Buying a house to renovate in Belgium: checkpoints

1. The EPB certificate

The energy performance certificate (PEB) gives the home’s energy class, from A (very economical) to G (heavy consumption) in Brussels. It is the first figure you get on the condition of the property. For a house to renovate, the class gives an idea of the scale of the insulation or heating works.

• Brussels: the certificate is compulsory and must be drawn up before the property is put on the market. It is valid for 10 years. The owner must give it free of charge to anyone interested in the advertisement and to the future buyer. The energy class appears in the advertisement (Bruxelles Environnement, the Brussels environment agency).
• Wallonia: it is compulsory for the sale and drawn up before the property is put up for sale. The original is given to the buyer before the sale agreement is signed, and the agreement must mention this formality. Failing to have a valid certificate when the property is put on sale is penalised with €1,000 (SPW Énergie, the Walloon energy administration).

See the EPB certificate guide. The certificate does not replace an assessment of the works: it describes the current state, not the budget to reach a target class.

2. The electrical installation

Book 1 of the RGIE (the General Regulation on Electrical Installations) provides for an inspection when old installations are sold. The report to the King accompanying the royal decree of 8 September 2019 covers installations in housing units whose execution began before 1 October 1981 and which have never been inspected under the RGIE, upon a sale or a request to increase the connection capacity.

What this means for you: ask the seller for the approved body’s report if there is one, and ask the notary whether the installation is concerned, who orders the inspection and what the deed provides. Our electrical inspection on sale guide details what we were able to read. If works are planned, have the installation examined by a professional before costing the budget.

3. The heating oil tank

In Wallonia, the legislation on liquid storage applies to tanks with a capacity of 3,000 litres or more. Between 3,000 and 24,999 litres, the tank is a class 3 installation: it must be declared to the commune and undergo periodic inspection by an approved technician. From 25,000 litres, an environmental permit is needed. If the capacity cannot be proven, the tank is treated as being above 3,000 litres (SPW).

Before buying, ask for:

• the tank’s capacity and the proof (purchase invoice, fill-up invoices);
• whether the tank has been declared;
• the latest inspection report by an approved technician.

If the property is in Brussels or Flanders, ask the notary about the local rules: we were not able to read an official source on this point.

4. Asbestos

According to Bruxelles Environnement, asbestos has been banned since 1998 and a building from before 1998 may contain it; wallonie.be writes that it has been banned in Belgium since 2002. If in doubt, assume that an old building may contain it. The rules vary by Region.

• Brussels: a precise asbestos inventory is compulsory for any renovation or demolition work. If the asbestos cannot remain intact during the works, it must be removed beforehand. For a project of more than 500 m², the regional inventory form is required. Intact asbestos is not dangerous in itself: the risk comes from airborne fibres when the material is damaged.
• Wallonia: the Region announces a compulsory asbestos diagnosis “before sale, letting or works”, as part of a gradual inventory. The November 2025 article gives no date of entry into force: ask the notary what applies on the date of your sale agreement.
• Flanders: since 23 November 2022, a valid asbestos certificate (asbestattest) is required for the sale of a building (or part of one) built before 2001, of at least 20 m² and accessible. The owner must have it when the sale agreement is signed (OVAM, the Flemish waste agency).

Ask the seller for any existing inventories or certificates, and do not start any work before identifying the asbestos-containing materials.

5. The budget: beyond the price

Add everything up before making an offer. A realistic budget contains:

1. the purchase price;
2. the purchase costs: for €300,000, our totals are €17,218 in Brussels, €13,718 in Wallonia and €10,618 in Flanders. Calculate yours with our purchase costs tool;
3. the works, costed by quotes and not by an overall estimate. VAT can be 6% instead of 21% for a home more than 10 years old (see 6% VAT);
4. contingencies: a contractor’s quote is a starting point, not a ceiling;
5. temporary housing if you cannot live in the property during the works.

To find out how much to borrow, check your borrowing capacity. If you buy in Brussels to live there and you renovate, an extra abatement of €25,000 per EPB class gained exists under conditions: see the registration duties guide.

6. Grants and loans

• Wallonia: since 1 October 2026, a new regime of loans applies. Homes rated EPB G or F must reach at least D after the works, and homes rated E at least C. The Rénopack is an interest-free loan with a reduction in the amount repaid (50%, 40% or 15% depending on income), for income categories C1 to C3. The Rénoprêt is an interest-free or preferential-rate loan for category C4, landlords and co-ownerships. The maximum loan for a single-family house rises to €75,000. An audit less than one year old is required (wallonie.be, updated on 25 September 2026).
• Brussels: there is no Government decision on new Renolution grants (the Brussels renovation grant scheme). The site states that no application can be submitted for invoices from 2025 or 2026. The Ecoreno credit offers a loan at 2.5% to 3.5% for works such as insulation or a heat pump (be.brussels).
• Flanders: see the renovation grants guide.

The conditions change: have the body confirm the regime before you sign the sale agreement. Do not count on support you have not obtained.

Which professionals to consult

The notary reads the file (EPB, electrics, tank, soil, planning) and drafts the clauses of the sale agreement. An architect or a contractor visits the property with you and costs the works. An approved body inspects the electrics. An approved technician inspects the tank. An asbestos inventory expert carries out the diagnosis. A credit broker can put together financing that includes the works: see the mortgage credit broker guide.