Inter-Vilvoordse director’s restaurant spending draws scrutiny

According to an internal document seen by VRT NWS, the director ate out 78 times that year, often with lawyers, contractors, architects and colleagues at restaurants including Bistro MaReine, L’Autre Vie and A Table. The charges ranged from 8.90 euros to 631.70 euros per meal, and did not include spontaneous lunch meetings.

The then-board said the spending was “responsible in the context of his position” and later adopted a restaurant code of conduct. That code allows meals only when costs are reasonable for the business relationship, but bans personal use and explicitly forbids starred restaurants, with disciplinary measures possible.

The case comes after a sector-wide review by Wonen in Vlaanderen following a fraud probe at another housing company. The agency said Inter-Vilvoordse’s restaurant spending was exceptionally high and far above the 1,035-euro sector median, though it also said costs have fallen sharply since the new code was introduced.

For investors and public-sector watchers, the key issue is governance: higher spending scrutiny can force tighter controls, change management behavior and increase pressure on boards to justify every euro in organizations that already face social backlash over shortages and maintenance failings. Inter-Vilvoordse says spending is now being monitored more closely under a new board installed in June 2025, and that the company’s reported profit is tied to a Flemish recovery plan and mandatory asset sales.

The episode is likely to keep attention on how Belgian social housing operators spend public money, especially as opposition parties use the case to attack the broader housing crisis. The next test will be whether the new controls hold and whether regulators widen the lens to other boards with similarly high discretionary expenses.