The Legal Rule
The Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet (Art 51 and 52: see law here) sets out that if no replacement is found, a departing tenant can still be held responsible for up to six months of rent.
Our contracts reflect this rule. They state:
“If no new tenant is proposed or accepted … the landlord will be able to claim from the departing tenant, for six months after leaving, payment of the rent.”
This protects the landlord and your housemates from being left with unpaid rent.
Our Practice at Coloc Housing
In practice, almost everyone who leaves finds a replacement, more than 99%. When that happens, you simply pay rent up until the day your notice ends, and nothing beyond that.
Only in rare cases where no replacement is found do we apply our safeguard: a maximum of one month’s rent, as long as you’ve made an active effort to help.
What Counts as Active Effort
To benefit from the one-month limit, you just need to show active effort:
Advertise your bedroom on platforms like social media or rental websites
Respond to people who reach out via the Coloc Housing marketplace
Arrange visits so potential tenants can see the house
Ask us for help if you’re struggling to find someone
If you do these things, you’ll never pay more than one month. In the past 7 years, no one ever has.