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New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

WSP
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Lieu : Brussels
Inscription : 14-09-2011
Messages : 83

New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

(Please forgive me in writing this in English; My french is at very beginner level)

I am a new landlord plus syndic of a "maison de maitre" converted to three apartments.
I own ~80% of the building.

I live in the ground floor. Unknowingly, I leased my first floor apartment for 9 years last July 2011 to two students.
I assumed they were couple or married. These couple?? occupied this apartment since September 2011.

After 3 or months, problems started from them. Although they pay rent in time,
they are treating this "single family/maison de maitre" as their own.

# They do not respect other tenants or adjacent neighbors in the street
# They converted garage into a gymnastic centre with bunch of gym equipments setup.They use electrical heating and music doing gym in the garage. (we need to pass through their garage to goto our garage or backgarden)
# They also have table football and table tennis setup in one of the bedrooms.
# They play indoor football or ping pong even after 10PM with their visitor friends. WE told them children cannot sleep but they do not stop playing indoor games after 10 PM.
# They do conduct party every weekend with friends. Sometimes They make loud noise after 10 PM.(Building from 70s and not sound-proof)
# They moved out barbeque to the common backgarden and left it there for more than a week now.
# I had to call them at atleast twice to remove their car from the common area as my car couldn't enter or leave
# I am worried when they will bring out thier garden tabel/chair and leave it in common area.
# They also invite friends who come to play table tennis pr football with them either in the common backgarden or in their garage or in one of their bedrooms.
# They flush out at least bathtubs every day since they know they have to pay for water based on quotite part.




## (Q1) Do I have the right to evict them (without paying any penalty from my side) if this becomes unbearable?
(I have a valid reason as my 3 children need more space so we can always sent a six months notice requesting them to quit as we need it for our children, )
The template I used for signing the contract was The contract templates were taken from PIM and the form is “contrat de bail de résidence principale pour un immeuble sis dans la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale” <https://www.pim.be/telechargement/bail_principal_v2009_bruxelles.pdf> :
My contract say:
"- à tout moment, en donnant un congé six mois à l’avance, s’il a l’intention d’occuper le bien personnellement et effectivement ou de le faire occuper de la même manière par ses descendants, ses enfants adoptifs, ses ascendants, son conjoint, les descendants,"

##(Q2) As a syndic of this apartment, can I send out following "REGLEMENT D'ORDRE INTERIEUR "?
    (a) Tenants & inmates need to respect other tenants/neighbors
    (b) Tenants & inmates need to respect the apartment
    (c) Keep the front door to street locked after 8 PM
    (d) Keep the garage door and access to garage door locked all the time
    (e) Except for loading/unloading, cars should not be parked in access-road/approach to our garage or in front of the garage
    (f) Do not play any indoor games after 8 PM
    (g) Do not make loud noise/music/sound after 8 PM
    (h) Do not use high heels shoes in the upper floors
    (i) Using fire crackers are not allowed anywhere in the building premises
    (j) Setting up barbeque are not allowed anywhere in the building premises
    (h) Electrical heater should not be used anywhere in the building premises.
    (i) No visitor or guest should be allowed access to garage, back garden or garage access area
    (j) No visitors or guests should be allowed to play any indoor or outdoor sports or games in the building premises
    (k) Apartment premises, inside or outside, should not be used as a party venue or weekend meeting center???
    (l) If inmates cannot help with cutting/pruning garden fence, we would hire external party to cut fence and add it common garden expenses.
    (m) No personal items should be left in the common access areas, in front of garage, Access to garage, at the road giving access to garage. This includes barbeque, garden chair, table foot ball, tennis table etc..
·     (n) Garage could be used for organized storage of acceptable material or as a garage. Garage should not be used as a gymnastics or sports center


##(Q3) As my 8 year old children play with neighbor's children in their garden or the neighbors children play with our children in our garden, will point (i) and (j) apply to our children too???
##(Q4) We do have a small shoe rack and buggy in the common area but without hindering anybody's passage. Should we remove if point (m) need to gets applied?

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Panchito-9340
Pimonaute
Inscription : 24-01-2008
Messages : 1

Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Given such an escalation and your health situation, the best is to hire a lawyer so that you can rely on him.

Do you have an insurance called "protection juridique"?

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grmff
Pimonaute non modérable
Lieu : Sibulaga, Onatawani
Inscription : 25-05-2004
Messages : 23 421

Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Personnally, I would send them a termination letter, so they have to veave within 6 months.

Additionnally, I would put the affair in justice de paix. Not in Conciliation, but with a standard Requête.

Conciliation, as far as my experience goes, is slower than Requête. And in conciliation, if they are of bad faith, it will change nothing and you will have to go back to Requête.

Don't wait for them to go to conciliation... it will slow the process.

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Additionnally, contact the parents... It might be the most efficient!

Personnally, in an old past life, I sent a Recommandé (registered letter) to the tenant, at his home adress, without the first name.

The father, having the same name, received the letter, and phoned me to get more explanations. The problem was solved within the week.

I had the problem with 2 tenants. The other one was from a split family, living with the mother. So, it didn't work with the second one that way...

Good luck to you.

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WSP
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Lieu : Brussels
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Thank you all folks!!! Much appreciated.

# Visited Judge de Paix and collected forms for "Standard Requête" and Reconcilation". Understand "Standard Requête" is recommended.
Got a response from them that I could send termination letter and apply for "Requête" in parallel, which still may take another 3 months

# Do not wish to approach the parents as we simply don't want them as this will be an eternal problem

# Will send a termination letter using following clause this week so that they can receive before this month end.

- à tout moment, en donnant un congé six mois à l’avance, s’il a l’intention d’occuper le bien personnellement et effectivement ou de le faire occuper de la même manière par ses descendants, ses enfants adoptifs, ses ascendants, son conjoint, les descendants, ascendants et enfants adoptifs de celui-ci, ses collatéraux et les collatéraux de son conjoint jusqu’au 3ème degré ;

# I may have "protection juridique" but not sure I would be covered anymore since I become non-resident working outside Belgium. Will still check with my insurance company

(1) Does anybody have a template in French to break rental contract.CONTRAT DE BAIL - RESIDENCE PRINCIPALE (Région de Bruxelles-Capitale)
https://www.pim.be/telechargement/bail_principal_v2009_bruxelles.pdf
Reason for breaking: I just need the apartment back as I need it for my own family and will give 6 calendar months notice

(2) What are the etiquette I need to follow to send a termination  notice.?

(3) Assuming I  send "envoye recommende avec accuse de reception" termination letter to both tenants reaches before 31st of April,  notice starts effective May 1st and October 31st should be there last day to leave, Correct?

(4) What if the letter doesn't reach/not accepted before end of this month?
(a) What if the tenants don't accept the notice at all?
(b) what is they accept it next month?  This changes notice period?

(5) Does my wife , married spouse, need to sign the termination letter too? She was not involved in signing the lease contract. It was only me who signed it.

(6) I was a resident here while signing the contract but non-resident now. doers that influence the termination anyway?

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WSP
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Lieu : Brussels
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

(7). Any lawyer recommendations who can deal with this? Any idea how much will this cost if I have to bear it myself (if no juridique protection)?

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

If you are not resident in Belgium and as such not resident in this building you can't make usage of this clause!!

If they can prove your main residence is not located in the place they have rented, you will have to pay to them 18 months of rent!!

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

If you are not resident in Belgium and as such not resident in this building you can't make usage of this clause!!

Not correct. You have to use the residence. It is not said it must be your main résidence.

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

@grmff...

ET si vous n'êtes pas domicilié en Belgique, où le Juge va-t'il faire envoyer les plis judiciaires?

J'ai eu des locataires qui se sont "évadés" à l'étranger après être partis à la cloche de bois, pour éviter toutes poursuites...

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Le texte de loi dit:

§ 2. Le bailleur peut toutefois mettre fin au bail, à tout moment, en donnant congé six mois à l'avance, s'il a l'intention d'occuper le bien personnellement et effectivement

Il ne dit pas qu'il faut y être domicilié.

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

OK, then I will ask to WSP to come back on this forum to tell us if it is possible to trigger a court case in Belgium however you are not a Belgian resident (and, as such, are not taxable here)...

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

WSP a écrit :

(1) Does anybody have a template in French to break rental contract.CONTRAT DE BAIL - RESIDENCE PRINCIPALE (Région de Bruxelles-Capitale)
https://www.pim.be/telechargement/bail_principal_v2009_bruxelles.pdf
Reason for breaking: I just need the apartment back as I need it for my own family and will give 6 calendar months notice

No template. Just a letter mentionning that you will occupay.

Sample:

Cher Monsieur le locataire,

Par la présente, je vous signifie le congé pour occupation personnelle du logement que vous occupez.

Le préavis légal de 6 mois commencera le 1/5/2012 et prendra fin le 30/10/2012.

Veuillez noter que vous avez le droit de donner un contre-préavis de un mois à tout moment.

Bien à vous

WSP

WSP a écrit :

(2) What are the etiquette I need to follow to send a termination notice.?

The law does not say. The correct way is to send a registered letter to each of the tenants one week before the end of the month.

WSP a écrit :

(3) Assuming I send "envoye recommende avec accuse de reception" termination letter to both tenants reaches before 31st of April, notice starts effective May 1st and October 31st should be there last day to leave, Correct?

Correct. Except that there is no 31st april in 2012...

Allow more time, and send it before 22/4

WSP a écrit :

(4) What if the letter doesn't reach/not accepted before end of this month?

If it does not reach the mail box of the tenant, the notice is still validd, but the préavis starts one month later.
If not accepted, it does not change anything. Once sent, it is not your problem any more.

WSP a écrit :

(a) What if the tenants don't accept the notice at all?

No change. Not your problem.

WSP a écrit :

(b) what is they accept it next month? This changes notice period?

Acceptance day is not relevant. Only the delivery by post office. You can check this date with bpost.be!

WSP a écrit :

(5) Does my wife , married spouse, need to sign the termination letter too? She was not involved in signing the lease contract. It was only me who signed it.

If her name is not mentionned on the bail, she does not need to sign the leave notice.

WSP a écrit :

(6) I was a resident here while signing the contract but non-resident now. doers that influence the termination anyway?

No. But you have to occupy the appartment. The occupation mustn't be fictive... And it must last at least 2 years.

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

No. But you have to occupy the appartment. The occupation mustn't be fictive... And it must last at least 2 years.

I am sorry but I don't think it is feasable...

In fact, how will you prove you really occupy the place if you are not resident in Belgium?

Moreover, following the Belgian laws, any non-Belgian is required to apply to get a Resident Permit as soon (s)he intends to reside for more 3 months in Belgium. This is compulsory.

As soon you have got a Resident Permit, your address in Belgium is considered as your Main Residence and you become a Belgian Taxpayer, which means you have the legal obligation to declare in your annual Belgian tax forms, your worldwide revenues, bank accounts and assets.

So legally, I don't think it will work.

I would ask the opinion of a Belgian lawyer specialized in Expat taxation issues.

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WSP
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Hi all,

Regarding my residency status:

# I am not a resident as of today but my family(spouse and three children) are residents. We are all Belgian citizens too.

# They(my family) are currently living in the ground floor and will move to first floor. It is basically asking tenants to move to give place for my family, not me. This will not be a fictious occupation either. My family simply moves up.

# if I need to become resident, I can do so tomorrow. File the "Requet and send termination letter teh day after.

# Becoming a resident is a 5 minutes job for me. It doesn't bring complication with taxes due to mutual tax treaties with the country i am employed. But dual residency  does bring some social security complications,issues with car registration, driving license exchange etc etc..


(1) Do you want me to become resident to send an authentic"Standard Requête" with Judge de Paix?
(2) Is it necessary that I am resident here?  Or..Is it suffice my family occupies it for next two years?
(3) Thanks Grmfff..Do I need to modify following template to reflect personal occupation of my family (and not ME)?

Par la présente, je vous signifie le congé pour occupation personnelle du logement que vous occupez.

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Ah..you are a Belgian citizen? All my apologizes, I have believed you were an expat...

Following the Belgian laws, married partners must share a common residence = domicile conjugal.

Article 214 of the Belgian laws:HERE

If your tenants hire a lawyer you will need to be whiter than Snow White...

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WSP
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

....you will need to be whiter than Snow White...

tongue

Thanks for cautioning me. Was not aware of this. I will sort this out.
This is  a wonderufl Forum.

Thanks a lot Panchito & grmff!!!!!!

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

(1) Do you want me to become resident to send an authentic"Standard Requête" with Judge de Paix?

I don't think it is necessary

(2) Is it necessary that I am resident here? Or..Is it suffice my family occupies it for next two years?

It suffice your family occupy next 2 years.

(3) Thanks Grmfff..Do I need to modify following template to reflect personal occupation of my family (and not ME)?

Yes, it would be simpler to modify the letter. It would be safer.
In this case, you need to specify the name and family relation in the letter.

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WSP
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Ok,

I am getting conflicting infrmation from every side with respect to whether to send both "préavis" & "Standard Requête".

Judge de Paix Feedback:
I checked at Judge de paix office in WSP and they said that I can file
"préavis" & follow it with a  "Standard Requête".


Notary Feedback:
Also, my notary said, not experienced with these things, felt, filing a préavis first and following it with "Standard Requête" gives confusing signals. The question he asked  is, what the peace judge can do when you "leave in six months" notice through préavis and try proving something else in  "Standard Requête".

He directed me to a lawyer specializing in lease breakage (that man is unavailable, on vacation)


Office national de locataires
I met a nice gentleman from "office nationale de locataires" who seems to be very specialized in eviction and breaking lease.

He looked at my context and documents.His impression is:

# loud noise only NOT allowed between 10PM and 8 AM. Nothing you can do about it if tenant plays PingPong or Tabel footBall between 8AM and 10PM, including weekends

# You can do nothing about Tenant sets upa Gymnastics centre in the gagarge. He rented it. He will do what he wants.

# You can do nothing about your tenant bring his guests to the garage or his apartment to play as he rented it.

#He said not to file a police complaint as nothing will change

So, the impression I got is, if I get a "heart attack" since tenant plays Ping Pong at 9.30 PM, Judge will not favor me, In a way, I felt probably I don't have a strong case to convince the "Judge de Paix"

He said he there is no need to put "Standard Requête"
and just send préavis.(Thereby, I block the tenant from approaching Judge de Paix )

So, I am confused now.

Anyway, I will put forward  préavis . Not sure if it would make any difference following this with a "Standard Requête".


(1) Any thoughts folks, should I follow préavis with a "Standard Requête"? -citing my increased hypertension (200+ else normal) specifically due to tenant nuisance, based on couple of medical certificates from my home doctor who confirmed "I never had hypertension in last 10 years but it shot in last four days due to tenant nuisance"  and Hospital who took me on emergency concluded "HTA liee probablement a un contexte de stress," & "“Suppicion de dissection aortique" for my second admission the same night?

(2) Here is the  préavis I intend to send. Please do correct me if I am wrong

Cher  locataires Ms.X & Mr.Y,

Par la présente, je vous signifie le congé pour occupation personnelle de ma epouse Z le logement que vous occupez.

Le préavis légal de 6 mois commencera le 1/5/2012 et prendra fin le 31/10/2012.

Veuillez noter que vous avez le droit de donner un contre-préavis de un mois à tout moment.

Bien à vous,

(3) What does the follwing citation mean?

Veuillez noter que vous avez le droit de donner un contre-préavis de un mois à tout moment.

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grmff
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Of course you should file a complaint with the police. Remember that you have a right to receive a copy of your complaint, that you can not be denied the right to complaint, that the police has no right to dismiss you this right.

Only the judge can dismiss your complaint.

Personnally, in your case, I would send the leave letter and file a "requête en matière de louage de chose" at greffe de tribunal de paix.

Of course, it will be very difficult to prove your case. The judge might favour you... or not. You never know with a judge. And yes, your case is weak.

But you can add to the "requête en matière de louage de chose" a validation of the leave letter.

You also have to know that the "syndicat national des locataires" are specialysed in raconting n'importe quoi. They are over-oriented on the tenant side. And do not hesit to say wrong stuff to mislead the owner. They are just not trustworthy.

And you know also that I would deal with the parents...
For example, loud noise is never allowed in unnecessary manner, or in a manner that is an excessive burdain on the neighbourhood. The word "unnecessary" and "excessive" are of course completely at the judge appréciation.

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Office national de locataires

That's the people who will attack you to protect your tenants!!

You need to rely on the Syndicat National des Propriétaires = SNP

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Panchito-9340
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Re : New tenant issues-What the landlord/syndic can do?

Personnally I would not trigger a case court:

1/ The Court is WSP is fully overbooked so even for extremely simple cases (what is not yours) it can take years before to get a decision.

2/ You will be required (without a lawyer) to know exactly the Belgian laws on renting and to write in a perfect French why do you think that your tenants are breaking the Belgian laws.

3/ Justice de Paix is a paper-based Court, using documents that need to have the exact verbiage.

4/ Your case is extremely WEAK since your tenants have always paid their rent.

I would follow the opinion of your notaire. One action at one time.
You need to send the eviction letter for personal occupation through registered letter with proof of receipt.

If they don't agree, let them trigger a court case...

NB: Have you registered the contract together with the inititial house inspection report? (this is compulsory)

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