What is a notice?
The notice (known in Belgian French as “renon” or “conge”) is the formal notification of the end of a lease. It is the legal act by which one party informs the other of their decision to terminate the rental contract.
Key points:
- A notice is a unilateral act: it does not require the other party’s agreement
- It must be sent by registered letter (or served by a bailiff)
- It triggers a notice period whose length varies by lease type and initiator
- Compensation may be due depending on the circumstances
The notice does not end the lease immediately: it triggers a notice period during which the lease continues normally (rent due, obligations maintained).
Notice given by the tenant
The tenant has a broad right to give notice:
9-year lease (primary residence):
- Notice period: 3 months, at any time
- Compensation:
- Year 1: 3 months’ rent
- Year 2: 2 months’ rent
- Year 3: 1 month’s rent
- From year 4: no compensation
- No justification required
Short-term lease (3 years or less):
- Only if a clause in the lease provides for it
- Notice period: 3 months
- Compensation: 1 month’s rent
Student lease:
- Region-specific rules
- Brussels/Wallonia: 2 months’ notice
- Flanders: 2 months’ notice (Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet)
Commercial lease:
- Only at the end of each triennium
- Notice period: 6 months before the expiry date
Notice given by the landlord
The landlord’s options are more limited and regulated:
| Ground | Notice | Compensation | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal occupation | 6 months | None | At any time |
| Major works | 6 months | None | End of triennium only |
| Without grounds | 6 months | 9 months (triennium 1) or 6 months (triennium 2) | End of triennium only |
Personal occupation: the owner or a relative up to the 3rd degree must actually occupy the property within the year. Penalty for non-occupation: 18 months’ rent to the tenant.
Works: must amount to at least 3 years’ rent and render the property uninhabitable during execution. The owner must provide permits and estimates on request.
Short-term lease: the landlord cannot give early notice, except by contractual clause or mutual agreement.
Calculating the notice dates
The calculation follows precise rules:
- Posting date: the day you post the registered letter
- Receipt date: the day after first presentation at the address (even if not collected)
- Start of notice: the 1st day of the following month after receipt
- End of notice: start date plus the notice duration
Practical example:
- Registered letter posted on 10 February
- Presented at the address on 12 February, deemed received on 13 February
- Notice starts on 1 March
- Lease ends (3-month notice): 31 May
Important: if you want the notice to start on the 1st of next month, send your registered letter by the 25th of the month at the latest to ensure presentation before the month ends.
Form and content of the notice
Validity requirements:
- Sent by registered letter (or bailiff’s writ)
- Clear identification of sender and recipient
- Reference to the lease (date, property address)
- Clear intention to end the lease
- Grounds (mandatory for the landlord only)
- Applicable notice duration
Recommended details:
- Effective date of the notice period
- Calculated lease end date
- Any compensation amount
- Reminder of obligations during the notice period (viewings, maintenance)
Template: generate your compliant notice letter directly from BailBelgique. The platform automatically calculates the dates and includes the legally required details for your lease type and region.