Short-term lease or furnished stay: what is the difference in Belgium?

You need somewhere to live in Antwerp for a few months, not a few years. Perhaps you start a new job, wait for a house to be finished or are between two homes. You can sign a short-term lease or book a furnished stay, and they work very differently.

How does a short-term lease work in Belgium?

A short-term lease in Belgium follows the rules of the region where the home is. Antwerp is in Flanders, so the Flemish housing lease decree applies. Under the decree, every residential lease runs for nine years by default. A lease of three years or less is the exception, and it must be in writing.

The main rules of a short-term lease in Flanders, from the Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet:

• Maximum three years. You may extend once, in writing, as long as the total stays within three years.
• It ends with notice. The lease ends on the agreed date if either side gives notice at least three months before.
• Staying on changes the lease. Without timely notice, or if you stay on and the landlord does not object, it becomes a nine-year lease from the original start date.
• You can leave early. The tenant may end the lease at any time with three months’ notice. The decree sets a compensation for the landlord that falls each year.
• Registration matters. If the landlord does not register the lease within two months, you can leave without that notice period or compensation.

The decree covers a home that the tenant uses as a main residence. That is the key point for anyone comparing options: a lease is for living somewhere, not for visiting.

What does a short-term lease ask of you?

A short-term lease asks for paperwork and set-up that a furnished stay does not. The decree requires a written contract with the parties, the start date, the exact duration and the rent. It also requires a detailed entry inventory, drawn up together, and a rental deposit held in one of the forms the decree allows.

Then come the practical steps. You report your new address to the city, which Antwerp says you must do within 8 working days. A police officer usually checks that you live there. For an unfurnished home, you also arrange furniture, an energy contract and internet yourself.

None of this is a problem if you are settling for a year or more. For three months, it is a lot of work for a short time.

Note

This guide explains the general rules of the Flemish decree. It is not legal advice. For a specific contract, ask a notary or a legal adviser.

Short-term lease or furnished stay: the differences side by side

A short-term lease gives you a legal home address and a contract for up to three years. A furnished stay gives you a ready home for fixed dates without the set-up. The table compares a Flemish short-term lease with a stay at Hoost.

Short-term lease vs a furnished stay at Hoost

Short furnished stays have their own rules. Vlaanderen.be states that anyone who houses people for payment must register the accommodation with Toerisme Vlaanderen.

When is furnished accommodation the better fit?

Furnished accommodation is the better fit when your stay has a clear end date and you do not need to register your address. It also suits you when you want to start living on the day you arrive. Typical cases:

• A project or assignment of a few weeks to a few months, often invoiced to the employer.
• A relocation, while you look for a long-term home from inside the city.
• A renovation or a gap between two homes, when your domicile stays at your own address.
• A family stay near a hospital, or a long visit to relatives.

In those cases a lease often costs you more time than it saves. At Hoost, each apartment has a kitchen, a desk with Ethernet and a double bed in every bedroom. There is a shared washer and dryer in the building. You check in yourself with a lockbox, from 15:00.

If your stay may grow into a move, read our guide to where to stay in Antwerp for the areas. Our page on temporary housing in Antwerp covers relocation stays, and the guide on registering your address in Antwerp explains the city’s rules.

When Hoost is not the right choice

Hoost is not a landlord offering leases, so some needs fall outside what we do:

• You need to register your address for work, a residence permit or schools. You need a lease for that.
• You plan to stay longer than six months without a break in bookings. Each booking runs up to six months.
• You want an unfurnished home to fill with your own furniture.
• You need parking on the property. There is none; P+R Olympiade, about 0.2 km away, has a low daily rate set by the city.
• You live with a pet. Pets are not allowed.

For everything else, compare options in our guide to choosing between a lease, a hotel and an apartment.