Starting from 1 May, landlords in the Brussels Region will face stricter regulations on rent prices following a Brussels Parliament ordinance aimed at combatting excessive rents.
Since 1 December 2022, all rental agreements in Brussels must state either a reference rent or a range of amounts around this reference, based on a regionally set guide revised annually.
Rents are deemed excessive if they exceed 20% of the regional guide amounts. However, exceptions can be made if specific intrinsic features justify the increase. Conversely, rents may still be judged excessive even if they do not exceed 20% of the reference price if the property or its surroundings have certain defects.
Tenants can request a rent review after a period: from the third month for short-term leases, or from the fourth month for longer-term leases.
In this process, parties can seek non-binding advice from the Rental Mediation Commission (CPL) or take the matter to a magistrate. If no agreement is reached following CPL mediation, the magistrate may then review the excessive rent case, potentially seeking CPL’s input before making a decision.