PhD student: Mrs L. Formesyn

Promotors: Prof V. Sagaert, Mrs Dr D. Gruyaert

Duration: 1/10/2025 - 30/9/2029

Abstract:

The right of ownership, as stipulated in Article 3.50 of the Civil Code, grants the owner a fullness of powers, subject to the limitations imposed by laws, regulations or the rights of others. Although ownership is thus considered the most comprehensive real right a legal subject can have with respect to a good, it is not without limitations. This doctoral research will explore the limits of ownership from a socio-sustainability perspective. Societal developments and their social consequences present legal challenges. Relevant in this context are issues such as the housing crisis, marked by a shortage in the housing market and rising prices, as well as phenomena like Airbnb, which influence the traditional housing market. These developments give rise to questions and tensions concerning the right to property in relation to the right to housing. The research will therefore examine the pursuit of a balance between, on the one hand, the fundamental right of ownership and the autonomy of property owners, and, on the other hand, societal needs and the resulting constraints.