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Belgian rental law: complete guide by region (Wallonia, Brussels, Flanders)

Residential tenancy in Belgium is entirely regionalised: Wallonia, Brussels and Flanders each have their own rules. This comprehensive guide deciphers the rights, obligations and specificities of each region.

Par Mervyn Jespers
Belgian rental law: complete guide by region (Wallonia, Brussels, Flanders)

Residential tenancy in Belgium does not follow a single law: since the sixth state reform, competence over residential rental has been transferred exclusively to the three Regions. Wallonia, Brussels-Capital and Flanders each apply their own legislative text, with sometimes very different rules on notice periods, rental guarantees, indexation and even registration. Speaking of a single "Belgian law" on residential tenancy is therefore inaccurate: you must always specify the region concerned.

In a tight market, according to the Federia/CIB 2025 Barometer, the average rent for a new tenancy reaches EUR 1,346 in Brussels (+2% over one year), EUR 879 in Wallonia (+6.2%, a record since 2018) and increases by +1.8% in Flanders. Mastering this regionalised framework has become essential for any tenant, landlord or estate agency.

Why is Belgian residential tenancy regionalised?

The regionalisation of rental law stems directly from the sixth state reform, which transferred to the Regions competence over "the rental of properties or parts of properties intended for habitation". Each Region has since adopted its own decree or ordinance:

  1. Wallonia: Decree of 15 March 2018 on residential tenancy, which came into force on 1 September 2018. It covers primary residence leases, co-tenancy leases, student leases and rolling leases. An indicative rent grid is also provided to help tenants and landlords estimate fair rent.
  2. Brussels-Capital: Ordinance of 27 July 2017 (Brussels Housing Code), strengthened by a reform of March 2024 that came into force in November 2024. It notably introduces a rent freeze over 9 years between two successive short-term leases and an obligation to disclose the previous tenant's rent.
  3. Flanders: Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet of 9 November 2018. The rules are fundamentally similar to those of the other Regions, but with specific particularities regarding notice periods and termination indemnities.

In practice, renting in Liège, Brussels or Ghent means navigating three distinct legal frameworks. An error regarding which regional rules to apply can have real financial consequences for both landlord and tenant.

What are the tenant's rights and obligations according to their region?

Belgian tenants benefit from enhanced protection in all three Regions, but the modalities vary.

Lease duration and notice

In all three Regions, the 9-year lease remains the standard duration for a primary residence. The tenant may terminate it at any time with 3 months' notice. Short-term leases (maximum 3 years) must be expressly agreed in writing; without notice given at expiry, they automatically convert into a 9-year lease. In Brussels, since the 2024 reform, short-term leases can only be renewed once before this automatic conversion.

In case of early termination of a short-term lease, an indemnity of one month's rent is due by the tenant in Brussels and Wallonia. In Flanders, the indemnity varies (one month or half a month) depending on whether termination occurs during the first, second or third year of the lease.

Maintenance and habitability obligations

The landlord is obliged to provide habitable accommodation that complies with energy performance standards. In Wallonia, the 2018 Decree explicitly reinforces these requirements. The tenant, for their part, must take out fire insurance, an obligation now extended to Brussels since 1 November 2024.

Lease registration

Lease registration is mandatory and free of charge in all three Regions for primary residence leases. The landlord has 2 months after signing to complete this registration via the SPF Finances MyRent platform. If the lease is not registered, the tenant can leave without notice or indemnity. Note: since 1 January 2025, Brussels landlords must register their lease on two separate platforms. To find out everything about this obligation, consult our guide on lease registration in Belgium.

What are the rules on rental guarantee by region?

The rental guarantee protects the landlord against possible tenant defaults, but its amount is capped differently according to region:

  1. Wallonia: since 1 June 2023, the guarantee cannot exceed 2 months' rent.
  2. Brussels: for leases signed or renewed since 1 November 2024, the cap is also 2 months' rent. The landlord must release the guarantee within 2 months after move-out, on pain of a penalty of 10% of the monthly rent per month of delay.
  3. Flanders: the cap is set at 3 months' rent.

In all three Regions, the guarantee must be placed in a blocked account in the tenant's name; the landlord can never demand it in cash. The choice of guarantee arrangement belongs to the tenant. For a complete overview of this subject, read our dedicated article on the rental guarantee in Belgium.

How does rent indexation work in Belgium?

