Find a home in Ghent

The city of Ghent

Multicultural, historical, connected and open: the city of Ghent welcomes expats from all over the globe. Immerse yourself in local culture and get a taste of home by participating in a range of groups and associations catering to expats.

Ghent has 25 different districts and suburbs where it is pleasant and pleasant to live. These zones are defined on the basis of the zip codes. All neighborhoods can be found on this neighborhood map. Also the available facilities in the neighborhood, such as schools, nature and libraries can be found conveniently on this.

Postcode 9000 is assigned to the center of Ghent. This is part is the more expensive part to live. Different neighborhoods are defined within the center of Ghent. The most famous are: Het Stadscentrum ; Stationsbuurt – Zuid / Noord:; Dampoort; Watersportbaan – Ekkergem; Rabot – Blaisantvest; Oud Gent Brugge: Nieuw Gent – UZ: Brugse poort – Rooigem

There are various districts around Ghent, where it is also nice to stay:

• 9030: Mariakerke
• 9031: Drongen
• 9032: Wondelgem
• 9040: Sint-Amandsberg
• 9041: Oostakker
• 9042: Desteldonk, Mendonk and Sint-Kruis-Winkel (situated near the Ghent-Terneuzen canal)
• 9050: Gentbrugge, Ledeberg
• 9051: Afsnee, Sint-Denijs-Westrem
• 9052: Zwijnaarde

In the wider area of Ghent there are also the following municipalities:

• 9820: Merelbeke
• 9090: Melle
• 9070: Destelbergen
• 9840:De Pinte
• 9830: Sint Martens Latem
• 9080: Lochristi

Searching accommodation

When moving to Belgium, you probably will need to find appropriate accommodation. There are different types of accommodation available on the market to rent or buy. The most common options are:

• Houses : living space and several rooms, on the country side often with a garden available
• Apartment or flat: living space with one, two or more bedrooms
• Duplex or studio: small living room with bedroom integrated, kitchen and bathroom
• ‘Kot’: specific accommodation for students: bedroom

Some tips on the preparation of the accommodation search:

• It is important to realize that about 1/3 of your income of the University will be spend on accommodation costs.
• The accommodation prices you may expect vary from the location and kind of habitation you search. Other important factors are the square meters, number of bedrooms and even the duration of the rental agreement
• Prices for studios or apartments may rise up to > €800 per month. Studentrooms ‘kot’ are cheaper, but can only be rented by students and not by professionals that earn a regular income.
• Please be aware that additional costs like water, gas, internet, electricity and building maintenance might not be included in the rent price
• Book temporary accommodation for your arrival in Ghent. Website like Booking.com; tripadvisor or Airbnb.be might be helpful to find a short term accommodation. Ghent University offers accommodation opportunities for international staff. The Housing Office rents out rooms, studios and flats but always per 2 weeks!
• Before committing to a rental agreement make sure you saw the actual state of rented place! If you are not yet in Belgium, have a friend or contact person from the faculty check out the property. Unfortunately there are also thieves active in Ghent who rent out non-existing apartments.
• When visiting the accommodation, pay attention to the building and the state of the accommodation. Take some photos and make sure you ask about the additional costs on top of the rental price. Check when it is available and if you can officially register yourself on the address. Did you know that most apartment are not furnished in Belgium but do have a kitchen that is not movable?
• If the owner would like to receive a proof of your employment at the University, you can request an attestation from your HR contact person (paid employees or researchers only).
• You don’t have to worry that you need to pay the real estate agents if you rent an accommodation through them. In Belgium they are paid by the owners of the accommodation to find a tenant or buyer for the accommodation.
• Depending on your nationality, you will need to register or report yourself very fast at the city if you are staying in a private accommodation. As from the moment you have found your permanent accommodation and you moved into it, you will also need to register officially at the city

Following websites advertise houses/apartments for sale or for rent for 1 or 3-9 years.

