How to find your property's EPC?
To correctly calculate the indexation of a rent — in Brussels, in Flanders and, for certain leases, in Wallonia — you need the property's EPC class. Here are five paths to find it, from the fastest to the most expensive.
1. Check the lease contract
The EPC is usually attached to the lease (as a copy). If you signed the contract less than 10 years ago, the certificate is probably in your tenant or landlord file. Look for a document with:
- A letter (the energy class): A to G in Wallonia and Brussels, A+ to F in Flanders
- A score in kWh/m²/year
- The logo of the relevant region
- The name of the certified assessor who issued it
2. Contact the certified assessor
If the lease's EPC is missing but the property has already been certified, you can find the certified assessor who issued it (their name appears on every certificate issued in the last 10 years). They can provide you a copy or direct you to the regional database.
3. Consult the regional databases
Each region maintains a public database of issued EPCs. Several databases per type of property:
Wallonia
energie.wallonie.be → section EPC certificate. The CertIBE database allows consulting issued certificates. Personal account sometimes required to access the detail.
Brussels
environment.brussels → section EPC certification of buildings. The Brussels database is more open than the Walloon one — often a simple search by address returns the current EPC.
Flanders
energiesparen.be → section EPC. The Flemish portal also includes a simulation module for the energy score based on your planned works.
4. Ask the notary (in case of recent purchase)
If you acquired the property in recent years, the EPC was a mandatory part of the sale deeds. Your notary keeps a copy of the deed file with the annexes — they can provide you the certificate upon simple request.
5. Have a new EPC issued
If none of the above paths work, or if the existing certificate is more than 10 years old, a new certificate must be issued by a certified assessor of the relevant region. Count:
- Wallonia: €200-300 for an apartment, €300-450 for a house
- Brussels: €250-400 depending on surface
- Flanders: €200-350 (simplified EPC) or €400-600 (full energy audit)
The certificate remains valid for 10 years. Issuance generally takes 1 to 3 weeks (on-site visit + calculation + drafting).
Why is the EPC important for indexation?
For leases that entered into force before autumn 2022, the energy class determines the correction factor (Brussels, Flanders) or the calculation method (Wallonia). The worse the EPC, the more the indexed rent is reduced:
- Brussels (leases that entered into force before 14 October 2022): EPC A to D: 100%; EPC E: a factor of roughly 0.945 to 0.990; EPC F-G: roughly 0.891 to 0.980. An EPC certificate provided to the tenant is also required to index.
- Flanders (contracts that entered into force before 1 October 2022): EPC A+ to C: 100%; EPC D: roughly 0.945 to 0.980; EPC E, F or no EPC: roughly 0.891 to 0.960. No EPC is required to index, but without a valid EPC the most reducing factor applies.
- Wallonia: EPC A to C: 100%; EPC D to G or no certificate: special method if the lease had an anniversary between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023.
The factor multiplies the full indexed rent and depends on the anniversary month: the calculator applies the exact value. More recent leases are indexed at 100%, whatever the class.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an EPC certificate valid? + −
10 years in the three regions. After that, it must be renewed by a certified assessor.
Is the EPC mandatory for renting? + −
Certification obligations when letting a property depend on each region: check them on your region's official website. For indexation, the rules differ: in Brussels, the EPC certificate must have been provided to the tenant (and the lease registered), otherwise no indexation is due. In Flanders, no EPC is required to index, but without a valid EPC the E/F correction factor applies to contracts that entered into force before 1 October 2022. In Wallonia, the certificate is not a general condition for indexation.
How much does a new EPC certificate cost? + −
€200 to €400 for a standard property depending on surface and region. Count more for a large house or building (sometimes EPC per unit).
Who can issue an EPC? + −
Only certified assessors approved by the relevant region. They are listed on the regional sites: energie.wallonie.be, environment.brussels, energiesparen.be (Flanders).
The lease's EPC differs from the regional database: what to do? + −
The EPC in the regional database prevails (official). If different, contact the certified assessor to verify — it may be a partial update or an error.
My property has an EPC score by letter (A to G), not by number: is that normal? + −
Yes, that's the standard format. Some recent certificates also indicate a numerical score (kWh/m²/year), but the letter is sufficient for indexation. In Flanders, the EPC scale runs from A+ to F: label G does not exist there.