in 2016 had sold an apartment building for more than €1.6m. The building contained five flats, including a converted basement, which he had been ordered to empty in 2014 as it did not meet housing requirements, such as a minimum ceiling height.

This order was confirmed in 2015. Reding the following year put the property up for sale without having re-converted the basement flat.

The buyer later claimed that Reding had concealed the fact that one of the apartments could not be rented out. The politician denied the charges, saying the real estate agent managing the transaction had been informed that the basement studio could not be used as housing.

In an initial verdict on 24 November last year, Reding was for real estate fraud. A court of appeal however has overturned this sentence and cleared Reding of all charges.