Rent indexation is authorised once a year, on the anniversary date of the lease coming into force. It is based on the health index. In Wallonia, if the landlord forgets to index on the anniversary date, their right to indexation arrears is limited to the last three months preceding the request. Specific rules apply according to the property's EPC certificate, with certain periods having seen temporary caps. Find the detailed mechanisms in our guide on rent indexation in Belgium.

What are the risks of discrimination in tenant selection?

In all three Regions, the landlord cannot select a tenant based on discriminatory criteria (nationality, age, gender, family situation, etc.). Belgium has strengthened its anti-discrimination rules since July 2023. For agencies and landlords, non-compliance with these provisions leads to significant sanctions. Our article on rental discrimination in Belgium details the protected criteria and available remedies.

Furthermore, the allocation of repairs between tenant and landlord is frequently the subject of disputes: our guide on rental repairs in Belgium helps you distinguish what falls to each party. And if you are approaching the end of contract, consult our article on notice and end of lease by region to know your exact deadlines.

How to prove your rental reliability in a very tight market?

With an average of 34 prospective tenants for a single available property according to Immoweb (2024), standing out in your application has become a crucial issue. And the pressure is not easing: according to Federia/CIB, rents continue to rise in all three Regions, with the supply of affordable housing contracting.

In this context, a solid and verifiable rental file makes all the difference. This is precisely why we designed ImmoTecto: a tenant-initiated platform that allows them to build their file once and prove their payment reliability, at EUR 0, without subscription.

What ImmoTecto brings concretely

Our approach is based on three complementary tools:

  1. Tecto Score: a rental reliability score calculated exclusively from actually observed rent payments—timeliness, not income or bank balance. It relies on three cumulative channels: Open Banking (PSD2, read-only, revocable), bank statement import (PDF/CSV, analysed by AI) and bank screenshots (verified by AI). The score is presented in clear labels (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Average, Needs Improvement) and updated monthly. A variant is planned for first-time tenants without history.
  2. TectoDossier: a single file (identity, housing history, professional situation, references, guarantors), encrypted in AES-256, that the tenant completes once and shares at will.
  3. TectoPass: a certified PDF passport, instantly readable by QR code or number, without account creation on the professional side. The tenant chooses section by section what they share. Valid 40 days, renewable for 3 months.

ImmoTecto does not replace the regional legal framework. It complements it: a tenant presenting a Certified Tecto Score gives the landlord verified information about their actual payment behaviour, which neither an employment contract nor an income statement can demonstrate alone.

For agencies and landlords, consulting a TectoPass only requires an email and a code or QR code, without leaving your usual process. Discover our packages on the dedicated landlords page or consult our pricing.

The Tecto Score is never presented as the sole selection criterion: the tenant benefits from a right to explanation, challenge and human review, in accordance with Article 22 of RGPD.

FAQ

Is the rental law the same throughout Belgium?

No. Since the sixth state reform, residential tenancy is a regional competence. Wallonia applies the Decree of 15 March 2018, Brussels the Ordinance of 27 July 2017 (amended in 2024) and Flanders the Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet of 2018. Rules on duration, guarantee, notice periods and indexation differ according to the region where the property is located.

What is the maximum rental guarantee amount in Belgium?

It depends on the region. In Wallonia and Brussels (for leases signed since 1 November 2024), the guarantee is capped at 2 months' rent. In Flanders, the cap is 3 months. In all three Regions, the guarantee must be placed in a blocked account in the tenant's name.

Can a tenant leave their accommodation before the end of the lease?

Yes, in all three Regions, the tenant can terminate a 9-year lease at any time with 3 months' notice. For a short-term lease, early termination generally results in an indemnity of one month's rent (Brussels, Wallonia) or variable depending on the year of termination (Flanders).

What is the Tecto Score and how is it different from financial scoring?

The Tecto Score measures exclusively rent payment behaviour (did they pay, on the scheduled date?). It never analyses income, savings, bank balance, nationality, age or type of employment contract. It is a measure of rental reliability, not a financial rating. It is accessible at EUR 0 for the tenant, on their own initiative.

Can the landlord increase the rent during the lease?

During the contract, only annual indexation is authorised in all three Regions. Any revision of the rent outside indexation must be agreed by mutual consent or pronounced by a court in strictly defined cases. In Brussels, since the 2024 reform, the rent also cannot be increased (outside indexation) between two successive short-term leases for a total period of 9 years.

Sources

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Belgian rental law: complete regional guide 2025 | IMMOTECTO