Planning to rent out your home in 2020? Here’s what you need to know
First and foremost, you need to get the property in order so it’s ready to be listed on the rental market. This means the property must be furnished to provide every comfort. In particular, there are energy-related requirements that must be met immediately. By 2020, it will no longer be permitted to rent out a property with an uninsulated roof. Double-glazed windows will also become mandatory.
Starting January 1, 2020, if your roof insulation is inadequate, you will automatically receive 15 penalty points, which could result in your home being deemed unfit for habitation during an inspection.
From January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2022, three penalty points will be assessed for a single-pane window, and nine penalty points for multiple single-pane windows.
Starting in 2023, the absence of double-pane windows alone may be sufficient grounds for declaring your home unfit for habitation.
Smoke detectors
Since the beginning of this year, all rental properties must be equipped with smoke detectors. As a landlord, you are responsible for the cost of purchasing and installing the smoke detector. The tenant is responsible for maintenance and replacement costs once the battery has reached the end of its lifespan, as specified by the manufacturer.
Certificate of Conformity
Naturally, the property must meet the necessary quality standards. Some municipalities require a certificate of compliance to be issued. Even if there is no such requirement, you can provide the tenant with such a certificate to demonstrate that your property meets the minimum safety and quality standards.
EPC
To demonstrate that your home is energy-efficient, you must have an EPC. The Energy Performance Certificate indicates the home’s energy rating and is therefore purely for informational purposes. There is no minimum score required. However, it is mandatory to include this score in advertisements for home sales. If you still have a valid EPC (issued before January 1, 2019), you are not required to obtain a new EPC when you list your home for sale or rent. However, the new EPC may be worth obtaining if you have had renovation work done in the meantime.
Housing Pass
Soon, all the necessary information will also be compiled in the Home Passport, a digital passport that homeowners can share with their tenants. The goal is for homeowners to be able to update their Home Passport themselves with certificates, plans, and completed work.
Please take the new rental law into account
Since the beginning of this year, anyone renting or letting a property has been subject to the rules set forth in the Flemish Housing Lease Decree. The federal rental law applies to agreements entered into before January 1, 2019.
New rules for landlords:
A security deposit of up to 3 months' rent may be required.
Regarding termination: The landlord would not be able to terminate a short-term lease early. For a nine-year lease, the tenant is required to give three months’ notice plus pay compensation of 3, 2, or 1 month’s rent. As the owner, you can terminate a nine-year lease at any time if you wish to live there yourself, but you cannot do so during the first three years.
The landlord, however, would not be able to terminate a short-term lease early. For a nine-year lease, the tenant is required to give three months' notice and pay compensation equivalent to 3, 2, or 1 month's rent. As the owner, you can terminate a nine-year lease at any time if you wish to live there yourself, but you cannot do so during the first three years.
Registration of the lease agreement is mandatory. If this is not done within two months of signing, the tenant may terminate the agreement at any time without being required to pay compensation or give notice. Under the new legislation, however, the tenant would not be able to simply stop making payments.