First time renter looking for a little advice on my contract. What does this article mean? Welke “sommen” zouden er mogelijks dienen terugbetaald hoeven te worden? (Vlaanderen/Antwerpen)

2 comments

1. *de kosten en lasten die te maken hebben met het gebruik van de woning* die ten lastens van de huurder vallen

   Edit: vb als de boiler onderhouden werd en je de rekening krijgt van de loodgieter. Dat is een van die zgn kosten

2. It’s about your monthly costs. You are paying an advance of all the monthly apartment block costs, for example 100 euro per month that goes to maintenance of the elevator, cutting of the grass in the front garden, cleaning of the hallways, electricity of the hallways, etc. The landlord gives you a break down of the costs at the end of the year, and because you have paid an advance, you will have to pay more if the costs exceeded what you paid. If you paid more than the costs, then the landlord has to give you the extra money back… This is called “voorschot op de kosten” that you pay…

   The second possible system (which doesn’t apply to you since your contract explicitly mentions afrekening and everythhing) is forfaitaire bedrag each month. This is you pay a fixed amount per month for the monthly building costs, and it doesn’t matter if the actual amount came out bigger or smaller, the landlord keeps everything, but he also can’t ask anything extra.

   The last sentence is about taxes like belasting op tweede verblijf. If the renter didn’t put anyone’s domicile in the apartment/house by the time its 1 january, then the gemeente sends a tax on second residences to the owner, which the owner then demands from you. Some gemeentes don’t have this tax, other do have it and it’s between 800 and 1500 euro.