Rental guarantee
Security deposit paid by the tenant to cover potential damages or unpaid rent.
Full definition
The rental deposit is a sum of money or a bank guarantee that the tenant provides at the start of the lease to cover any unpaid rent or damage. For a main residence lease, each region sets a ceiling. In Wallonia, it is two months' rent since 1 June 2023, whatever form the deposit takes. In Brussels, it is two months' rent for leases signed or renewed since 1 November 2024. In Flanders, it is three months' rent. The tenant chooses the form, among those allowed in the region: usually a blocked account in the tenant's name at a bank, with the interest going to the tenant, or a bank guarantee, for example arranged through the CPAS/OCMW. A landlord who keeps the money in their own account owes the tenant interest. At the end of the lease, the deposit is only released with a written agreement from both parties, signed no earlier than the end of the lease, or with a court decision. The entry and exit inventories are the basis for discussing any deductions.