Menu
Expat.com

Owner asks for the rental guarantee in cash

Last activity 31 October 2019 by kamel_romdhani

Post new topic

kamel_romdhani

Hello,

I'm facing a problem with the owner of the apartment,
It has been a month now since I rented a room in an apartment, we signed the contract but not the part of guarantee, I payed cash the first month and I asked the owner to wait until the end of this month (October) so I can receive my salary and pay the guarantee and she agreed .

Yesterday I payed the rent of the next month (November) and I put the amount of rental guarantee in an account blocked in the bank and I called her to let her know.

I was surprised that she refused and insisted to get the money cash

My questions are :
- Can she ask me out before the end of the November month ? (I have already payed the rent)
- Can she ask me out before the end of the year ? (the contract is of 1 year)

Aneesh

Never ever pay the guarantee in cash (based on negative experience some friends faced).

On the other questions, I would leave this landlady as soon as I can, because the demand of cash itself is a big negative mark from her side and an indication of future troubles you may get into, dealing with her.

phipiemar

Hello,

In fact, belgian laws allow that under clear conditions.

The tenant has the choice of the type of rental guarantee.

When your contract stipulates that you must pay a money guarantee, you have the choice between 3 types.

The owner can not require one type of guarantee over another. In practice, the contract generally provides that "the lessee has opted for this type of guarantee". In this case, you must comply with the contract.

1) To provide a guarantee on an individual account (max 2 months rent):
Either open the account yourself. This is even the most logical solution when it is an account in your name. Most banks have standard contracts that you simply have to sign for your landlord.
Either you give the guarantee in person to the owner against a receipt signed by him or make a payment on his personal account, and he must deposit it in an individualized blocked account opened in your name. If your owner does not place the guarantee in a blocked account, he must pay you the interest at the average rate of the financial market. These interests are calculated from the day you gave him the amount of the guarantee. These interests are capitalized, which means that they are integrated progressively with the capital (amount of the guarantee at the beginning) to produce themselves interests.

2) To create a bank guarantee (max 3 months rent):
you must enter into an agreement with a bank. The latter agrees vis-à-vis the owner that a guarantee equivalent to a maximum of 3 months rent is released to compensate for your lack of tenant. In addition, you must reconstitute this capital little by little, for example by paying a certain amount each month to the bank (for a maximum of 3 years). In practice, bank guarantees are rare. Banks often charge high fees.

3) To constitute a bank guarantee via the CPAS (max 3 months rent):
you must go to a CPAS. The competent CPAS is that of the municipality where you live at the time you make the request to the CPAS.

kamel_romdhani

It's difficult to find an accommodation in Brussels specially if your budget is limited, so yes I will leave as soon as find an appropriate place

kamel_romdhani

the contract is exactly saying : " la garantie sera constituée soit par la production d'une garantie bancaire,  soit par le placement du montant de la garantie sur un compte individualisé au nom du preneur auprès de la banque , organisme financier de son choix ayant un siège social ou d'exploitation en Belgique. "

phipiemar

kamel_romdhani wrote:

the contract is exactly saying : " la garantie sera constituée soit par la production d'une garantie bancaire,  soit par le placement du montant de la garantie sur un compte individualisé au nom du preneur auprès de la banque , organisme financier de son choix ayant un siège social ou d'exploitation en Belgique. "


IF it's the case, it's correct.

Easiest way is to go with your owner to the bank and to open an account for that. All bank agencies are use to that.

kamel_romdhani

I have already went to the bank and did the procedure and when I called and told her that I went to the bank and that she have to go also to the same bank and sign the papers she refused and asked to get the money in cash

phipiemar

In that case, go away

AlexFromBelgium

Just to make sure, you didn't do any state of the apartment with an official, right?
If that's the case, you can say byebye to your money soon enough...

Run away! :D

kamel_romdhani

AlexFromBelgium wrote:

Just to make sure, you didn't do any state of the apartment with an official, right?
If that's the case, you can say byebye to your money soon enough...

Run away! :D


yes we did a state of the apartment, she wrote it in the contract.
why would this mean bye bye to my money ? what money ? the guarantee ?

Articles to help you in your expat project in Belgium

  • A guide to Brussels' neighbourhoods
    A guide to Brussels' neighbourhoods

    A very safe and laid-back city to live and work in, Brussels has many different sides for expats and tourists to ...

  • Buying property in Brussels
    Buying property in Brussels

    Compared with other European capitals, buying property in Brussels is very affordable. Consequently, it's ...

  • Accommodation in Leuven
    Accommodation in Leuven

    Leuven is home to a lot of students but also attracts expats because of the companies implemented there. So, where ...

  • Accommodation in Antwerp
    Accommodation in Antwerp

    Antwerp is a city with many aspects that welcomes foreigners from all around the world. We'll advise you on ...

  • Accommodation in Brussels
    Accommodation in Brussels

    As it's a multicultural city with a healthy job market, it's no surprise that Brussels is so popular ...

  • Accommodation in Liège
    Accommodation in Liège

    Liège is one of the many French-speaking cities in Belgium. It's also the capital city of the Wallonia ...

  • Accommodation in Charleroi
    Accommodation in Charleroi

    Charleroi is a major hotspot in Belgium. It's the third most populated city in the country, and it attracts ...

  • Accommodation in Namur
    Accommodation in Namur

    If you're planning to move to Namur, you'll need to find accommodation in advance. Unlike other cities ...

All of Belgium's guide articles