overview
For students
Commute or rent a room?
You're about to start your studies at a college or university. You've chosen your classes but haven't decided yet whether to commute or rent a room? These considerations will help you decide:
- How much are you willing to spend on room rent? How much would it cost you to use public transport to commute?
- How long is the trajectory from your house to the school? If it's more than an hour, single journey, we would advise you to rent a room.
- Renting a room = living independently, taking responsibility.
- Maybe you'd prefer to stay at home? Is it easier for you to study there? Are you in a local community?
- As a room student you can partake actively in student life. There's always something to do in your student town.
The hunt for a room!
You've decided to rent a room? Here's some tips for your search:
- make a selection based on price, location, number of months on the rental agreement,..
- pick three or four options and contact the landlord to arrange a room visit. Always arrange a meeting for this!
- compare price and quality
- talk to students who live at the room address about their experiences in the building
- pay attention to the minimal comfort conditions (sink in the room, heating, isolation,...), fire security and hygiene
- don't neglect to see the room in person!
- pay attention to the rental agreement suggested by the landlord. Read it attentively. The model agreement provided by Kotwest is recognizable by the house logo in the right upper corner.
The rental agreement
We prefer a rental agreement in writing to an oral agreement. This is why Kotwest offers a model agreement. This can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
A rental agreement for student rooms or studios differs from the 'regular' rental contracts for housing. Title III of the Flemish Housing Rental Decree applies to rental contracts (concluded after January 1, 2019) for student accommodation in Flanders.
FROM 2025-2026, there will be a single overarching FLEMISH MODEL RENTAL CONTRACT for the rental of a student room/studio. This contract replaces the model contracts of all higher education institutions in Flanders for renting student rooms from 2025-2026.
The model rental agreement guarantees a qualitative and balanced agreement between the tenant and the landlord. It is specifically developed for student housing, in accordance with current rental legislation, and is free to use.
Any changes to the model rental agreement must be clearly marked and initialed by both parties. Changes, deletions, and additions to the contractual provisions that conflict with the Flemish Housing Rental Decree are not allowed.
You can download the model rental agreement here.
The model rental agreement can also be used for international students, even those who register in the Belgian national register. We provide an English translation of this agreement, which can be given to the prospective tenant for information purposes. Legally, it is recommended to conclude a Dutch rental agreement with international students. Download here.
The rental price - deposit
The rental price of a room or studio varies greatly. In West-Flanders, the average rental price for a student room based on a 12 moth rental contract is about 400€/month, all costs included. You can always find cheaper or more expensive options.
In the rental agreement there needs to be a clear description of which costs are included and which are charged seperately. Three formulas are possible:
All in: All costs are included in the rental price. Variations in your energy use won't be calculated For example € 400,00.
If energy costs aren't included in the rental price, they will be paid separately. The rental contract has to state clearly in which fashion these costs are calculated: through a flat rate or using an advance with a final bill at the end of your rental period.
Flat rate: This means you will pay a fixed amount each month, regardless of your energy use. Variations in your energy use won't be calculated, for example your rental price is 300 euros and the energy costs are charged at a fixed rate of 50 euros.
Advance payments with final bill: In this formula you pay a certain amount for your energy use each month, but depending on your use you will either get money back or have to pay extra at the end of your rental period. All energy consumption costs have to be accounted for by the landlord using the official bills.
Tip: if you have an individual counter for your energy use, note the number at the start of your stay and let your landlord sign this.
THE DEPOSIT
The deposit will usually be the amount of 1 or 2 months' rent. The security deposit may have a maximum value of 2 months' rent and must be provided at the earliest 3 months before the lease takes effect.
Some landlords also require a key deposit? This must be clearly defined in the rental agreement.
The landlord is free to choose to have the deposit paid into an individualised and blocked account in the tenant's name or to have it deposited into his account. In any case, you are entitled to interest on this sum!
The deposit serves to compensate for any damage caused by you in the room or common spaces - so it is a kind of insurance for the landlord. The deposit should never be used to pay the rent.
