Electrical inspection when selling a house in Belgium

What we were able to read

• Book 1 of the RGIE is approved by the royal decree of 8 September 2019, published in the Belgian Official Gazette (Moniteur belge) on 28 October 2019.
• The report to the King that accompanies the decree explains that the rules target in particular old installations in dwelling units, where the works began before 1 October 1981 and which have never been inspected under the RGIE, at the time of a sale or of a request to increase the connection capacity.
• The Brussels-Capital Region website lists the electrical inspection certificate among the documents the seller hands over to the buyer. That page does not detail the rule.

The exact text of the section of Book 1 dealing with sales is in the annex to the decree published in the Belgian Official Gazette of 28 October 2019: the annex is not included in the online version we read. We therefore reproduce neither a time limit nor a period of validity.

Who carries out the visit, and when?

The inspection is carried out by an approved inspection body. Ask the notary:

• whether your installation is concerned (date of the installation, major modifications);
• who orders the visit and who pays for it;
• when it must take place in relation to the compromis and the deed.

Allow time: the visit has to be scheduled, the report received and passed on to the notary.

The inspection report

The approved body issues a report that states whether the installation complies and lists the points to be corrected. The report is one of the documents the seller hands over to the buyer. Ask the notary what the deed must state and what happens if the report finds breaches: time allowed for the works, a new visit, validity of the report in the event of a resale. These rules are not detailed in the pages we were able to read.

What should go in the compromis?

Have the notary provide in the compromis for:

• who orders the visit and by what date at the latest;
• the date on which the report is handed to the notary;
• what happens if the report is negative (who does the works, and within what time).

To understand the role of the compromis, read our guide on the sale agreement.

Cost

We did not read any official rate. Ask several approved bodies for quotes and compare what each quote includes (travel, any second visit).

Steps to follow

1. Ask the notary whether your installation is concerned.
2. Choose an approved body and ask for quotes.
3. Have the visit done well before the deed.
4. Pass the report on to the notary.
5. Buyer: if the report is negative, ask the notary about the time limit and steps provided for.

Which professional to consult

• An approved inspection body, for the visit and the report.
• An electrician, to price and carry out the works to bring the installation into compliance.
• A notary, for the compromis, the handover of the report and the wording in the deed.
• FPS Economy (Directorate-General for Energy), for a question on how the RGIE applies.