In Belgium

Individual meters measure the water, gas or electricity consumption of a specific rental unit, enabling the landlord to bill each tenant based on their actual usage rather than distributing costs equally.

Types:

  • Electricity: individual meters are standard in most Belgian apartments (separate contract with the energy supplier)
  • Gas: individual meters exist in newer buildings; older buildings often have collective heating
  • Water: many older Belgian buildings have a single water meter, with costs distributed among tenants

How it works

Direct contract. With an individual meter, the tenant can often open a direct contract with the utility supplier (electricity, gas). The tenant pays the supplier directly, and the charge does not pass through the landlord.

Sub-metering. When a building has a single main meter, the landlord can install sub-meters to measure individual consumption. The landlord pays the main bill and invoices each tenant based on their sub-meter reading.

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Good to know
In Flanders, the installation of individual water meters has been mandatory for new constructions and major renovations since 2021. This trend is likely to extend to other Regions as part of sustainability and fair billing policies.

Practical example

A 4-unit building in Liege has one main water meter. The landlord installs 4 sub-meters (cost: 800 EUR total). Annual water bill: 2,400 EUR. Instead of splitting equally (600 EUR each), the sub-meters reveal: Unit A = 800 EUR, Unit B = 400 EUR, Unit C = 700 EUR, Unit D = 500 EUR. Each tenant pays based on actual usage.