Brussels
Rent house or flat in Brussels
Because prices to buy are very expensive in Brussels, or simply because you do not wish to invest in Belgium, you might prefer to rent an accommodation.
There are numerous estate agencies and website specialised in properties in Brussels. For example:
- http://www.immoweb.be (Main Belgian website for properties, there are a lot of ads. You can consult the list of agencies or find a solicitor or a surveyor).
- http://www.immoscan.be
- http://www.immodream.com (a very nice home page where you will find a lot of information)
- http://www.eurohouse.be
- http://www.otimmo.com
The lease
The lease, without any specific notification, is assumed to be agreed for 9 years. At the end of the lease, new periods of 3 years each time are said to be agreed without notification if nobody has terminated the lease. Each time that the lease is extended between the tenant(s) and the landlord(s), the lease continues and the rent cannot be modified at this occasion. Short term leases are equal to or less than 3 years.
It is only possible to change the price of the rent when you change the lease. During the lease, the rent is following a yearly index (i.e. adapting to the cost of living index), that is different from the rise of the rent during the lease. Since 1991, the modification of the rent during the lease is possible but can only happen at the end of each period of 3 years. The change of the rent can be requested by the tenant or by the landlord, solely on a very precise timing. Afterwards, either each part agrees, either they disagree and then the person who submitted the request can go to court.
For more information on leases, it is adviced to check with the information of the federal website.
In addition to the rent, the tenant will often have to pay additional charges:
- maintenance of the shared areas in the building (cleaning and repears);
- water and electricity bills of the shared areas.
Fees and charges must be listed with the rent on an additional document.
The notice
Three months before the end of the lease, it is possible to give your notice (by recorded letter). If no notice has been done before the end of the contract, the initial lease carries on with the same conditions, but it will be considered to have been agreed for a period of 9 years.
Attention:
- For a lease of 9 years: before 3 years in the accommodation, the tenant can end his/her tenancy with a 3 month notice period that takes place the 1st of the following month it has been sent. But he/she will have to pay the landlard 3 month rent if the tenant leaves before the 1st year, 2 months before the 2nd year and 1 month before the 3rd year.
- For a short term lease: neither the tenant nor the landlord can terminate the contract in advance, unless it it has been agreed otherwise. The contract can be terminated after a 3 month notice period before the end of the normal period of tenancy.
Social accommodation (council estates)
Rental benefits exist in Brussels-Capital Region, in order to help some citizens to find accommodation.
In order to be candidate for social accommodation (equivalent to council estates), the person has to comply with some criteria, especially in terms of maximum income subject to tax. The registration is made using a document from the organisation of the social estate (AIS - agence immobilière sociale). It is also possible to get removal and rent allowance (ADIL).
More information on the website: Bruxelles-J.
Litigations and issues regarding the tenacy have to be settled with the juge de paix (see list) of the location where the property is located.
Update 22/11/2011
Furnished apartments for travellers
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Characteristics of Homelike
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