Action steps

• Decide which criteria are important for you:
  • Renting or buying?
  • Location
  • Proximity of facilities: school, public transport, shops …
  • Type of accommodation: an apartment or a house with a garden, furnished or unfurnished
  • How long do you want to rent?
  • Budget - keep in mind that apartments usually come with additional expenses not included in the rent
• Read our blog post on Finding Permanent Housing in Leuven.
• The best way to find a flat or house is to
  • search online platforms (see below)
  • use your network and social media (for example dedicated Facebook groups)
  • contact a real estate agency. Make the effort and make a quick phone call, it could make a world of difference! (Generally calling in English won't be problem, it never hurts to try.) You will find a list with recognized agencies on http://www.biv.be/de-vastgoedmakelaar/alle-vastgoedmakelaars-vind-je-hier (Dutch or French only)
• Consider renting short-term or temporary accommodation when you first arrive. It gives you time to explore the options, so you can make a well-informed decision for your permanent accommodation. Mind you, most short-term options are considered holiday rentals and not permanent accommodation.  By consequence, the registration required to obtain a residence permit is generally not possible in these short-term accommodations. 

Renting a home

• Read your rental contract carefully before signing.  Use translation software if necessary or ask a pro forma English translation from the owner or estate agent. The tenants' association or Huurdersbond provides template contracts in Dutch. Machine translations are available in this blog post.
• The payment of a deposit / rental guarantee is required (generally the amount of three months’ rent).
• Proof of fire insurance is generally required before receiving the keys to a house or flat. 
• When you move into the accommodation, an inventory of the fixtures and fittings has to be drawn up. More info in this article.

Buying a home

• The Flemish federation of notaries issued a comprehensive brochure, in English, called "buying property in Belgium for expats" (version from November 2020).
• A provisional sales agreement is signed between the buyer and seller and a fixed deposit is paid. This step is binding.
• After a few months, the final sale takes place: the notarial act is signed and the outstanding amount is paid.  Notary fees and registration fees will also be due at this point.

Attention points

• Once you are the owner of a house, you will have to pay an annual property tax.
• If you rent a house, the lessor is obliged to register the rental contract. The registration gives the contract a fixed date and becomes binding for third parties.
• August, September and October are peak months for the rental market in Leuven.

Supplier, channels and tools

• www.belgium.be/en/housing/renting_a_home
• www.belgium.be/en/housing/buying_or_selling_a_home
• www.notaris.be/verkopen-kopen-huren-lenen (partly in English)
• On www.huurschatter.be (Dutch only) you can estimate if the rental price is a fair price.
• www.woninghuur.vlaanderen (Dutch only)
• www.immoweb.be
• www.zimmo.be (Dutch only)

Last update: 02/08/2022