- Price
- €15.95incl. VAT, 2 pages included
- Delivery time
- 1 to 2 business daysusually, after handover to the post
- Proof
- Delivery confirmation+ tracking and proof of posting
- Handed to the post
- Next working dayposted after your upload
- Counts as
- Domestic registered mailprinted and posted in Belgium
Does the request have to go by registered mail?
Yes. In all three regions, a tenant asking for an extension because of exceptional circumstances must do so at the latest one month before the lease ends, on pain of nullity. In Brussels and Wallonia, only by registered letter. In Flanders, also by handover against a receipt or by a bailiff.
That is stricter than an ordinary notice by the tenant. That notice has no set form in Flanders and Brussels; in Wallonia it goes by registered letter, bailiff or handover against a dated, signed copy.
| Region | How to ask | At the latest |
|---|---|---|
| Flanders | Registered letter, handover against a receipt, or bailiff | One month before the lease expires |
| Brussels | Registered letter | One month before the lease ends |
| Wallonia | Registered mail, on pain of nullity | One month before the lease ends |
What counts as exceptional circumstances?
The law gives no list. Flanders names serious health problems, or not finding a suitable new home despite sufficient effort, as examples. You can ask at the end of the term as well as after notice from the landlord.
If tenant and landlord do not agree, the justice of the peace decides. The judge weighs both parties' interests, including the advanced age of either of them, and sets the length of the extension.
Check this before you send
- The letter reaches the landlord at the latest one month before the lease ends.
- You describe the circumstances and the length you ask for.
- All tenants have signed.
- The evidence is in the same PDF.
When must your letter arrive?
| What | At the latest |
|---|---|
| Your request must reach the landlord | Wednesday 30 December 2026 |
| Upload your letter, with some margin | Monday 21 December 2026 |
Count back from the end date of your lease. We post the letter the next working day and bpost delivers in 1 to 2 working days.
How to ask for the extension
- Gather your evidence: a medical certificate, or your search for a home.
- Write the request with the sample and add the evidence as extra pages.
- Upload the PDF and choose Belgium. We print it in Belgium and hand it to bpost.
- Keep the proof of posting: it shows you asked in time.
Sample extension request
In English for reference. Write to your landlord in Dutch or French: the same letter is on the [Dutch page](/nl/belgie/huurverlenging-buitengewone-omstandigheden-aangetekend) and the [French page](/fr/belgique/prorogation-bail-circonstances-exceptionnelles-recommande).
[Names of all tenants]
[Address of the home]
[Landlord's name]
[Landlord's address]
[Place], [date]
Subject: request to extend the lease for exceptional circumstances
Dear Sir or Madam,
Our lease for [address of the home] ends on [date].
Because of exceptional circumstances, we ask for an extension until [date]. [Describe the circumstances.]
Please find attached [evidence].
Yours faithfully,
[Signatures of all tenants]
What to check before you send
- Want to move out instead? See ending a lease in Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
Does a lease extension request have to go by registered mail?
Yes, at the latest one month before the lease ends, on pain of nullity. In Flanders, a bailiff or handover against a receipt also works.
What if the landlord refuses?
The justice of the peace decides, weighing both parties' interests, and sets the length of the extension.
What counts as an exceptional circumstance?
The law gives no list. Examples are serious health problems or not finding a new home despite sufficient effort.
Does an ordinary notice also have to be registered?
Only Wallonia sets the form: registered mail, bailiff or handover against a dated, signed copy. Flanders and Brussels set no form, but registered mail is advised.
Can I ask for an extension by email?
No. The law sets the form, and an email makes the request void.
Does registered mail prove the contents?
No. It proves posting and delivery. Your proof PDF also holds a fingerprint of your document, so you can show which document you sent.