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Rules

The rules, with their source

Everything Huurindex applies, per region. With every rule, the legal text or the competent government's page, and the day we checked it.

Rules

All of Belgium

The basis is the same formula with the health index everywhere. The differences are in the starting index, the conditions and the energy labels.

  1. The formula

    Indexed rent = base rent × new index ÷ starting index. The outcome is a ceiling: the adjusted rent may not be higher. Lease clauses that go further can be reduced to this adjustment.

  2. The health index

    Since 1994 rents are indexed with the health index: the consumer price index without tobacco, alcoholic drinks and fuel (except LPG). Statbel publishes a new figure around the 25th of every month.

  3. Once a year, on the anniversary

    The rent may be adjusted once per rental year, at the earliest on the anniversary of the lease taking effect, unless the lease expressly excludes it. In Flanders and Brussels the lease must be in writing.

  4. Never by itself

    The party with an interest (usually the landlord) must request the indexation in writing. In Wallonia an ordinary letter, text message or e-mail will do, as long as you keep proof of it.

  5. Three months back at most

    If the indexation is requested later, it goes back at most to three months before the month of the request; for the month of the request itself it is due.

    Example from Vlaanderen.be: lease from 1 March 2025, request on 1 July 2026. The indexed rent applies from April 2026 (April, May, June and July).

  6. The base rent

    The rent in the lease or in a judgment, without the costs and charges the lease puts on the tenant. In Flanders, after a revision the revised rent becomes the new base rent, with the index of the month before the revision took effect.

Rules

Flanders

The Flemish Housing Rental Decree applies to leases signed from 1 January 2019; older leases follow the federal Housing Lease Act and article 1728bis.

  1. Starting index: the month before the start

    For leases signed from 1 January 2019 the starting index is the health index of the month before the month the lease took effect; the new index is that of the month before the anniversary.

    Example from the brochure: signed in August 2019, in force on 1 October 2019. The starting index is that of September 2019.

  2. Leases from before 2019

    Older leases follow article 1728bis of the former Civil Code: the starting index is that of the month before the month the lease was signed. For leases signed before 1 February 1994 that is the consumer price index; Huurindex doesn't calculate those.

  3. 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023: the freeze

    Homes without an EPC or with EPC E or F could not be indexed for a year, homes with EPC D by 50 %. Huurindex doesn't calculate the rent for an anniversary in that period itself.

  4. Since 1 October 2023: the correction factor

    For a home let as a main residence on the private market (also through a woonmaatschappij, not social housing), with a lease in force before 1 October 2022 and an EPC D, E, F or no (valid) EPC, the standard formula is multiplied by a correction factor at every indexation. It depends on the label and the month of the anniversary (table below). An expired EPC counts as no EPC.

    Example from Vlaanderen.be: € 600, lease in force on 1 November 2019, EPC D, indexed in November 2024. 600 × 132.96 ÷ 108.98 = 732.02; × 0.945356473 = 692.02. Huurindex comes to the same amount, to the cent.

  5. A better EPC obtained

    With a new EPC A+, A, B or C the landlord may index fully again from the day they have that certificate; with a new EPC D the factor for D applies. Not retroactively before that day. The month of the change is calculated pro rata; Huurindex uses one label per indexation, so work out that one month pro rata yourself.

  6. Student rooms

    The Constitutional Court ruled on 21 March 2024 that the limitation should also have applied to student leases. Huurindex only calculates for homes rented as a main residence.

Flanders: correction factors per month of the anniversary (Vlaanderen.be).
AnniversaryEPC DEPC E, F or none
October0,9494476460,898895293
November0,9453564730,890712946
December0,9519774010,903954802
January0,9519508950,903901791
February0,9617578130,923515625
March0,9679962160,935992433
April0,9657668230,931533646
May0,9719415940,943883189
June0,9721240680,944248135
July0,9761192860,952238571
August0,9771096550,954219311
September0,9800496820,960099363

Rules

Brussels

The Brussels Housing Code (article 224/2) refers to article 1728bis of the former Civil Code for the formula.

