Inventory of fixtures

The inventory of fixtures is a detailed document describing, room by room, the condition of a rented home: walls, floors, ceilings, bathroom fittings, electrics, heating and meter readings. It is drawn up jointly, by the landlord and the tenant together or by an expert. For a main residence lease or a student lease, an entry inventory is compulsory in all three regions: in Wallonia (decree of 15 March 2018), in Brussels (Brussels Housing Code) and in Flanders (decree of 9 November 2018). It is done while the home is empty or during the first month of occupation, then attached to the lease and registered with it. The costs are shared. In Brussels and Flanders, the inventory is done at joint expense. In Wallonia, an expert appointed by both parties is paid half each, and an expert appointed by one party alone is paid by that party. At the end of the lease, either party can ask for an exit inventory, also drawn up jointly and at shared cost. Comparing the two documents shows any damage caused by the tenant. Without an entry inventory, the tenant is presumed to have received the home in the condition it is in at the end of the lease, unless proven otherwise: it is then up to the landlord to prove any damage.