Indexation of rents with correction factor
Indexation of rents is allowed again, but you must apply a correction factor if your lease came into effect before 14 October 2022, and if the property's EPB certificate is E, F or G.
Which housing is subject to an adapted indexation formula?
To index the rent (and if the lease does not exclude it), the landlord must comply with regional rental legislation, which includes:
- Opens in new windowregistering the lease agreement
- providing the tenant with an energy performance certificate (EPB) for the rental property
You must apply this indexation with an adapted formula (correction factor) if your property meets the following 3 criteria:
- The lease took effect before 14 October 2022.
- The EPB certificate for the property is E, F or G.
- The property is rented on the private or public market (including properties rented through the Public Centre for Social Welfare (PCSW), the municipality, a social rental agency or the Land Management Agency (Régie Foncière)). Properties rented by public-service real estate companies (SISP) and the Fonds du Logement (Housing Fund) are not affected.
Which formula or correction factor should you apply?
The result of the standard indexation formula, i.e. (base rent x new index) / initial index, must be multiplied by a correction factor.
There are various correction factors. The applicable correction factor depends on both the anniversary date of the lease agreement and the EPB certificate held by the rented property.
Correction factor with EPB certificate E:
Rent indexation formula:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
- The base rent is the amount specified in the lease agreement;
- The initial index is the health index of the month preceding the date on which the agreement was signed;
- The new index is the health index of the month preceding the anniversary date of the lease coming into force.
Correction factor: 50% x [(2022 index + 2023 index) / 2023 index]
- The 2022 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2022 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
- The 2023 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2023 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
The index tables are available on the FPS Economy Opens in new windowStatbel website.
For example:
Lease agreement signed and effective 01/02/2020
Base rent = €1,000
Initial index (January 2020) = 109.722021: January index = 110.35
2022: January index = 118.21
2023: January index = 128.00
2024: January index = 130.19The indexed rent was as follows in the years below:
2021: (1,000 x 110.35) / 109.72 = €1,005.74
2022: (1,000 x 118.21) / 109.72 = €1,077.38In 2023, for housing for which indexation was permitted, the indexed rent would have been:
(1,000 x 128.00) / 109.72 = €1,166.61The anniversary date of the agreement fell after 14/10/22 = indexation of the rent was authorised, but the rent adjustment only applied to 50%. In this case, the rent that could be charged was (1,077.38 + 1,166.61 / 2), i.e. €1,121.99.
Since 14 October 2023, you can index again, but you must apply a correction factor, i.e.:
- calculate the indexed rent using the usual rules
- apply the correction factor to this amount
The correction factor in this case is as follows:
50% x [(2022 index + 2023 index) / 2023 index]
50% x [(118.21 + 128.00) / 128.00]
50% x [246.21 / 128.00]
50% x [1.92351]
0.9617578Rent indexation from February 2024 with correction factor:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
[(base rent x January 2024 health index) / January 2020 health index] x correction factor
[(1,000 x 130.19) / 109.72] x correction factor
€1,186.56 x correction factor
€1,186.56 x 0.9617578
€1,141.19You must apply the same correction factor to each new indexation of rent. Only when there is a better EPB certificate or a new lease comes into force do you no longer need to apply the correction factor.
Rent indexation formula:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
- The base rent is the amount specified in the lease agreement;
- The initial index is the health index of the month preceding the date on which the agreement was signed;
- The new index is the health index of the month preceding the anniversary date of the lease coming into force.
Correction factor: 50% x [(2021 index + 2022 index) / 2022 index]
- The 2021 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2021 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
- The 2022 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2022 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
The index tables are available on the FPS Economy Opens in new windowStatbel website.
For example:
Lease agreement signed and effective 01/11/2020
Base rent = €1,000
Initial index (October 2020) = 110.112021: October index = 113.94
2022: October index = 127.92
2023: October index = 128.30The indexed rent was as follows in 2021:
(1,000 x 113.94) / 110.11 = €1,034.78In 2022, for housing for which indexation was permitted, the indexed rent was:
(1,000 x 127.92) / 110.11 = €1,161.75The anniversary date of the agreement fell after 14/10/22 = indexation of the rent was authorised, but the rent adjustment only applied to 50%. In this case, the rent that could be charged was (1,034.78 + 1,161.75 / 2), i.e. €1,098.26.
Since 14 October 2023, you can index again, but you must apply a correction factor, i.e.:
- calculate the indexed rent using the usual rules
- apply the correction factor to this amount
The correction factor in this case is as follows:
50% x [(2021 index + 2022 index) / 2022 index]
50% x [(113.94 + 127.92) / 127.92]
50% x [241.86 / 127.92]
50% x [1.89071]
0.945356473Rent indexation from November 2023 with correction factor:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
[(base rent x October 2023 health index) / October 2020 health index] x correction factor
[(1,000 x 128.30) / 110.11] x correction factor
€1,165.19 x correction factor
€1,165.19 x 0.945356473
€1,101.52You must apply the same correction factor to each new indexation of rent. Only when there is a better EPB certificate or a new lease comes into force do you no longer need to apply the correction factor.
