Inventory of fixtures

A inventory of fixtures is a mandatory document describing the condition of the property. It must be completed before the tenant occupies the property or within the first month of the lease. 

The inventory of fixtures is preferably drawn up by an expert (with the fees shared between the parties) or jointly by the tenant and the landlord. 

If one party fails to respond to the other's request to prepare this inventory, the other party may ask the Justice of the Peace to appoint an expert to do so.  

After the first month of occupancy, neither party can be forced to complete this formality, since the premises are already occupied. 

If major changes are made to the rental property, either party can request that an amendment to the inventory of fixtures be created. 

Like the original inventory of fixtures, this amendment can be drawn up by mutual agreement or, in case of disagreement, by an expert appointed by the judge. 

The tenant must return the rental premises in the same condition in which they were received (excluding normal wear and tear, obsolescence or construction defects). It is therefore recommended that the parties draw up a exit inventory at the end of the lease, just as they did with the entry inventory. 

The exit inventory of fixtures compares the condition of the property at the end of the lease with that described in the entry inventory.

This inventory will be done after the tenant moves out (within a month) but before the keys are returned to the landlord.

The exit inventory is preferably drawn up by an expert (with the fees shared between the parties) or jointly by the tenant and the landlord. 

It identifies any damage or negligence attributable to the tenant and calculates the financial compensation, considering the allocation of repair costs between the tenant and the landlord, as well as: 

• the clauses and conditions of the lease 
• any work carried out during the tenancy 
• maintenance documents for equipment 
• correspondence exchanged 

A standard inventory of fixtures template is available for your reference. This template is presented as a checklist of the minimum points to be verified on the entry inventory for a rental property. It was developed in partnership with tenant and landlord representatives and with the assistance of the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors in Belgium. 

Please note that using this template does not protect the parties from future disputes, especially if it is not properly completed.