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Electricity & gas · Belgium
Checked 2026-09-30

🔑 I rent my home in Belgium: who pays for energy and how do I check the service charges?

The short answer

As a tenant you either have your own energy contract or you pay energy through the rent or service charges. The rules on shared meters and yearly statements protect you.

📜 The rules in Belgium

Energy costs for tenants

Flanders: in a residential lease, costs and charges must be stated separately from the rent, and the tenant may check the supporting invoices. A fixed amount (forfait) can be agreed, but either party can ask to switch to actual costs. For leases since 1 January 2019 the Flemish Rental Decree says who pays which costs.

  • Flanders, collective heating: heating costs are split into a variable part based on individual heat meters or heat cost allocators and a fixed part by ownership shares; the owners' association sets the variable share between 40% and 90%. (vlaamsenutsregulator.be)
Official source: vlaanderen.be · Checked 2026-09-30

🪜 Step by step

  1. Find out how you payYour own contract with a supplier, or energy through the landlord? Your tenancy agreement says so.
  2. Ask for the statementIf the landlord charges energy or heating, ask for the yearly statement and how your share is worked out.
  3. Check the rules for BelgiumSee below what landlords must do on meters, cost splitting and statements.
  4. Dispute in writingWrite to the landlord with your questions. If there is no solution, go to the body named below.

📇 Who to contact

Testaankoop / Test-AchatsIndependent advice for consumersFor advice, template letters and a second opinion🔗 www.test-aankoop.be

❓ Questions

Can I choose my own supplier as a tenant?

If you have your own meter and contract, usually yes. If energy is in the rent, the landlord chooses.

How is heating split between flats?

Often by individual meters or heat cost allocators plus a fixed share. The rules for Belgium are on this page.

Can the landlord cut my energy?

A landlord may not simply cut your supply. Contact the body named on this page.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-09-30

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Also useful

🌡️District heating, oil and LPG→📦Moving house→🧾Wrong or high bill→🔄Switching supplier→📈Price increase→

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