In a heartwarming and unexpected turn of events, several tenants in the Limburg town of Vaals were left stunned when they discovered that their 87-year-old landlady had bequeathed properties to them in her will. The landlady, who passed away in February without any direct relatives, decided to leave several of her properties to the tenants residing within them. The generosity of this act, especially in the context of the tight housing market, has brought a wave of joy and gratitude to the recipients.
Bram Brekelmans, a 33-year-old teaching assistant and single father of two, was one of those tenants who received a house as a gift. I met her once, he shared with the Telegraaf, so we didn’t really know each other at all. And then to be given a house as a gift… That there are such nice people in this day and age, when you have to be harsh to get ahead, is heartwarming.
Brekelmans’ semi-detached home, valued at at least €255,000, would likely fetch up to €290,000 in the current market. He only had to pay €75,000 in inheritance tax, effectively receiving an additional €200,000 in the form of the property. This unexpected gift has allowed him to convert the inheritance tax into a manageable mortgage, providing him with the certainty of home ownership for his two children, aged 5 and 7.
Marije de Rooij-Stevenhaagen, an inheritance mediator at AllesoverErven.nl, confirmed that such instances of landlords bequeathing properties to tenants are not common. She cited a similar case in Zeeland where a woman left the land she leased to her tenants upon her death, indicating a stronger bond with her tenants than with her family. She wanted her tenants to have it, she said, she had a much stronger bond with them than with her family. So it happens, but certainly not often.
In general, according to de Rooij-Stevenhaagen, an individual can decide the fate of their entire inheritance. Only children are entitled to at least half of the normal inheritance, and they can object if they receive less than that. Since the Vaals woman did not have any children, she was free to determine the entirety of her inheritance as she wished.
This act of generosity by the elderly landlady has not only provided a significant boost to the lives of the tenants but has also sparked discussions on the importance of relationships between landlords and tenants, and the role of community in modern society. The kindness and foresight displayed by this landlady have left a lasting impact on the lives of those she has helped, serving as a beacon of hope and generosity in the face of the challenges often encountered in the housing market.
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