Student housing in Belgium

Recent geopolitical events have caused energy costs to rise in Belgium by over 50%. When you sign your student accommodation contract with your landlord, make sure to ask whether these costs will be included in your agreement, fixed throughout the year or your own separate bill. Allow an average € 100 - € 150 per month for utilities, depending on the type of student home. Some landlords will ask for an monthly advance to pay energy costs.

A rental guarantee is a cautionary deposit equivalent to 2 months’ rent and functions as a ‘guarantee’ against damage to furnishings, sudden departures, or any other circumstances that might pose a monetary loss to the landlord. The rental guarantee will be returned to you at the end of the rental period, with any costs related to damages or unpaid bills deducted from the total amount.  

In order to pay the rental guarantee, you will need to open a blocked deposit bank account with a Belgian bank that can only be released with both your signature and the landlord's. This is known as a ‘huurwaarborg op een geblokkeerde rekening’ in Dutch or a ‘garantie bancaire’ in French. This can be done at any major bank in Belgium. Or you can transfer the deposit to the landlord's bank account.  The landlord must pay interest to the tenant when refunding the deposit.

Under Belgian law, your landlord is required to conduct an inventory and statement of initial condition of your rented accommodation right when you move in ('plaatsbeschrijving' in Dutch; 'états des lieux' in French).  

This is always done with the landlord and tenant both present and signed on a separate document next to your rental contract. It’s as easy as noting down any damages and the condition of the furniture, appliances, etc. and taking pictures for your own personal records (which we highly recommend!). 

If your landlord hasn’t informed you of this necessary pre-rental step, kindly insist that this will be done. By knowing your rental rights, you can be sheltered from having to pay unnecessary charges for damages caused by previous tenants.