In short: a move-out inspection report isn't legally required in Belgium, but without one it's almost impossible to prove damage. Do it together with the tenant on the day the keys are returned, compare room by room with the check-in report, note the meter readings, and record what you agree on and what you don't. Normal wear and tear is yours to bear; damage beyond that can be charged to the tenant, including through the deposit.

Why the move-out report matters so much

The check-in report (plaatsbeschrijving bij intrede / état des lieux d'entrée) is mandatory in all three regions: it's drawn up by both parties, at shared cost, and belongs with the lease. The move-out report is its counterpart. Only by comparing the two can you show what changed during the tenancy.

• Without a check-in report, the tenant is in principle presumed to have received the home in the state it's in at the end. Proving damage then becomes very hard.
• Without a move-out report, it's your word against the tenant's, and the deposit becomes a dispute.

Preparation: pick the right moment

• Choose the day the keys are returned. The home is empty and clean, and the tenant is there.
• Agree it in writing, in advance, and ask the tenant to leave the home empty and clean.
• Bring the check-in report and its photos. You'll compare point by point.
• Yourself or an expert? Doing it together is free. An independent expert costs money but means fewer disputes; the cost is often shared.

During the inspection: room by room

1. Follow the same order as at check-in, so every remark has a counterpart.
2. Note per room walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, sockets and appliances, and whether each is the same as at check-in or has changed.
3. Take dated photos of every room and every remark.
4. Record the meter readings for electricity, gas and water, with the meter number, and photograph each meter.
5. Count the keys, badges and remotes you get back.
6. Have both parties sign, even if you don't agree on everything. Record the points of disagreement explicitly.

Wear and tear or damage?

• Normal wear from ordinary use is for the landlord: slightly faded paint, marks from furniture, light floor wear after years of living there.
• Damage beyond that is for the tenant: holes, burns, broken tiles, heavy dirt, missing items, or a neglected garden if the tenant had to maintain it.
• Age and force majeure are not the tenant's responsibility.

The longer the tenancy, the more wear is normal.

After move-out: the final settlement and the deposit

1. Draw up a final settlement: any unpaid rent, the charges settlement based on the meter readings, and the cost of any damage found, ideally with a quote or invoice.
2. Send it in writing to the tenant, with the inspection report.
3. Release the deposit with a form signed by both of you stating who gets what. In Brussels, for leases signed or renewed since 1 November 2024, the deposit must be returned within 2 months, with a penalty for delay. Elsewhere, taking much longer than about a month after the keys are returned is unreasonable. More in our guide Rental Deposit in Belgium: How Many Months, Which Form, and When Do You Release It?
4. Can't agree? The justice of the peace of the canton where the property is decides. Conciliation there is free.

Everything together, on key-handover day

With ImmoDesk you do the move-out inspection on the spot: with a checklist and photos, the meter handover with meter numbers and readings, and a deposit calculation where you enter the deductions for cleaning, damage and other costs yourself, so the amount to return adds up. You save or print the report as a PDF, and your tenant also sees it in their own tenant portal. Try ImmoDesk free for 7 days, no credit card required.

This article is general information about move-out inspections under residential leases in Belgium, valid in 2026, and is not legal advice. The rules differ by region (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia) and change over time. Check your situation with a lawyer or a landlords' association.