Keep rent receipts for at least 5 years
Keep rent receipts for at least 5 years after payment. This corresponds to the limitation period for personal civil actions in Belgium. In practice, keep them for the entire lease duration plus 5 years after it ends. They protect both parties: the tenant against claims for rent already paid, and the landlord for documenting payment history.
Under Belgian law, the landlord must issue a free rent receipt at the tenant’s request. The receipt proves that a specific amount was paid for a specific period. Without receipts, proving payment in case of a dispute becomes significantly harder.
Both parties benefit from keeping receipts:
- Tenant: protection against double payment claims
- Landlord: documentation of payment history, useful for tax returns and court proceedings
Best practices
| Practice | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Issue receipts monthly | Consistent proof of payment |
| Include key details | Date, amount, period, property address, parties |
| Keep digital copies | Protection against loss or damage |
| Use bank statements as backup | Additional proof of transfer |
| Archive systematically | Easy retrieval in case of dispute |
The receipt should contain:
- Landlord’s name and address
- Tenant’s name
- Property address
- Period covered (month/year)
- Amount paid
- Date of payment
- Landlord’s signature (or electronic equivalent)
BailBelgique’s receipt generator automatically creates and archives compliant rent receipts each month, with automatic email delivery to the tenant.
Digital vs paper receipts
Both digital and paper receipts are legally valid in Belgium:
- Paper receipts: traditional but prone to loss or damage; require physical storage
- Digital receipts (PDF by email): easier to archive, traceable, and GDPR-compliant
- Bank statements: serve as secondary proof of payment but do not replace formal receipts
The tenant has the right to request a receipt in any format. The landlord cannot charge for issuing receipts — they must be provided free of charge.
For tax purposes, landlords should keep rental income documentation (including receipts) for at least 7 years (tax limitation period).
Regional specifics
Brussels-Capital Region
The Ordinance of 27 July 2017 does not add specific rules for rent receipts. The federal Civil Code provisions apply.
Wallonia
The Decree of 15 March 2018 applies the same federal framework. No Walloon-specific receipt requirements exist.
Flanders
The Flemish Housing Rental Decree of 9 November 2018 does not add specific receipt requirements. The federal rules apply.
Civil Code, article 1315 (burden of proof). Civil Code, article 2277 (5-year limitation for periodic payments). Tax Code, article 315 (7-year retention for tax documents).