Practical guide

Rent indexation in Belgium: how to calculate it in 2026

16 June 2026 · 6 min read
FR NL EN

Every year, on the lease anniversary, the Belgian landlord may index the tenant's rent. It's a right provided by law, but it follows precise rules: an official formula, a reference index, and nuances depending on the region. Here's how it works, step by step.

What is rent indexation?

Indexation is the annual adjustment of rent to the evolution of the cost of living, measured by the health index. It allows the rent to follow inflation without renegotiating the lease. It's not automatic: the landlord must request it in writing, and can only claim it retroactively over the last three months.

When can you index?

Indexation is possible once a year, at the earliest on the anniversary of the lease coming into effect. A lease that took effect on 1 May can only be indexed from 1 May of the following year. At least one year must have elapsed.

The official indexation formula

New rent = (Base rent × New health index) ÷ Starting health index
The base rent is the rent at signing. The starting index is the health index of the month before signing (or coming into effect, depending on the region).

Which starting index by region?

A concrete example

Walloon lease signed in April 2025, indexed in April 2026

Base rent€800.00
Starting index (March 2025)134.77
New index (March 2026)139.33
New rent€827.06

The calculation: 800 × 139.33 ÷ 134.77 = €827.06. An increase of 3.4%, matching the evolution of the health index over the year.

Where to find the health index?

The health index is published monthly by Statbel, the Belgian statistics office. Note: since January 2026, the reference base changed from 2013=100 to 2025=100. For a correct calculation, the starting index and the new index must be expressed in the same base.

Pitfalls to avoid

Automating the calculation

Calculating indexation by hand, finding the right index in the right base, drafting the tenant letter: it's doable, but tedious and error-prone. A tool like Domavix does it automatically: it detects leases reaching their anniversary, calculates the new rent by region, and generates the indexation letter ready to send.

Index your rents without manual calculation

Domavix calculates the indexation, applies the new rent and prepares the tenant letter. Free to start.

Try Domavix →

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Indexation rules may change; always verify the official index values and the applicable regional regulations.