Rental guarantee in Flanders 2026: The new rules for renting a room long-term

Moving to a new Flemish city is an exciting adventure, but the administrative procedures can sometimes seem complex, especially when it comes to securing your accommodation. At Roomlala, we know that the issue of the security deposit is often a source of stress for both tenants and hosts. In 2026, legislation continued to evolve to offer an increasingly protective and transparent framework. Whether you are looking to join a lively shared housing in Ghent or rent a peaceful homestay in Antwerp, it is essential to master the rules governing the security deposit in Flanders in 2026. This comprehensive guide aims to decipher the legal procedures, the current caps, the secure blocking methods, and everyone's rights for you. We accompany you step by step so that your long-term rental experience proceeds with complete peace of mind, in strict compliance with the Flemish Residential Rental Decree (Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet).

Understanding the security deposit caps in Flanders 2026

The primary residence lease: the strict 3-month rule

In the context of a standard long-term rental law, where the tenant establishes their primary residence in the property, the Flemish legislator has set very clear limits to prevent abuse. In 2026, the legal cap for the security deposit is strictly limited to a maximum of three months' rent. This measure aims to protect tenants against excessive financial demands while offering reasonable coverage to hosts in the event of rental damage or unpaid rent.

Read also: 2026 Housing Law: What changes for room rentals in Spain, Local Accommodation 2026: Why choose long-term rental in Portugal and 2026 property tax: How renting out a room in your homestay can help reduce the bill

It is crucial to note that this calculation is made exclusively based on the base rent, i.e., excluding common charges or fixed fees for energy. For example, if you rent a spacious room with a rent of 500 euros and 75 euros in monthly charges, the host cannot demand more than 1500 euros for the security deposit, not 1725 euros. Any contractual clause requiring a higher amount is considered null and void by the competent justices of the peace in Flanders.

At Roomlala, we ensure that the listings published on our platform respect these legal caps. We always advise our users to carefully read their tenancy agreement before signing. If a host asks you for a deposit equivalent to four or five months' rent for a primary residence, you are entitled to refuse and rely on the Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet to demand the regularisation of the situation.

Let's take a concrete use case: Marc, a young professional, finds a homestay in Leuven for a three-year lease. The rent is 600 euros. The host asks him for a 1800-euro deposit. Marc knows this is the legal maximum. He accepts, but ensures that the sum will not be paid hand-to-hand, a point we will discuss in detail in the next section.

The student lease (kot): the specific 2-month limit

Flanders attracts tens of thousands of students every year, and the 'kot' market is particularly dynamic. For this group, often more financially vulnerable, the legislation has provided an important derogation. If you sign a specific student tenancy agreement, the security deposit is capped at a maximum of two months' rent, not three.

This distinction is fundamental. It is essential to correctly define the type of lease from the start. A student lease generally implies that the tenant proves their status (via a university registration certificate) and that they do not register their primary residence at this address, unless explicitly agreed. This two-month maximum protection helps reduce the barrier to entry for young people who often have to advance significant costs at the start of the school year.

Let's imagine Sophie, a French student coming for her Erasmus in Ghent. She finds a superb 'kot' at 450 euros per month. Her host can legally only ask her for a 900-euro deposit. If the host attempts to pass the contract off as a primary residence lease to demand three months' deposit, Sophie can challenge this practice, as her student status takes precedence in the classification of the contract.

We recommend that Roomlala hosts who specifically target students familiarise themselves with these standard contracts. Offering a proper student lease, with a two-month deposit, reassures tenants and their parents, accelerates the rental process, and guarantees total compliance with the Flemish authorities.

How to legally secure your deposit in Flanders?

Authorised and secure blocking methods

A golden rule that we constantly remind our users of at Roomlala: paying the security deposit in cash or directly into the host's personal bank account is totally illegal in Belgium, and particularly monitored in Flanders. Funds must imperatively be protected and isolated from the host's assets. The most classic method remains the blocked bank account in the tenant's name.

To open this blocked account, the tenant and the host must sign a specific document at the bank. The funds are deposited there and generate interest that rightfully belongs to the tenant (capitalised annually). The money can only be released at the end of the lease with the dual signature of both parties, proving that an agreement has been reached following the inventory check.

However, in 2026, the most recommended and simplest method is using the public platform e-DEPO, managed by the FPS Finance (the Deposit and Consignment Office). This free service, accessible online via Itsme or an electronic identity card, allows you to deposit the Flanders 2026 security deposit in a few clicks. It is an extremely secure solution that avoids the banking fees sometimes applied by certain private institutions.

Here is an example of the procedure to follow: Thomas is about to rent a room. He logs on to e-DEPO, creates a new security deposit file by indicating his future host's details and the lease information. He makes a transfer to the Belgian State account. The host then receives an official notification confirming that the funds are secured. At the end of the lease, the request for release will be just as simple via the same digital interface.

Financial assistance to build up your deposit

Building up a deposit equivalent to two or three months' rent can represent a major financial obstacle, especially during a move that already incurs numerous costs. Fortunately, the Flemish Region has implemented support mechanisms for tenants in difficulty. The most well-known is the zero-interest loan granted by the Vlaams Woningfonds (Flemish Housing Fund).

This loan allows tenants meeting certain income conditions to borrow the exact amount of the security deposit, interest-free. The funds are paid directly into a blocked account, and the tenant repays the Vlaams Woningfonds in small monthly instalments over a period of up to 24 months. It is a breath of fresh air for young workers or single-parent families.

Furthermore, the Public Centres for Social Welfare (CPAS / OCMW in Flanders) can also intervene. If the tenant does not meet the conditions of the Vlaams Woningfonds but is in need, the CPAS can provide a bank guarantee letter to the host or advance the funds. The host is thus assured of being covered, while the tenant avoids ending up on the street due to a lack of liquidity.

