Rental permit in Wallonia: which conditions apply?

The permit is meant to give occupants a decent, safe and suitable home. Several criteria have to be met, including salubrity, safety and equipment.

Which dwellings need a rental permit?

In Wallonia, a rental permit is required in particular for collective dwellings and for small individual dwellings whose habitable area is 28 m² or less.

That includes, among others:

• Studios and small individual flats.
• Student rooms and dwellings mainly intended for students.
• Collective dwellings, where some equipment or spaces are shared by several occupants.

Exceptions exist, including some house-shares and some dwellings located in the building occupied by the landlord. Each situation therefore has to be looked at on its own.

Before starting the procedure, it is better to confirm that the dwelling actually falls within this obligation. The official frame is set out on Wallonie.be and on Housing in Wallonia. Urbexa also supports this work through the rental permit and SPW compliance service.

What are the conditions for obtaining a rental permit?

The dwelling has to meet several criteria intended to protect the occupants' safety and health.

Salubrity and safety of the building

The building must not have serious problems of stability, water ingress or damp that could harm the occupants' health.

Electrical and gas installations have to be safe. Heating, stairs and circulation spaces also have to meet the requirements that apply.

Ventilation and natural light

Sufficient ventilation has to be provided in the rooms concerned, whether natural or mechanical, according to the conditions that apply to the dwelling.

Natural light is also an important point in the inspection. A room without enough natural light can be a problem under the salubrity criteria.

Equipment and dimensions

The dwelling has to have the equipment needed for occupation, including sanitary facilities, drinking water and heating.

Room dimensions, ceiling height and habitable area also have to be checked. Compliance depends in particular on the type of dwelling and the number of occupants.

Fire-safety devices also have to be present, in line with the applicable requirements.

How do you obtain a rental permit?

The procedure starts with preparing the file and checking the dwelling's characteristics.

The main steps are:

1. 1.Prepare the dwelling by checking its general condition, its equipment and its compliance.
2. 2.Have the dwelling visited by an approved inspector, who reviews the regulatory criteria.
3. 3.Obtain a certificate of compliance if the dwelling meets the requirements. If defects are found, the report states the works that are needed.
4. 4.File the application with the municipality, together with the required documents.

How long the permit remains valid, and the precise steps of the procedure, have to be confirmed with the municipality and in the official information currently in force.

What if the dwelling is not compliant?

A defect found during the visit does not necessarily mean the letting project has to stop. First identify the problems that were noted, determine the work required and check any technical or planning constraints.

Some works can be relatively simple. Others need a closer look, especially when they concern ventilation, openings, how the rooms are arranged or safety equipment.

It is better to anticipate these checks than to discover the problems when the application is filed. A planning diagnosis separates what belongs to the dwelling from what belongs to its planning situation. If the property is not in order on that point, the question overlaps with planning regularisation.

How Urbexa can help

Do you want to let a dwelling, prepare a compliance visit or identify the works needed to obtain a rental permit?

Urbexa helps you review the existing situation and identify what needs to be corrected. The aim is to anticipate difficulties and prepare the steps required to bring the property into compliance.

Unsure whether your dwelling is compliant? Contact Urbexa to review your situation and identify the procedures to take.

Common questions

Is a rental permit required for every dwelling?

No. It mainly concerns collective dwellings and small individual dwellings of 28 m² or less, subject to the exceptions set out in Walloon rules.

What happens if the dwelling does not meet the criteria?

The inspector states in the report which works are needed to bring the dwelling into compliance. What happens next depends on the defects found and on how they are corrected.

Does a rental permit replace a planning permit?

No. A rental permit and planning authorisations serve different purposes. A dwelling may still need its planning situation checked, in addition to the rental-permit inspection.

Official sources

• Obtain a rental permit (small dwellings, student rooms and collective dwellings)
• Rental permit — Housing in Wallonia
• Request a salubrity inspection

The information in this article is general and can change. Each situation has to be reviewed against the property, its location and the rules that apply.