Can you terminate a lease by email?

Email alone is not sufficient to terminate a lease

The formality of notification is not a mere administrative requirement: it determines the validity of the termination itself. A notice sent by email is considered irregular and can be challenged by the recipient, potentially delaying the end of the lease by several months.

The legal rationale is straightforward: registered letters and bailiff’s writs provide a certified date of receipt (or service), which is essential for calculating the start of the notice period. Email does not provide such certainty, even if the recipient confirms having received it.

Even if the recipient replies to the email confirming receipt, the majority position in case law holds that this confirmation does not regularise an initially irregular notice.

Valid notification methods

Registered letter is the most common and least expensive method. It is deemed received on the third business day after posting, even if the recipient does not collect it from the post office.

Bailiff’s writ is the most secure method: the bailiff certifies the date and content of service. It is particularly recommended in conflict situations.

Special cases and nuances

While email is not valid for formal notice, it plays a role in certain situations:

• Confirmation of a verbal agreement — if landlord and tenant orally agree to a termination by mutual agreement, an email exchange can serve as proof
• Supplementary evidence — in litigation, an email sent before or after the registered letter can support the case
• Commercial leases — termination must be by bailiff’s writ only (neither email nor registered letter)
• Lease clause — if the lease expressly provides that notice can be given by email, some judges might accept it, but this is a minority position

The trend in case law is slowly moving toward broader recognition of electronic means, but in 2026, the dominant position remains that email alone is insufficient for lease termination notice.

Regional specifics

Brussels-Capital Region

The ordinance of 27 July 2017 requires notice by registered letter or bailiff’s writ. Email is not mentioned as a valid notification method. The notice period runs from the first day of the month following receipt.

Walloon Region

The decree of 15 March 2018 imposes the same formal requirements. Wallonia has not introduced any recognition of email as a valid notice method.

Flemish Region

The Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet of 9 November 2018 maintains the requirement for registered letter or bailiff’s writ. Flanders has introduced the possibility of a certified electronic registered letter (via a certified provider), which is distinct from a simple email.