First issue of Property Essentials — the monthly roundup for property managers who do not have time to read everything, but cannot afford to miss what matters. January 2026 opens the year with substantive topics: energy, inheritance tax, tenant protections, and case law favouring property owners.
1. EPC Brussels co-ownership: fines up to EUR 62,500
Brussels co-owners will soon become jointly liable for the energy performance of their building. Deadlines of 2033 and 2043, fines up to EUR 62,500 per co-ownership, and new climate tables: what property managers must plan for now. Read →
2. Wallonia property inheritance 2028: tax halved
From 2028, direct-line inheritance tax in Wallonia drops to 12–15% — a reduction by half. Seven estate planning strategies to know, plus a Brussels–France–Luxembourg comparison for optimising the transfer of your property portfolio. Read →
3. Brussels winter moratorium: the landlord compensation fund most owners ignore
The Regional Solidarity Fund compensates Brussels landlords for unpaid rent during the winter moratorium — yet the majority of eligible property owners never submit a claim. Eligibility criteria, deadlines, and the full procedure. Read →
4. ECHR and Belgian property owners: the more lenient law applies
The Wulffaert v. Belgium ruling (July 2025) of the European Court of Human Rights establishes that a planning violation loses its legal classification if a subsequent law exempts that type of work. A decision that changes the landscape for property owners facing historic planning infringements. Read →
5. Syndic (building manager) in Belgium: duties, powers and oversight
30 years after the landmark 1994 Act: a full account of the syndic's 3 missions, their actual powers, and the oversight bodies. What co-owners are entitled to demand — and how property managers can draw on this framework. Read →
6. False pay slips: tenant lease cancellation in Belgium
The Lennik justice of the peace ruling (2024) confirms it: a lease can be cancelled retroactively if the tenant provided false pay slips. Best practices for property managers before signing — and the procedure to follow if you discover fraud afterwards. Read →
Monthly checklist
- Assess the EPC rating of your Brussels co-owned buildings and identify the 2033/2043 deadlines
- Plan ahead for the Wallonia inheritance reform 2028: consult a notary for direct-line portfolios
- Check whether unpaid rent during the last moratorium qualifies for Regional Fund compensation
- Review historic planning violations and check whether recent legislation regularises them
- Require an annual report from the syndic covering all 3 legal missions
- Implement a pay slip and income verification procedure before every lease signing
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