Inventory and appliances in furnished rental
Inventory and appliances in furnished rental
The furniture and appliance inventory
In Belgium, furnished letting means the landlord provides the tenant with a dwelling equipped with sufficient furniture and appliances to live in. The move-in property inventory must therefore include a detailed inventory of this equipment.
For each appliance, the inventory must state:
- The brand and model (or a precise description)
- The functional condition (working, partially working, not working)
- Visible defects (scratches, dents, missing parts)
- The approximate age if known
This inventory is indispensable for determining responsibilities at move-out. Without it, the tenant will be presumed to have received all equipment in good working order.
The furnished lease must comply with regional requirements. See our guide on furnished leases in Belgium for legal specifics.
Who replaces a faulty appliance?
At the landlord’s expense
The landlord covers replacement in the following cases:
- Depreciation: the appliance has reached its normal lifespan (see table below)
- Hidden defect: the defect existed before the letting but was not visible
- Normal wear: the appliance wears out through use conforming to its purpose
At the tenant’s expense
The tenant replaces the appliance if they damaged it through:
- Abnormal use (overloading the washing machine, poor maintenance of the fridge)
- Negligence (forgetting to defrost the freezer, blocking the dryer filter)
- A deliberate or accidental act
Average lifespan of appliances
| Appliance | Average lifespan | Replacement payable by |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge | 10-15 years | Landlord if > 10 years |
| Washing machine | 8-12 years | Landlord if > 8 years |
| Dishwasher | 8-10 years | Landlord if > 8 years |
| Oven / hob | 12-15 years | Landlord if > 12 years |
| Microwave | 8-10 years | Landlord if > 8 years |
The older an appliance, the less the tenant can be held responsible for its breakdown. A 12-year-old washing machine that breaks down is a matter of depreciation, not the tenant’s responsibility.
Move-in and move-out comparison
At move-out, each appliance in the inventory is checked:
- Present and functional: no deduction from the rental deposit
- Present but damaged: the repair or replacement cost is assessed, with depreciation deduction
- Missing: the tenant must replace it with an equivalent appliance or pay its residual value
The residual value is calculated based on the appliance’s age and average lifespan. An 8-year-old fridge (out of a 12-year lifespan) has a residual value of approximately 33% of its purchase price.
Practical advice
- Photograph each appliance at move-in with its nameplate (brand, model, serial number)
- Test functionality on the day of the inventory — open the fridge, run a washing machine cycle
- Report any malfunction discovered after move-in immediately in writing to the landlord
- Keep maintenance and repair invoices throughout the lease
To generate a compliant furnished lease with an integrated inventory, use our lease creation tool. A rental management software enables you to centralise the inventory, photos and equipment maintenance tracking.