  1. Starting index: the month before signing

    The starting index is the health index of the month before the month the lease was signed; the new index is that of the month before the anniversary of the lease taking effect.

  2. Registered, and with an EPB certificate

    An indexation that raises the rent is only due if the written lease has been registered and the EPB certificate has been given to the tenant. According to Bruxelles Logement the certificate must be valid at the time of the request; if it has expired, a new one must be given first.

  3. 14 October 2022 to 13 October 2023: the limitation

    For running leases with an EPB E at most 50 % of the allowed indexation, with EPB F or G no indexation, for twelve months. Huurindex doesn't calculate the rent for an anniversary in that period itself.

  4. Since 14 October 2023: the correction factor

    For a home with EPB E, F or G and a lease in force before 14 October 2022 the standard formula is multiplied by a correction factor. EPB E: 50 % × (index 2022 + index 2023) ÷ index 2023. EPB F or G: index 2022 ÷ index 2023. Each time the figure of the month before the anniversary in that year, for an anniversary from 1 January to 13 October; from 14 October to 31 December it uses 2021 and 2022.

    Huurindex uses Bruxelles Logement's table (below) and recalculates it in the tests with the ordinance's formula. Not for homes of the public housing companies (SISP) and the Fonds du Logement.

Brussels: correction factors per anniversary (Bruxelles Logement).
AnniversaryPEB EPEB F, G
14 to 31 October0,9494476460,898895293
November0,9453564730,890712946
December0,9519774010,903954802
January0,9519508950,903901791
February0,9617578130,923515625
March0,9679962160,935992433
April0,9657668230,931533646
May0,9719415940,943883189
June0,9721240680,944248135
July0,9761192860,952238571
August0,9771096550,954219311
September0,9800496820,960099363
1 to 13 October0,9898055210,979611041

Rules

Wallonia

The Walloon decree of 15 March 2018 on residential leases (article 26), with the decree of 19 October 2022.

  1. Starting index: the month before signing

    The base rent is the rent at signing, without costs and charges. The starting index is the health index of the month before signing; the new index that of the month before the anniversary.

  2. Registered lease

    Since 1 September 2018 the rent of a main residence can only be indexed if the lease has been registered, also for leases already running then.

  3. 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023: limited by PEB label

    For an anniversary in that period: PEB A, B or C in full; PEB D three quarters of the increase; PEB E half; PEB F or G, or no certificate: no indexation. The increase is the difference between the fully indexed rent on that anniversary and the rent due before it (last year's indexed rent, even if that indexation wasn't requested). The label at the time of the request counts.

  4. Since 1 November 2023: a new base

    For homes with a PEB D, E, F or G the adapted rent from that year is the new base rent, and the health index of the month before that anniversary the new starting index, for the rest of the lease.

    The decree only names PEB D to G; with a PEB A, B or C Huurindex therefore uses the ordinary formula on the original base rent. In doubt, ask Info-Conseils Logement (081 33 23 10).

  5. No PEB certificate

    In judgment 64/2024 of 20 June 2024 (B.44.1) the Constitutional Court held that article 2 of the decree also applies to homes without a PEB certificate. Huurindex therefore treats them like F or G.

Limits

What Huurindex doesn't do

Huurindex calculates the indexation of a lease for a home that is the tenant's main residence. Not for student rooms, commercial leases, social housing or leases with their own indexation scheme, and not for leases signed before February 1994.

It only calculates the rent for an anniversary in the limited year 2022–2023 for Wallonia. If the energy label changes during a month, work out that month pro rata yourself. Amounts are rounded to the cent, as in the governments' examples.

Huurindex gives no legal advice. In case of doubt or a dispute: your region's housing service, or the justice of the peace.

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