Housing

You can explore accommodation options via Kotweb. Kotweb offers the largest range of student accommodation in Antwerp and is moreover the reference for top quality student accommodation.  It is a unique collaboration between GATE 15, the social services of the Antwerp higher education establishments, the city of Antwerp, the Antwerp fire brigade and the police.

Together, they have drawn up transparent regulations, rights and obligations concerning quality (fire and burglary) safety and a proper lease.  All accommodation is systematically checked against minimum standards for living conditions and fire safety and verified by aquality label per premise on Kotweb. Kotweb also provides a standard lease that students are recommended to use. 

GATE 15 also provides helpful student housing information on youth hostels, student housing, tenant unions, rental forms and general rules for living in a student house. 

We strongly advise you to make your room reservation as early as possible, as this will enhance your chances of finding suitable accommodation.

The rent of a furnished room is about € 350/month for a full academic year.

Studios are more expensive and cost about € 450/month or more. A surplus might be charged for shorter rental periods.

Note that the costs for water, electricity and heating are usually not included in the rental price.​

A property owner can choose to either charge a fixed amount for utilities such as heating, electricity, water etc. or work with a provisional charge. The provisional charge is paid in advance and actual usage amounts are calculated at the end of the lease.

Avoid any nasty surprises and ensure you clarify which of these two systems will be applied before you sign a lease.

If you are reluctant to book a room in advance, you can come to Antwerp a week or two before the academic year starts to look at options. In this case, you are advised to book a room in a youth hostel or a budget hotel for the first nights of your stay.

Ho(s)tel bookings should be made in time. 

Ask for an English translation and keep in mind that you are legally responsible for what you sign.

A deposit is usually one or two months’ rent. If you pay via a bank transfer, you always have a proof of payment. However, if you pay cash upon arrival you also need to ask for proof of payment! Never pay rent or deposit through Western Union.

A deposit is just that, a deposit. It is not a way to pay your last month’s rent.

Make sure you check what furnishings are included with the accommodation, and whether you need to buy your own towels, bed linen (sheets, pillow, pillow case and blankets) and kitchen utensils. A sleeping bag may be a good temporary solution!

Check your campus location to ensure your room is in the neighbourhood.

• Tenant's liability
  "The Civil Code states that the responsibility for all consequences of fire and related hazards lie with the tenant unless he or she can prove that the cause of the fire was not his or her fault."
  As a tenant, you will have to pay for any damage to the house unless you can prove that the damage was caused by:
  • events beyond your control (force majeure);
  • a third party (neighbours);
  • a defect in the building.
    
    A fire can cause significant damage. It is not enough that the landlord insures the house. After the landlord's insurance provider has reimbursed him or her for damage to the building, they will attempt to recover the compensation costs from the tenant.
     
• Liability vis-à-vis third parties 
  If the fire spreads to your neighbour's house and damages it you will be held liable for the damage to your neighbour's property. The neighbour, or his or her insurance provider, will then try to recover the compensation from you.
   
• Personal effects 
  As a tenant, you can also suffer significant material damage if your personal effects go up in smoke. It is in your interest to insure them against the risk of damage. Please note that theft is not included in this type of insurance plan.

As a tenant, it is in your interest to be sufficiently insured. You can do this in various ways:

1. Through your landlord

1.1 Tenant's liability
Your landlord can make sure that both his or her own property and the liability of the tenant(s) are insured by his insurance policy. He can then pass on the additional cost of this to you in the rent. The landlord's insurance provider will cover any damage to the building and its contents (the tenant's personal effects) under this insurance policy and will not try to recover the losses from you, the tenant.

The rental agreement must state clearly that the landlord waives the recovery of losses from the tenant, and that he or she will instead recover any losses through the insurance provider.

In principle, the tenant will not require any extra fire insurance in this case to cover 'tenant's liability'. Are you renting a room? Then check if there is a waiver of recovery. Read your rental agreement or ask your landlord.

Please note, however, that having fire insurance with a "waiver of recovery" as a tenant does not mean that you are not at risk. Even if your landlord has a fire insurance policy that includes a waiver of recover, this will not entirely negate the need for the tenant to be insured:

• usually, the tenant's liability vis-à-vis third parties is not covered unless the landlord extends his or her fire insurance policy to include this risk
• your personal effects are not covered

1.2 Liability vis-à-vis third parties

1. Your liability vis-à-vis third parties (for example, the other tenants of the student house or the neighbours) can also be covered by your landlord's insurance policy. Ask your landlord for more information! If the landlord's insurance (with waiver of recover) does not cover this risk, it is in your interest to make the necessary supplementary arrangements:
2. by having your parents extend their fire insurance policy to cover this (check this with an insurance broker or your parents' insurer). Please note that you can only do this if your home address is your official address;
3. by taking out separate insurance for this.

1.3Personal effects 
The landlord's insurance will not cover any damage to your personal effects! Your parents' fire insurance may cover your personal effects and furniture, since they have been temporarily moved to your student accommodation. Check this in your parents' insurance policy.

This is only possible if you are still registered as living at home! If this risk is not covered, we recommend taking out a separate insurance policy with an insurer or a bank. Extra insurance for your personal effects is a personal choice but please note that the value of your personal belongings can increase quickly, if for example you have a computer, a printer or a microwave in your student accommodation.
If you no longer live at home (and have your own permanent address) then you will have to take out your own insurance.

2. Taking out your own insurance 
If your landlord's rental agreement does not include a waiver of recovery and/or you are not (fully) covered by your parents' insurance policy then you will have to take out your own fire insurance. This should cover the three risks: tenant's liability, liability vis-à-vis third parties and damage to your own personal effects. Contact an insurance provider or a bank for more information.

For example:
Ethias, Generaal Lemanstraat 27, 2018 Antwerp, tel. 03 203 41 41
ING Belgium
Belfius
KBC
….

The price of the insurance depends on the property and the household effects to be insured.

Do you need more information or have specific questions? Then contact An Jacobs, Legal and Corporate Affairs, University of Antwerp, an.jacobs@uantwerp.be , tel. 03-265 30 48

• www.ethias.be
• www.ing.be
• www.belfius.be
• www.kbc.be