My tenant refuses viewings for re-letting: 2 months of standoff
Sophie, a landlord in Brussels, shares how her tenant blocked all viewings during the notice period. Brussels rules, negotiation and resolution in 8 weeks.
- 01 The deadlock
- 02 The legal framework
- 03 The formal notice
- 04 The agreement
- 05 Lessons learned
March 2025 — the deadlock
I own a 1-bedroom apartment of 55 m2 on rue de Moscou in Saint-Gilles, rented at 900 EUR excluding charges. My tenant, Damien, 31, a freelance graphic designer, had been living there for 18 months on a short-term residential lease (3 years). He gave notice on 1 March for a departure on 31 May.
From 8 March, I sent him a text message to schedule the first viewing with a candidate. Reply: “This weekend doesn’t suit me.” I proposed the following Tuesday. “I have a deadline.” Thursday? “I’m away.”
In 3 weeks, 5 viewing requests, 5 refusals. Each time a different reason, each time polite but firm. Meanwhile, 14 potential candidates turned to other properties. The rental market in Saint-Gilles is tight but not to the point where people wait indefinitely.
The Brussels legal framework
Before acting, I checked the lease and the law. My lease contains a viewing clause: “The tenant agrees to allow viewings of the property on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm, during the last 3 months of the notice period.”
In the Brussels Region, the Brussels Housing Code confirms this obligation. The tenant must allow viewings at reasonable times, without excessively disturbing their enjoyment of the property. Systematic refusal constitutes a contractual breach.
The rules vary by region. In Wallonia, the decree of 15 March 2018 on residential leases contains similar provisions. In Flanders, the Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet also imposes a viewing obligation. In all cases, the lease takes precedence if it is more specific than the law.
April 2025 — the formal notice
On 2 April, I sent Damien a registered letter. Content: reminder of the lease’s viewing clause, enumeration of the 5 refusals with dates and reasons, reminder of my right to show the property, and formal notice to respect the slots provided for in the lease within 10 days.
I specified that if he refused, I would apply to the justice of the peace in summary proceedings for a viewing order, and that I reserved the right to claim damages for the vacancy caused.
Damien called me on 5 April. He admitted he works from home and the viewings disturb him, but he understood he was in the wrong. He proposed a compromise: one viewing slot per week, Saturday mornings from 10am to 12pm, with the list of candidates communicated 48 hours in advance.
April-May 2025 — the agreement
I accepted Damien’s compromise, even though it was below what the lease provided for. One respected slot is better than two boycotted ones.
From 12 April to 24 May, 6 Saturdays of viewings took place without incident. Damien was present, courteous, the property was tidy. On 17 May, I signed a new lease with a candidate who moved in on 15 June.
Result: 6 weeks of vacancy between Damien’s departure (31 May) and the new tenant’s entry (15 June). Net loss: 1,350 EUR (June rent lost). Without the initial deadlock, I could have signed 4 to 6 weeks earlier and avoided any vacancy. I used a rental management software to plan the time slots and keep a record of each exchange.
What I learned
Eight weeks of negotiation for a right that was clearly provided for in the lease. Three lessons:
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The viewing clause must be detailed and signed. “The tenant authorises viewings” is not enough. Specify the days, times, number of slots and notice period. The clearer it is from the start, the less room there is for dispute.
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Keep a written record of each request and refusal. My text messages were my best evidence. Without these records, Damien could have claimed I had never requested a viewing.
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A registered letter unblocks 90% of situations. Most tenants who refuse viewings are not acting in bad faith: they are embarrassed, stressed or poorly informed. An official letter reminding them of the legal framework is usually enough to unblock the situation.
Other landlord-tenant case studies: My landlord enters my home without warning, My tenant wants to leave before the lease ends and My tenant refuses to sign the property inventory.
- “**Include a detailed viewing clause in the lease.** In the Brussels Region, the lease must specify the authorised days and times for viewings. Without a clause, the law provides for reasonable time slots but the concept remains vague.
- “**Send each viewing request in writing, 48 hours in advance.** A text message or email is sufficient, but keep a record. In the event of a dispute, you must prove you respected a reasonable notice period.
- “**Never force entry to the property.** Even if the tenant is acting in bad faith, entering without their consent constitutes trespass. Only the justice of the peace can order access.
Week-by-week timeline
Frequently asked questions
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No, the tenant cannot refuse all viewings. In the Brussels Region, the Brussels Housing Code provides that the tenant must allow viewings at agreed days and times. The lease generally sets the time slots. Without a specific clause, 2 to 3 slots of 2 hours per week are considered reasonable.
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The law does not set precise times. Common practice is to provide 2 to 3 slots per week, during the day or early evening (between 9am and 7pm), weekends included. The times must be reasonable and not excessively disturb the tenant's enjoyment of the property.
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Yes, if the systematic refusal of viewings causes proven loss (prolonged vacancy, loss of candidates), the landlord can claim damages before the justice of the peace. The financial loss and causal link with the refusal must be proven.
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No, never. The rented property is the tenant's home, protected by Article 15 of the Belgian Constitution. Entering without the tenant's consent, even during the notice period, constitutes trespass and is subject to criminal prosecution.
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