Is a certificat of compliance mandatory upon rental of property in Flanders?

Rented properties (house, flat, room, studio, student room, etc.) must comply with minimum housing quality standards. In order to prove that this requirement has been met, a certificate of compliance can be requested at the municipality.

However, this certificate does not constitute a rental permit and is therefore, in principle, not mandatory when letting a property.

In Flanders, however, each municipality is free to decide by means of its own municipal regulations whether or not the certificate of compliance is mandatory. The municipality can also limit the period of validity of this certificate, which is in general for 10 years.

You can consult the list of the municipalities that require a certificate of compliance and, if applicable, their limited period of validity on the following link: 'gemeentelijk woningkwaliteitsbeleid' (municipal housing quality policy).

If it appears that you are required to present a certificate of compliance, you can submit your application to the municipality where the property is located. In order to establish whether your property meets the compliance, health and safety requirements, a housing inspector from the municipality or from 'Wonen Vlaanderen' shall carry out a compliance survey and shall draw up a technical report.

Landlords or intermediaries of housing in Flanders are therefore advised to consult the link here above.

If you wish more information on the legal requirements and obligations with regard to the rental or property or if you require any assistance in negotiating and drafting your rental contracts, please do not hesitate to contact the specialists at Seeds of Law via info@seeds.law or +32 (0)2 747 40 07.