How to plan a visit

• Moving and housing in Flanders: https://www.vlaanderen.be/en/moving-and-housing
• Prefer to make a phone call (because you will have a faster response) rather than emailing.
• Read about the energy performance score : The energy performance certificate score (EPC) of the rental property. The lower the score, the better the house is isolated. In this way you can avoid huge energy bills. Many of the flatblocks were built between 1960 and 1990. As a result, they often have a higher maintenance cost. The EPC value: if the apartment has an A or B value, it means that it energy friendly (new or renovated apartments) https://www.vlaanderen.be/en/epc-for-a-dwelling
• Check the “algemene kosten” (general costs) : they are the expenses for the common areas in a building (hallway, elevator, syndicus…) The syndicus is the legal person responsible for the management that concerns the common parts of a building (for example: elevator, stairs, corridor, cellar, common garden, roof of the building…) It is possible that the private water and/or heating consumption of the unit is included in the rent. Be aware of the two payment systems. The first option is paying a monthly fixed amount regardless of your consumption. Else if the owner chooses to pay by advance, there will be a fixed monthly amount to be paid. However, at the end of the year, there will be a final bill. The monthly costs on top of the rent: usually between € 50 and € 115 per month. If it is more, it’s too much! The lower the costs are, the better for you if you do not intend to stay there for a long period. (often there are also savings for general renovations ... )

The rental agreement

If you want to rent a property, you must sign a rental contract with the landowner. The Flemish rental legislation must be taken into account and signed. Ask for an English translation and keep in mind that you are responsible for what you sign. You always need to sign the Dutch document according to the Flemish law, but don’t sign it unless you are sure what’s mentioned in the document.

If, as a student or employee, you are not domiciled at the residence address, but with a parent(s) or a partner in another country the usual Belgian rental legislation from the Civil Code (Articles 1714 to 1762bis) is applicable. The rental agreement is subject from the Flemish Housing Rental Act for whoever is domiciled at the residence address. Most of the provisions of the Housing Rental Act are compulsory, which means that the agreement cannot be waived even if the landlord and the tenant agree with it.

The rental law wants to protect tenants and make discrimination on the rental market difficult. Some key elements of the rent act are:

• The landlord must publicly announce the rental price of the property.
• The rental contract must include the rent and the rental period.
• The landlord is required to register the lease. It is free and can This is free and can be found
  • at the local registration office (external website) where the rental property is located
  • Online via myRent

An accommodation that meets the legal requirements for rental always contains : a certificate of conformity for fire safety and housing quality, a certificate of inspection of gas, water and electricity and an energy performance certificate.

The rental agreement

Following information must be mentioned in the agreement:

• The first names, name, date of birth and place and address of the landlord (s) (owner (s))
• The first names, name, date of birth and place and address of the tenant (s)
• For a legal person: the company number *, the social name and the address of the registered office
• The address and description of the rented property (ie a description of all spaces and parts of the building that are the subject of the lease), preferably indicating the cadastral data
• The date (day/month/year) of the rent and the duration of the contract (preferably starting and ending date)
• The rent (rent and charges)
• The date (day / month / year) of signing the contract
• The signatures of the landlord (s) and tenant (s) on all offered copies

Deposit

Paying a deposit is a common habit and rule in Belgium. It is not possible to negotiate your way out of it, if you want to rent. Please note that the payment of a deposit is a binding acceptance of the contract. Read the contract carefully before signing or paying; You will read that, if you break something, the landlord has the right to deduct the costs from your deposit. The tenant pays a deposit or rental guarantee of 2 or 3 months’ rent.

• 2 months if you pay the rent directly in one time
• 3 months if you pay the rent in different parts

It is recommended to pay via a bank transfer, so you always have a proof of payment. However, if you pay cash upon arrival you also need to ask for proof of payment and let the landlord write a receipt! Never pay rent or deposit through Western Union.

The deposit is normally placed on a blocked account on the name of the tenant. As you just arrived in Belgium, it will not be possible to open an blocked account immediately. Therefore, if you and the landlord agree to place the deposit on a regular bank account, make sure you mention this in a document, and have the payment of the deposit confirmed by signature by both parties. Discuss a date that the deposit must be transferred to a blocked account. A deposit is also just that, a deposit. It is not a way to pay your last month’s rent. When leaving the property, make sure you clean everything and you agree with the landlord on the date the deposit will be sent back to you.

