Renting a Home

Choosing to put a property up for let entails the necessity of a lease contract, which arises as soon as the property owner allows another person or entity to utilise the property. In return, the tenant pays a rental amount to the owner. Take note that anyone who enters into a valid lease contract should be older than 18 years, as required by the law. In Belgium, it has been ordered that as of June 15, 2007, all lease agreements must be put in writing, and both parties must possess a copy of this contract. Therefore, there must always be at least three copies of the lease agreement – each for the lessor and the tenant, and one for state registry, which is compulsory. Verbal lease contracts that were concluded prior to June 15, 2007 still remain to be valid; however, the lessor or the tenant may demand for the contract to be established in writing.

Renting out a property

In renting out a property, essential information must be obtained and established in the lease contract, including the identity of the lessor and tenant, the starting date of the contract, an indication of specific rooms or parts of the rented building, and the amount of the rent. The contract will be deemed ratified as soon as both the tenant and the lessor affix their signatures. It is also important to consider the elementary requirements for safety, health and habitability of the property, which basically apply to the building’s functions, the structure and stability, natural light and ventilation, and accessibility, among other things.