The Brussels government had a "constructive conversation" on Thursday about linking the rent index to the energy level of the building concerned, according to sources in the entourage of Housing Minister Nawal Ben Hamou.
Indexation would no longer be allowed if the home is not energy efficient, the sources said, indicating that the minister wants to shield tenants from being doubly punished: by high energy bills and by a substantial indexation of their rent.
Flemish Housing Minister Matthias Diependaele has made a similar proposal.
A building's energy-level rating indicates its energy efficiency. Level A indicates maximum energy efficiency while Level G reflects maximum inefficiency.
The Brussels government will now investigate whether a system can be introduced whereby only houses with the highest energy levels, A or B, can be subject to a full indexation.
For energy levels C, D and E, there would be a progressive cap on indexation, while no indexation would be applied for levels F and G.