The rental price

You will agree to pay a certain price to rent the property. Make sur that the pay date is on a convenient date for you, and take into account that transferring the money through a bank account can be delayed for one or two days. The rent may be indexed (following the Belgian ‘gezondheidsindex’) by the property owner, once a year and after written notice.

Provisional charge

A property owner can choose to either charge a fixed amount for utilities such as heating, electricity, water etc. or work with a provisional charge. The provisional charge is paid in advance and actual usage amounts are calculated at the end of the lease. Avoid any nasty surprises and ensure you clarify which of these two systems will be applied before you sign a lease. It is also possible that you need to pay some fee for the common areas for the building such as the hallway, elevator, gardening or joint costs that may occur in the future.

Inventory of the property

At the start of the lease contract, it is compulsory to make and register a detailed site description or inventory of the property together with the lease. The location description can be prepared by the parties themselves as well as by an expert. The tenant and landlord agree on this. If they agree to appeal to an expert, each party pays half of the cost. An expert's location description costs about € 300 or more.

Furnishings

Make sure you check what furnishings are included with the accommodation, and whether you need to buy your own towels, bed linen (sheets, pillow, pillow case and blankets) and kitchen utensils. Furnishings that are included with the accommodation will also be listed in the rental contract, to make sure you need to keep them there when you are leaving the accommodation. If the owner find something is missing, he will take off the price from your deposit.

A sleeping bag may be a good temporary solution if there are no furnishings included.

If the apartment/house is unfurnished, there are a lot of possibilities of ordering goods online:

• https://www.bol.com
• https://www.coolblue.com
• https://www.tweedehands.be
• https://www.ikea.be
• There is an Ikea located in the outer ring of Gent (Maaltekouter 2, 9000 Gent)

Problems and maintenance works

The landlord must, according to the law, supply the rented property to the tenant in good condition. During the duration of the agreement, the landlord must manage the property in good condition in order for the house to remain habitable. However, some maintenance work can be at the expense of the tenant. Most agreements and responsibilities are stated in the rental agreement.

When informing the landlord about any problems in the rented property, make sure you do this by e-mail or letter so you have a proof of report. Add relevant information such as when you discovered the problem or how it occurred. In case a discussion rises about the responsibility for possible maintenance works, associations such as the ‘huurdersbond’ may intervene.

Terminating the rental contract

A long term rental contract can be signed for 1, 3-9 years. If you don’t terminate the contract on a legal way, it can happen that the contract is automatically renewed. Mostly the notice should be given by a registered letter and three months before the end date of the contract. Make sure you terminate the contract on time and in the requested format that was agreed in the rental agreement.

Rental insurance

In case of fire in a rented home or apartment, the tenant is usually liable for the consequences of this and will be required to pay compensation for damages. Shutting down a fire insurance is therefore necessary. What should cover the insurance?

• tenant liability (= damage to the landlord's property)
• third party story (= damage to others eg neighbors)
• personal property (= damage to personal property)

In the rental agreement a waiver of liability can be included. This is a clause whereby the landlord adjusts its fire insurance policy. This applies only to the relationship between tenant and landlord and not for damage to third parties, where the tenant is still liable. It is possible that the tenant is taken into account in the insurance of the property owner. However, an additional cost can be charged for this, and still an insurance for the personal property must be closed. In that case you need your own rental insurance when renting an apartment or house.

Moving in

After you signed the rental agreement or bought the house, you can finally move in. Make sure you take photos of the place before moving in. If you see dirty spots or broken pieces it is best to have some proof that this was the state you found it in. This can avoid discussions when moving out.

It is possible to find furnished accommodation, but this will not be the case in most situations.

You find furniture shops in the city of Ghent or online.

There are a lot of relocation companies in Ghent. Some examples are: