Inspection report guides
Practical answers to the most common questions about inspection reports: what the law requires, how to establish tenant damage correctly and what to watch for legally.
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Is an inspection report required by law?
Yes: in Belgium a detailed inspection report (état des lieux / plaatsbeschrijving) is legally required for every residential lease. In the Netherlands it is not mandatory, but skipping it leaves the landlord without proof.
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What should an inspection report include?
A valid inspection report describes every room in detail: floors, walls, ceilings, joinery, appliances and meter readings, backed by photos. The complete checklist.
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When should you draw up and register an inspection report?
In Belgium the inspection report is drawn up before occupancy or during the first month, and registered free of charge together with the lease via MyRent. Deadlines and penalties at a glance.
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Who pays for the inspection report?
Belgian law is clear: the inspection report is drawn up at joint expense. With a jointly appointed expert each party pays half. Doing it yourself is free, or from €30 with AI.
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DIY inspection report or hire an expert?
The law does not require an expert: parties may draw up the inspection report themselves as long as it is detailed and adversarial. When DIY is enough and when an expert is the better choice.
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Tenant damage or normal wear and tear: what can you charge?
Normal wear and tear is the landlord's cost; tenant damage is the tenant's. But where is the line? Concrete examples, the role of the inspection report and how compensation is calculated.
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Inspection report and rental deposit: how are they linked?
The rental deposit covers tenant damage, but without a detailed inspection report the landlord cannot prove that damage. How release works and why each document needs the other.
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Is an AI-generated inspection report legally valid?
Yes: the law sets requirements for the content of an inspection report, not for the tool. An AI report is valid when it is detailed, adversarial and signed by both parties.