New minimum quality standards from 2026
Everyone in Brussels has the right to decent housing. To improve the fight against insalubrity, new minimum standards for safe and healthy housing will come into force from 2026.
From 1 January 2026, all housing in the Brussels Region, rented out by either private or public landlords, must comply with these standards. If necessary, the landlord will have the required work carried out before 2026.
Discover below the three new standards that the Regional Housing Inspectorate considers essential, based on the inspectors' experience in the field and their findings during inspection visits.
Measures against CO poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) is invisible and odourless. This gas can accumulate inside the home without warning, reaching potentially lethal concentrations. There is a good reason why it is also known as the 'silent killer'. It forms when combustion is incomplete or poor, when there is not enough oxygen in the rooms, or when the boiler or water heater is poorly maintained. A serious risk of CO poisoning is a deficiency often found in housing.
One of the aims of the new regulations is to drastically reduce the danger posed by "type B" appliances, which draw the air they need to operate from their environment, by speeding up their replacement by "type C" sealed gas appliances, which draw air from outside and present no risk of CO poisoning.
Specifically, type B gas appliances are prohibited in bedrooms. These appliances can only be used in other rooms in the dwelling if they comply fully with the regulations. Non-compliant devices must be removed.
The landlord is responsible for the entire heating and hot water system. It is no longer enough to provide your tenant with a gas supply or electrical outlet and let them connect their own heating and hot water appliances.
Modification of the surface area standard
As the previous standards were deemed too low to guarantee a sufficiently high quality of life, they had to be adapted. The new standards are also clearer than their predecessors. The rule is simple: the dwelling must have a net surface area of at least 18 m2 for one person, increasing by 10 m2 for each additional occupant.
For example:
- Dwelling with a minimum surface area of 18 m²: one inhabitant;
- Dwelling with a minimum surface area of 28 m²: one inhabitant;
- Dwelling with a minimum surface area of 38 m²: two inhabitants;
For student accommodation, a minimum surface area of 12 m² is sufficient.
Each dwelling must be equipped with a bathtub or shower.
By today's standards, a decent home should be equipped with a bath or shower.
Would you like to find out more about other quality standards? Discover ten new minimum standards for safety, hygiene and basic equipment, selected based on field experience and the observations of inspectors from the Regional Housing Inspectorate.
