Renting a room in your own house in Belgium
Can you rent out a room in your own home in Belgium? Rules, taxation, insurance, lease and shared living. Complete guide for owner-occupant landlords.
The rules to follow
Renting out a room in your own home is legal in Belgium but entails obligations:
| Obligation | Detail |
|---|---|
| Written lease | Mandatory (create a lease) |
| Registration | Free if primary residence of the tenant |
| Property inventory | Mandatory for the room and shared spaces |
| EPC | Certificate mandatory for the rented portion |
| Rental deposit | Maximum 2-3 months of the room’s rent |
| Smoke detectors | Mandatory in all three Regions |
| Urban planning | Check the letting permit (Wallonia) |
In Wallonia, if the room is less than 28 m2, a letting permit is mandatory. In Brussels and in Flanders, there is no specific permit but compliance standards apply.
If your house is in a co-ownership, check that the regulations allow the letting of a room. Some regulations prohibit partial letting or impose conditions.
Which lease to use
Short-term lease (recommended)
A short-term lease (1 year renewable, max 3 years) is ideal for renting a room in your home. It offers more flexibility than the 3-6-9 lease.
Lease contents
The lease must specify:
- The room rented (surface area, floor, orientation)
- Shared spaces (kitchen, bathroom, living room, garden)
- Private spaces (room only)
- The method of calculating charges (flat rate or provisions)
- House rules (hours, guests, pets)
- Access method (keys, code)
Furnished or unfurnished lease
If the room is furnished (bed, desk, wardrobe), the lease is a furnished lease with mandatory furniture inventory. The taxation is slightly different (movable portion taxed at 30%).
Taxation of room rental
Tax
| Tenant | Tax base | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Private individual (student, young professional) | Proportional indexed cadastral income x 1.40 | Progressive personal income tax |
| Company (rare for a room) | Actual rent | Progressive personal income tax |
The cadastral income is calculated proportionally to the rented area. If the room represents 20% of the total area, 20% of the cadastral income is added to your tax return.
Property tax
The property tax does not change. It is due on the entire property, whether you rent a room or not.
Charges
Common charges (water, electricity, gas, internet) must be distributed fairly. Two methods:
- Monthly flat rate: fixed amount (e.g. 100 EUR/month all-inclusive) — simple but risk of over/underestimation
- Provisions with annual settlement: fairer but more complex
See our guide on tax return for rental income for details.
Organising shared living
House rules
Draft house rules annexed to the lease:
- Quiet hours (10pm-7am)
- Rules for using the kitchen and bathroom
- Guest policy (overnight stays, frequency)
- Maintenance of common areas (cleaning rota)
- Pets (prohibited or under conditions)
- Parking (if applicable)
Insurance
- Your insurance: inform your insurer of the letting (contract adaptation)
- Tenant’s insurance: the tenant must take out liability + contents insurance for their personal belongings
- In shared housing: check that all occupants are covered
Respect for privacy
Even if you live in the same house, the tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment of their room. You cannot enter their room without their consent (except in an emergency). The visit clause applies to the rented room.
To create a compliant room lease, use our online lease generator. For organised management, a rental management software centralises documents. For other cases, see our case studies.