houseboat is not an immovable property. The berth is. To mortgage the houseboat, it must be registered at the land registry.

As a tenant of a berth, you do not in principle enjoy special rental protection. If you rent a houseboat, however, you do in principle enjoy the rent protection that also applies to ordinary houses.

Research

If you wish to buy a houseboat, it is important, just like with a property, to investigate whether it is well built and whether there are any defects. It is also important to investigate whether you will become the owner of the berth or get a rental right. Usually, the right to rent is involved. Then it is important to investigate whether that rental right is transferable, whether it can be terminated, what the rent is and how it can be increased.

Municipal policy

Various authorities may own the water where your prospective houseboat is located. It is important to know what their (future) policies are. That looking into the future is difficult is obvious. Sometimes, however, it is possible that there is a long-term vision regarding a certain water, in which houseboats do or do not fit.
As with a property, the price is determined by three things: location, location and location. You should therefore not imagine that after your purchase, you will be told that the lease will not be renewed and you will have to move somewhere else.

For more information on purchasing houseboats or floating homes, please get in touch. We will be happy to help you.