At Roomlala, we encourage hosts to be open to these mechanisms. Accepting a deposit built via the Vlaams Woningfonds or the CPAS in no way diminishes your financial security. On the contrary, it demonstrates the serious support provided to the tenant by public institutions. For example, if you rent a room to a young apprentice supported by the CPAS, you benefit from a solid institutional guarantee while participating in a positive social initiative.

Shared housing and homestay in Flanders: what are the specificities?

The joint tenancy agreement (samenhuur) and the solidarity clause

Shared housing, or 'samenhuur' in Flanders, is increasingly successful. But in legal terms, managing the shared housing deposit in Belgium depends fundamentally on the contract structure. If all housemates sign one single tenancy agreement with the host, it is called a joint lease. In this case, the tenants are generally linked by a solidarity clause.

This solidarity means that the host considers the group as a single entity. The security deposit is therefore global. The three-month cap applies to the total rent of the house or apartment. The housemates must arrange between themselves to collect the sum, which they will pay into a joint blocked account (often opened in the name of two representatives of the group) or via e-DEPO.

The major point of vigilance here is that the host can turn against any housemate for payment of the full rent or damages, even if the fault lies with only one member. The global deposit is used to cover all potential breaches. It is therefore essential that housemates draw up a housemate agreement among themselves to define internal responsibilities and the distribution of the deposit.

Let's imagine a house rented by four friends in Bruges. The total rent is 1200 euros. The maximum deposit is 3600 euros. Each friend contributes 900 euros. They open a joint blocked account. If one of the friends seriously damages the living room and the repairs cost 1500 euros, the host will deduct this sum from the global deposit at the end of the lease. It will then be up to the friends to arrange for the culprit to reimburse the others. This is why we recommend choosing your housemates with care!

Individual contracts for homestay rentals

Unlike the joint lease, homestay contracts in Flanders very often take the form of individual tenancy agreements. In this model, very popular on Roomlala, the host signs a separate contract with each tenant for their private room and access to common areas (kitchen, bathroom).

The great strength of this system is the legal and financial independence it offers. The security deposit is unique to each tenant. The three-month cap is calculated solely on the rent of the room rented. There is no financial solidarity between the different tenants of the house. If the tenant of room A does not pay their rent, the host can in no way touch the deposit of the tenant of room B.

This method greatly simplifies the management of arrivals and departures. When a tenant leaves their room, they do their own inventory check with the host. If everything is in order, their personal deposit is returned to them regardless of the presence of other tenants in the house. This is the format we prefer at Roomlala for hosts offering several rooms in their primary residence.

Let's take the example of Martine, who rents three rooms in her large house in Hasselt. She has signed three individual leases. Each tenant has blocked their own deposit on e-DEPO. When Lucas, one of the tenants, decides to leave after two years, Martine only checks Lucas's room and the general condition of the common areas. She validates the release of Lucas's deposit on e-DEPO without disrupting the contracts of her two other tenants.

Departure of the tenant and release of the shared housing deposit in Belgium

The standard fund release procedure

The end of the lease marks the long-awaited (or dreaded) moment of the release of the security deposit. The legal procedure requires an inventory check to be carried out on a contradictory basis, i.e., in the presence of the tenant and the host. This document is then compared with the entry inventory check. If no degradation (excluding normal wear and tear) is noted and all rent and charges have been paid, the deposit must be released in full.

In Flanders, there is no strict legal deadline set to the day for restitution, but the law stipulates that it must be done within a reasonable time (generally estimated at 1 or 2 months maximum by case law) after the return of the keys. If the funds are in a blocked account or on e-DEPO, both parties must sign the release form. In the event of a disagreement over the amount of damage, only the non-contested part of the deposit can be released immediately, with the rest remaining blocked until the dispute is resolved, either amicably or through the justice of the peace.

We strongly advise our users to prepare for this exit inventory check. Tenants, clean the room from top to bottom and fill in any holes in the walls. Hosts, come with the invoices for charges to calculate final settlements quickly. Transparency and good faith are the keys to a quick restitution.

If the host refuses to sign the release without a valid reason, the tenant can issue a formal notice by registered letter. If the blocking persists, a free conciliation before the justice of the peace is the first step before potential litigation proceedings. At Roomlala, we find that the majority of rental endings unfortunately go smoothly thanks to good prior communication.

The special case of the departing housemate and their replacement

The situation becomes more technical when one member of a shared housing arrangement (under a joint lease) decides to leave the accommodation before the others. According to the Flemish decree, this departing housemate benefits from a two-month notice period. However, as the security deposit is global and joint, the bank or e-DEPO cannot simply release a quarter or a third of the total sum upon simple request.

For the departing housemate to recover their share of the deposit, the unanimous agreement of all parties is required: the host, the remaining housemates, and the departing housemate. The most common and safest method is to find a replacement. When signing the amendment to the tenancy agreement, the new housemate pays the equivalent of the deposit share directly to the departing housemate. On paper, the names are changed, but the funds blocked at the bank remain intact and continue to guarantee the global lease.

It is imperative to carry out an interim inventory check (often limited to the departing person's room and a visual inspection of the common areas) to ensure that the newcomer will not be held responsible for previous damages. Without this interim inventory check, the new housemate risks having to pay for damage caused before their arrival during the final release of the deposit.

Let's take a final example: Clara leaves her shared housing in Mechelen. She had paid 800 euros into the common deposit pot. Julien replaces her. After an interim inventory check validating that Clara's room is in perfect condition, Julien transfers 800 euros to Clara's personal account. An amendment is signed with the host. The house's global deposit, blocked at the bank, remains unchanged, but it now legally belongs in part to Julien. It is a fluid mechanism provided you are rigorous with written documents.