In Belgium

The landlord is the party to the lease who makes a property available to a tenant. This can be a natural person (individual owner), a company (BV, NV) or a public body (social housing corporation).

Since the regionalisation of rental law, the landlord is subject to the specific legislation of the Region where the property is located: the Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet in Flanders, the housing decree in Wallonia, and the housing ordinance in Brussels.

The landlord has several fundamental obligations:

  • Deliver the property in good condition: the dwelling must comply with the Region’s habitability, safety and health standards.
  • Ensure peaceful enjoyment: the landlord must not disturb the tenant in their use of the property, nor enter the dwelling without consent.
  • Carry out major repairs: roof, structure, boiler, electrical installations — structural repairs are the landlord’s responsibility.
  • Register the lease: within 2 months of signing, free of charge for primary residence leases.

How it works

The landlord’s responsibility begins from the signing of the lease.

Before letting. The landlord must ensure the property complies with regional standards. In Flanders, a conformity certificate is required.

At signing. The landlord provides the mandatory annexes (inventory of fixtures, EPC, co-ownership regulations) and proceeds with registration.

During the lease. The landlord collects the rent and charges, carries out repairs that fall under their responsibility, and respects the tenant’s right to peaceful enjoyment.

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Good to know
The landlord can delegate property management to a professional agent via a management mandate. However, they remain legally responsible for complying with their legal obligations.

Practical example

Laurent owns two apartments in Namur. He manages the first one himself and entrusts the second to a property management agency. In both cases, he is legally the landlord and must ensure the dwellings comply with Walloon habitability standards.

Key considerations

Discrimination prohibited. The anti-discrimination law prohibits refusing a tenant based on protected criteria: origin, gender, age, disability, family situation. Regional authorities regularly conduct discrimination tests (mystery shopping).

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Warning
The landlord can never enter the rented property without the tenant’s consent, except in absolute emergencies (fire, flood). Even for an inspection visit or works, they must obtain prior agreement and respect reasonable notice.