The landlord won't give me a rent receipt
Sofie, a tenant in Ghent, recounts how she obtained her rent receipts after 14 months without any proof of payment. Steps taken and resolution.
June 2024 — the situation
I am Sofie, 28, a nurse in Ghent. In June 2024 I moved into a studio in the Patershol neighbourhood, rented from Mr Verbeke, a retired landlord who manages 3 studios in the same building. Rent: EUR 620 per month including charges. Residential lease signed at the notary, everything seemed in order.
One detail should have alerted me: Mr Verbeke asked me to pay the rent in cash, on the first of each month, in an envelope placed in his letterbox on the ground floor. “It’s simpler for me, I don’t do online banking.”
I found it slightly unusual but accepted. Mistake. 14 months of rent at EUR 620, i.e. EUR 8,680, paid without the slightest proof of receipt. Not a slip, not a receipt, nothing.
A tenant who pays in cash without a receipt is in a legally dangerous position. If the landlord claims not to have been paid, it is up to the tenant to prove the payment. Without a receipt or bank statement, this proof is virtually impossible to provide.
September 2024 to January 2025 — the ignored requests
In September 2024, after 3 months, I asked Mr Verbeke verbally for a receipt for my tax records. His response: “I don’t do that, it’s not necessary.” I did not insist — wrongly.
In January 2025 I renewed my request by email this time. I explained that I needed proof of payment for my tax return and for a potential mortgage application. Mr Verbeke did not respond to the email.
In May 2025, during a conversation with a colleague who is a landlord, I learned that a receipt is a legal right of the tenant, not a favour. Article 1728bis of the Civil Code obliges the landlord to issue a receipt at the tenant’s request. Refusal is illegal.
I also realised the risk I was in: if Mr Verbeke denied receiving my payments, I would have no proof. No bank transfer, no receipt, no witness. EUR 8,680 gone.
July 2025 — the formal notice
On 10 July I sent a formal notice by registered letter to Mr Verbeke. The letter was short and factual:
- Reminder of my legal right to a receipt (Article 1728bis of the Civil Code)
- Request for retroactive issue of the 14 missing receipts within 15 days
- Request to switch to bank transfer payments in future
- Mention that the failure to issue receipts could be brought before the justice of the peace
In Flanders, the Flemish Housing Lease Decree (Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet) of 9 November 2018 strengthens the tenant’s rights. The landlord is required to provide a document attesting payment of rent. Cite this text in your registered letter if you are in Flanders.
August 2025 — the resolution
Mr Verbeke called me on 18 July, one week after the registered letter. He was annoyed but not aggressive. He admitted he had never issued a receipt to any of his tenants in 15 years. He did not know it was compulsory.
On 1 August he handed me a booklet of 14 handwritten receipts, signed and dated, covering each month since June 2024. He also agreed to switch to bank transfer payments from September 2025.
Factual summary: 3 weeks to resolution after the registered letter. EUR 8.50 in postage. 14 receipts obtained. And above all, EUR 8,680 of payments finally documented. The switch to bank transfer protects me automatically for the future, since each bank statement serves as proof.
What I learned
Three lessons I share with all tenants, especially first-timers:
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Never pay in cash. This is rule number one. Even if the landlord insists, a bank transfer is your shield. If the landlord refuses bank transfers, that is a red flag. Specifying the payment method in the lease agreement is essential.
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Request the receipt in writing from the very first month. A timestamped email is enough. If the landlord does not respond, you have proof of your request. Do not wait 14 months as I did.
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Free legal aid exists and works. Justice centres and first-line legal aid services advise you in 10 minutes. Had I consulted earlier, I would have avoided months of worry. The rental deposit is another topic where tenants are often unaware of their rights.
Other tenant real-life cases: The landlord asks me to pay the property tax and The heating doesn’t work and the landlord won’t respond.
- “**Always pay by bank transfer.** The bank statement constitutes automatic and indisputable proof of payment. Paying in cash without a receipt leaves you with no protection whatsoever.
- “**Request the receipt in writing from the very first month.** An email or a text message is enough to create a trail. If the landlord refuses, you already have initial proof of your good faith.
- “**A receipt is a right, not a favour.** Under Belgian law, the landlord is required to issue a receipt at the tenant's request. This is not negotiable, it is a legal obligation (Article 1728bis of the Civil Code).
Week-by-week timeline
Frequently asked questions
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Yes. Under Belgian law, the landlord must issue a receipt at the tenant's request (Article 1728bis of the Civil Code). This obligation applies in all three regions. The landlord cannot make the receipt conditional on additional payment.
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The receipt must state the tenant's name, the property address, the amount paid, the period covered and the date of payment. It must be signed by the landlord or their agent. An email confirming receipt of payment can serve as a receipt.
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No. The absence of a receipt does not exempt the tenant from paying rent. These are two distinct obligations. The tenant must continue paying and claim the receipt separately, through the courts if necessary.
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Without a receipt, a tenant who pays in cash has no proof of payment. The landlord can claim not to have been paid and demand arrears. Before a judge, it is one person's word against another's, and the burden of proof lies with the tenant.
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