Correction factor with EPB certificate F or G:
Rent indexation formula:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
- The base rent is the amount specified in the lease agreement;
- The initial index is the health index of the month preceding the date on which the agreement was signed;
- The new index is the health index of the month preceding the anniversary date of the lease coming into force.
Correction factor: 2022 index / 2023 index
- The 2022 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2022 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
- The 2023 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2023 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
The index tables are available on the FPS Economy Opens in new windowStatbel website.
For example:
Lease agreement signed and effective 01/02/2020
Base rent = €1,000
Initial index (January 2020) = 109.722021: January index = 110.35
2022: January index = 118.21
2023: January index = 128.00
2024: January index = 130.19The indexed rent was as follows in the years below:
2021: (1,000 x 110.35) / 109.72 = €1,005.74
2022: (1,000 x 118.21) / 109.72 = €1,077.38In 2023, for housing for which indexation was permitted, the indexed rent would have been:
(1,000 x 128.00) / 109.72 = €1,166.61The anniversary date of the agreement fell after 14/10/22, so you could not index at the agreement anniversary date in 2023.
Since 14/10/23, you can index again, but you must apply a correction factor, i.e.:
- calculate the indexed rent using the usual rules
- apply the correction factor to this amount
The correction factor in this case is as follows:
2022 index / 2023 index
118.21 / 128.00
0.923515625Rent indexation from February 2024 with correction factor:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
[(base rent x January 2024 health index) / January 2020 health index] x correction factor
[(1,000 x 130.19) / 109.72] x correction factor
€1,186.56 x correction factor
€1,186.56 x 0.923515625
€1,095.81You must apply the same correction factor to each new indexation of rent. Only when there is a better EPB certificate or a new lease comes into force do you no longer need to apply the correction factor.
Rent indexation formula:
[(base rent x new index) / initial index] x correction factor
- The base rent is the amount specified in the lease agreement;
- The initial index is the health index of the month preceding the date on which the agreement was signed;
- The new index is the health index of the month preceding the anniversary date of the lease coming into force.
Correction factor: 2021 index / 2022 index
- The 2021 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2021 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
- The 2022 index is the health index for the month preceding the month of the 2022 anniversary of the lease coming into force.
The index tables are available on the FPS Economy Opens in new windowStatbel website.
For example:
Lease agreement signed and effective 01/11/2020
Base rent = €1,000
Initial index (October 2020) = 110.112021: October index = 113.94
2022: October index = 127.92
2023: October index = 128.30The indexed rent was as follows in 2021:
(1,000 x 113.94) / 110.11 = €1,034.78In 2022, for housing for which indexation was permitted, the indexed rent would have been:
(1,000 x 127.92) / 110.11 = €1,161.75The anniversary date of the agreement fell after 14/10/22, so you could not index at the agreement anniversary date in 2022.
Since 14 October 2023, you can index again, but you will have to apply a correction factor, i.e.:
- calculate the indexed rent using the usual rules
- apply the correction factor to this amount
The correction factor in this case is as follows:
2021 index / 2022 index
113.94 / 127.92
0.890712946Rent indexation from November 2023 with correction factor:
[(1,000 x 128.30) / 110.11] x correction factor
€1,165.19 x correction factor
€1,165.19 x 0.890712946
€1,037.86You must apply the same correction factor to each new indexation of rent. Only when there is a better EPB certificate or a new lease comes into force do you no longer need to apply the correction factor.
Frequently Asked Questions
You must apply the correction factor to each indexation of rent. So you not only have to apply it when you index in 2023 or 2024 (depending on the anniversary date of the lease), but also in subsequent years. Only when there is a better EPB certificate or a new lease comes into force do you no longer need to apply the correction factor.
If the tenant has not received the EPB certificate, the rent cannot be indexed.
Similarly, if the lease agreement is not registered by the landlord, the rent cannot be indexed.
If the landlord carries out an indexation that is too high, the tenant has the right to contest it with the landlord. In the event of disputes between the parties, they are free to bring the matter before the Justice of the Peace.
Calculation tools
Excel tool - indexed rent calculator:
An Excel tool is available to help you calculate indexation of rent.
Downloads (only available in French and Dutch)
Important!
- This version can only be used to calculate the indexation of rent for residential leases until 31/07/2025.
- An update of the calculation module is available on the 5th of each month.
- The Excel file must be downloaded and you must enable editing.
Table of correction factors:
The correction factor used in the calculation depends on the EPB certificate and the anniversary of the entry into force of your lease agreement:
| Contract anniversay date | PEB = E | PEB = F - G |
|---|---|---|
| 14 to 31 October | 0,949447646 | 0,898895293 |
| November | 0,945356473 | 0,890712946 |
| Décember | 0,951977401 | 0,903954802 |
| January | 0,951950895 | 0,903901791 |
| February | 0,961757813 | 0,923515625 |
| March | 0,967996216 | 0,935992433 |
| April | 0,965766823 | 0,931533646 |
| May | 0,971941594 | 0,943883189 |
| June | 0,972124068 | 0,944248135 |
| July | 0,976119286 | 0,952238571 |
| August | 0,977109655 | 0,954219311 |
| September | 0,980049682 | 0,960099363 |
| 1 to 13 October | 0,989805521 | 0,979611041 |