Brussels lease reform 2026: what changes for landlords

Reform context

The Brussels Parliament adopted on 12 March 2026 an ordinance that fundamentally reforms the rental framework in the Brussels-Capital Region. The stated objective: strengthening tenant protection against rising rents while clarifying landlord obligations.

This reform follows on from the regionalisation of lease law that began in 2018, which directly impacts the lease agreement as we know it, and responds to several observations: rents up 14% over five years in Brussels, an ageing rental stock and a multiplication of disputes related to energy charges.

New notice periods

The tenant’s notice period is reduced from 3 to 2 months for all primary residence leases signed after 1 July 2026. The landlord retains a 6-month notice period, unchanged.

The reduced notice period applies only if the tenant notifies by registered letter or by certified electronic communication (new article 238bis). The text thus recognises electronic signatures as a valid notification method. This development is part of a broader reform of Belgian lease law.

The rent grid becomes binding

This is the most significant change. The indicative rent grid, launched in 2017 for information purposes, acquires binding force. Concretely, the rent requested for a new lease cannot exceed the grid’s reference rent by more than 20%.

The landlord may exceed this cap only if they provide written justification of recent investments (energy renovation, above-average equipment). The justification must be included in an annex attached to the lease.

Mandatory energy annex

Every new lease must now include an annex detailing the energy performance of the property: valid EPC certificate, estimated monthly energy charges and description of heating equipment.

The dual objective is to inform the tenant before signing and to incentivise landlords to renovate energy-inefficient properties. Failure to include this annex exposes the landlord to an administrative fine of 50 to 200 EUR.

Rental deposit cap based on EPC rating

The ordinance introduces an incentive mechanism: properties rated EPC E, F or G can no longer require more than 2 months’ rental deposit (down from 3 months previously). Properties rated A to D retain the right to request up to 3 months.

This measure aims to financially penalise landlords who do not renovate and to favour energy-efficient properties. To prepare, you can already generate a lease agreement incorporating the new EPC constraints. The rental deposit reform is also the subject of parallel debates in Parliament.

Concrete impact for landlords

For Brussels landlords, this reform requires several immediate actions:

1. Check rent compliance against the indicative grid before signing a new lease
2. Prepare the energy annex with the up-to-date EPC certificate and charge estimate
3. Update lease templates to incorporate the new 2-month notice period and electronic clause
4. Plan ahead for works on EPC E-G rated properties to avoid the deposit limitation

Flanders is also progressing on shared housing regulations in Flanders. For all our legal analyses, find out more on our Legal News hub.