Renting regulations
Mandatory conformity certificate in Ghent from 01/10/2023
If you let a home in Ghent that is more than thirty years old, since 1 October 2023 you need a conformity certificate before a new tenant moves in. Below you can see in a few steps whether it applies to you, how the application works and what the housing inspector comes to check.
Free
First inspection by the City of Ghent
10 years
Validity of the certificate
60 days
Period within which the decision is taken
± 1 hour
Length of the inspection visit
In four questions
Do you need a conformity certificate
The obligation does not apply to every letting. Answer the questions and you will know straight away.
Question 1 of 4
Is the property in Ghent or one of its sub-municipalities?
The obligation is the city's own choice and applies across the whole of Ghent.
From application to certificate
Step by step
Five steps, from your application to the certificate in your file. Click a step for the details.
Step 1 of 5
FreeYou apply to the City of Ghent
The application is made online, through the City of Ghent form. You do this as the landlord, and the first inspection costs you nothing.
- Keep the address of the property and your landlord details at hand
- Apply before you sign the lease, not after
- If you get stuck, the city's Verhuurderspunt will help you
During the visit
What the housing inspector checks
The inspector follows the technical report of the Flemish housing quality standards. These are the blocks that make up that list.
- Roof and roof covering
- Façades and outer walls
- Windows and external doors
- Damp and water ingress
- Double glazing
- Floors and ceilings
- Stairs and handrails
- Stability of the structure
- Daylight in the living areas
- Ventilation of every room
- Electrical installation and sockets
- Fuse box and earthing
- Gas installation and combustion appliances
- Risk of carbon monoxide
- Smoke detectors on every floor
- Toilet in or next to the home
- Bath or shower
- Washing facility with hot water
- Cooking facility
- Drinking water
- Roof insulation to the Flemish standard
- Heating of the living areas
- A valid EPC for the home
The outer shell
Inside the home
Safety
Basic comfort
Energy
The full list is in the technical report of Wonen in Vlaanderen. What the inspector records comes straight from it.
The assessment
When is your property compliant
Every defect is given a category. Together those categories decide whether you get the certificate.
- I
Minor defect
A shortcoming that does not put the occupant in immediate danger, for instance a limited damp problem or a missing finish.
0 - II
Serious defect
A defect that affects the safety or the health of the occupant, for instance an unsafe electrical installation.
0 - III
Very serious defect
A defect that presents a direct danger, for instance an acute risk of carbon monoxide or a risk of collapse.
0
Stay under those thresholds and the property is compliant, and the City of Ghent issues the certificate. Above them it is not the number that weighs most, but the heaviest category.
Compliant, you receive the certificate
You do not get the certificate when
- there are more than six category I defects
- there is at least one category II defect
- there is a category III defect
What it costs and how long it lasts
Cost and validity
Since 1 September 2026 the first inspection costs you nothing. Only those who need a second visit pay.
Free
First inspection
The City of Ghent charges nothing for the first inspection of your property, whatever the outcome.
200 euro
Re-inspection after a refusal
For a self-contained home, and for room dwellings up to six rooms. Above that, 25 euro is added per extra room, and for room dwellings the fire brigade's costs come on top.
10 years
Validity
The certificate stays valid for ten years. It lapses earlier upon a declaration of unfitness, upon major works to the property or upon a report by the Housing Inspectorate.
6 months
Time to carry out works
If your application is refused, you get six months to clear the recorded defects before the re-inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Does the obligation apply to all my rental properties in Ghent?
It applies to properties more than thirty years old that are let from 1 October 2023 as the tenant's main residence. A running lease from before that date is not covered, a new letting is.
What does a conformity certificate cost in Ghent?
The first inspection is free. If the inspector has to return after a refusal, you pay 200 euro for a self-contained home. For room dwellings with more than six rooms, 25 euro is added per extra room, plus the fire brigade's costs.
How long does the certificate stay valid?
Ten years. It lapses earlier when the property is declared unfit, when major works are carried out or when the Housing Inspectorate draws up a report.
How long before I have my certificate?
The mayor in principle takes a decision within sixty days of your application. Add the time needed to arrange the inspection visit, so apply well before the letting starts.
My property is not compliant, what now?
You receive a refusal with the recorded defects. That list is your list of works. You have six months to carry them out, after which the inspector returns and the property is assessed again.
Can I apply for the certificate voluntarily?
Yes. Even when it is not mandatory for your property, you may apply for one. It shows your candidate tenants that the property is in order, and it stays valid for ten years.
Rather not go through this procedure yourself?
We guide landlords in Ghent from application to certificate: we prepare the property for the visit, follow up the file and make sure the works are tackled in the right order.