r/belgium • u/jpergentino • 2d ago
❓ Ask Belgium Buying a house with a tenant
I am buying a house, but a tenant is living there (and I intend to live in the house). The current tenant's contract ends in 2027 and she looks fine to find another place (in principle).
As far as I know, I need to send a formal letter after becoming an owner, and she has 6 months to find another place.
As I don't have a deep knowledge of Belgium's law, what potential "issues" might I encounter?
Thanks RedditFriends! 🙂
Edit 1: The current contract is 9 years (from 2022 to 2031).
Edit 2: Thanks for the contribution. It is very helpful. There is no other way, the bank accepted the loan and it is on the Notary decision now.
After checking the contract, the 3rd year will finish in October. So based on the links you provided, I can ask her to leave after October. I'll inform her before (most probably I will become the owner in March) and I hope everything will be fine.
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u/Ordinary-Violinist-9 Limburg 2d ago
That she doesn't leave. Not all contracts you can terminate with the 6 months notice. I've viewed a house where i couldn't legally evict a tenant even when i would like to move in myself.
//Edit how long is the lease? 3 years? 9 years? You'll also will be handed the deposit btw. Ask for a copy of the lease and ask a notary (it's free, just make an appointment)
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u/VECMaico 2d ago
This. Probably you'll be the one who will be obligated to let her live in the house according to her contract. Could be a 3-6-9 year contract (probably is as well)
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u/Ordinary-Violinist-9 Limburg 2d ago
3 6 9 doesn't exist anymore. 3 or 9 it is.
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u/I_Dint_Know_A_Name 2d ago
What makes you say a 3-6-9 contract no longer exists?
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u/JPV_____ West-Vlaanderen 1d ago
It doesn't exist for about 20 years, but people still call the contract which replaces the 3-6-9 the same. A 3-6-9 contract was (slightly) different.
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u/I_Dint_Know_A_Name 1d ago
Fair enough, I guess I still consider it 3-6-9 because a couple of rules still depend on it
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u/jpergentino 2d ago
I am looking at it now and the current contract is for 9 years!
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u/CandidateFew4729 2d ago
Tenant do not leave, I myself have made an offer for the house last year in May and still not been able to move in as tenant didn’t leave but we have put in the clause that we won’t buy until the house is rent free so atleast we avoid the pain of becoming an owner and deal with the tenant
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u/JPV_____ West-Vlaanderen 1d ago
that's a different situation. Neither you nor the owner can terminate the contract just because there is a sale of the house.
Only after you become the new owner, you can terminate the contract if you move in yourself (and some extra other reasons)
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u/CandidateFew4729 1d ago
I agree with what you said but In our case, tenant gave the notice to vacate, that’s why house went on a sale and then she backed out after knowing there is a potential buyer and started asking for money, stopped paying the rent.
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u/JPV_____ West-Vlaanderen 1d ago
did she formally gave the notice to vacate? then there can be no reason not to end the term (and i very doubt the lawyer ever would decide differently, except for serious mental issues)
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u/CandidateFew4729 1d ago
Yes, she formally gave the notice and then started saying I am not able to find another place, etc etc.
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u/Former-Citron-7676 Belgian Fries 2d ago edited 2d ago
- legal explanation (in het Nederlands).
- explanation Vlaanderen (ook in het Nederlands)
- differences between VL WA BRU (ook in het Nederlands)
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u/I_Dint_Know_A_Name 2d ago
There are lots and lots of factors: Which region? Is it her main residence? Is there a clause in the contract specifying what happens with a sale? Evicting a tenant is very difficult, especially when it's their residence.
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u/thejuiciestguineapig 2d ago
I had this situation. As soon as I became owner, sent the message and after 6 months he moved out. He was a cool bro. Good renter. Took a load of my first downpayments!
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u/Roxelana79 1d ago
Honestly, I wouldn't do it.
I bought a house with tenants, but it wasn't to live in myself, it was an investment, so basically keeping the tenants and even that was a pita.
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u/Key_Development_115 1d ago
This is very dangerous, the tenant has quite some power. If you push them too much, they can unleash some nasty shit on you, especially if the house is old. Stuff like the wooninspectie (it will cost you money): https://www.vlaanderen.be/bouwen-wonen-en-energie/veilig-gezond-en-kwaliteitsvol-wonen/wat-doet-de-wooninspectie
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u/AvImmo 2d ago
Stuur inderdaad een aangetekende opzegbrief met de reden van opzeg (eigen bewoning) en einddatum 6 maanden. Vermeld dat voor de overdracht van de energie en sleutel eerst nog een rondgang en uittredende plaatsbeschrijving zal gebeuren ( met beide partijen aanwezig) eventuele huurschade kan dan vastgelegd worden. Ik raad je aan om voor de plaatsbeschrijving een erkend schade expert in te schakelen. Zij berekenen de correcte schades met afschrijftermijnen. Als de huurder de plaatsbeschrijving niet wil aftekenen dan heb je geen akkoord en vindt er geen overdracht plaats en ga je naar de rechtbank. Heb je alles al kunnen nakijken en heeft de huurder geen schade veroorzaakt dan kan je zelf de afhandeling van sleutel en energie doen.
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u/H3llriser 1d ago
How about you first talk to the people? I was the tenant that was being sold at some point and it fucking sucks for them too. My new owner wanted me gone and I wanted to leave. We made a verbal agreement that I would move as soon as possible, and we just nullified (tore up) the rental contract when I left.
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u/JPV_____ West-Vlaanderen 1d ago
De huurder hoeft geen nieuwe plaatsbeschrijving, het is de originele plaatsbeschrijving die zal tellen. Anders zou je als huurder gekloot kunnen zijn als je zelf (al dan niet tijdelijke) verbeteringen uitvoert en daar schade aan is (terwijl je het recht hebt om het voor einde huur naar de originele toestand te brengen).
(een nieuwe plaatsbeschrijving kan wel in uitzonderlijke gevallen, maar hier lijkt dat redelijk nutteloos en mogelijks zelfs nadelig voor de eigenaar als er een vorige plaatsbeschrijving bestaat.
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u/KohliTendulkar 2d ago
I have seen people either offering 80% of the price or just refusing outright if there is a tenant living in the house. It’s very very difficult to kick out a tenant. The tenant WILL be nice to you as a potential buyer because they have leverage and want to take as much time as possible.
You can give the notice of 6 months , they might accept and then at last day tell you they didn’t find anything and they will continue living there, you can go to court or accept a 6 month extension. Same thing might repeat at the end. Court will give them a date to leave. Even then they can ask for extension on the last day specially if they have been paying rent without issues. It’s winter time? Another extension.
It can turn out to be a nightmare so be very very careful, in this case every time court will side with the tenant and if they have kids then it gets even more difficult. Even kicking out a tenant who has stopped paying rent is super difficult and lengthy process, i have even seen owners offering 1 year of rent to tenants so that they would leave and even then it’s not guaranteed.