End of the rental period, nothing damaged and all your tenant obligations met? Then the landlord must repay you the full deposit with interest within three months. The landlord can always dispute this by registered letter. He must be able to prove the costs he charges.
Domicile
General population regulations provide that every person must be registered in the registers of the municipality where they have established their main residence, at the address where they effectively reside for most of the year.
But for students who are in " kot " close to where they study, it is considered that this is a temporary situation; they are therefore considered temporarily absent and must remain registered in their families. Indeed, in general, students remain dependent on their parents during this period and come home regularly for weekends and school holidays.
One of the main consequences of this situation is that students remain administratively managed by the municipality where they are registered, in particular for all their official documents (identity card, driving licence, etc.), to obtain certificates or attestations and for their electoral obligations.
However, this is not a mandatory rule, because the regulations provide that students who no longer have a family or home in their home municipality and are no longer dependent on their family will be registered in the municipality where they actually reside.
A student may therefore request his registration in the registers of the municipality where he is studying. In addition to the reality of effective residence, the municipality must consequently verify that the student is no longer a dependent of his family (that he has a enjoys financial independence) and that he no longer has a family or home in another municipality.
In short, it is therefore permissible to place a student's domicile at a student accommodation address.
Sublease
Subletting Your Room: How to Do It Right
Approval from the Landlord Required! Subletting is generally prohibited unless you are participating in an exchange program or need to complete an internship. Only in these two situations do you not need the landlord's approval. If you wish to sublet your room for another reason (parental divorce, financial problems, death of a parent, etc.), you do need the landlord's permission.
Sublease Agreement. You remain jointly liable for fulfilling all obligations under the lease agreement. As a sublessor, you enter into a lease agreement with the subtenant.
- Always request proof of enrollment to ensure that your subtenant is indeed a higher education student!
- Always provide the contact details of the subtenant to your landlord.
- As a sublessor, you remain liable for paying the rent to the landlord. You must deliver the room in good condition at the end of the rental period.
- Use the sublease model contract to ensure you make good contractual agreements.
- When subletting to international students, always use the Dutch sublease agreement and provide the English translation purely for informational purposes.
Rent: The rent charged by the subtenant must correspond to the rent you pay as the sublessor.
Security Deposit: It is best to ask for a deposit of 1 to a maximum of 2 months' rent. Any damage caused by the subtenant will have to be compensated by you to your landlord.
Rental Term: Clearly indicate in the lease agreement the term for which you are subletting; this term must not exceed the term of the main lease agreement.
Fire Insurance: Since you remain jointly liable for your room and must return it in the same condition to the landlord, it is important that the tenant's liability of your subtenant is sufficiently covered for fire and related hazards. Subtenants are generally not insured through the owner's policy. If you are a student at VIVES or KU Leuven campus Brugge, contact the housing service to find out how you can take out a policy to cover this liability. By paying a small contribution, you can join a KU Leuven insurance policy.
START!
- Make an appointment with your subtenant to hand over the keys.
- Make an inventory of the room at the start. Need an example? Contact your housing service.
- Go over the house rules and have them signed by your subtenant! Translate if necessary.
END:
- The rental term is over; make a new appointment with your subtenant and receive the keys back.
- Go over the inventory to check for any damage.
Ending your contract prematurely
Breaking your lease early is only possible in some specific situations:
The lease has not yet entered into force: you will owe a two-month rent termination fee if you broke the lease less than three months before it entered into force.
You stop your studies: you will have to present the deregistration certificate from the educational institution and a two-month notice period applies. For example: I deregister on 15 October and send a registered letter with proof of deregistration to my landlord on 16 October. My termination takes effect on 1 November. Specifically, the rent for November and December is still due.
In the event of the death of one of your parents or another person responsible for your upkeep: you will have to submit the death certificate and there is a two-month notice period.
In the event of the death of the tenant himself, the lease will be terminated by operation of law.