Housing service

Contact information: huisvesting.limburg@ucll.be

The housing service manages, together with the housing services of UHasselt and PXL, the Limburg room database Kot@Limburg to which private owners can join. This database has details of some 2.500 rooms for students. The price largely depends on location, rental term, room size and the private comfort of the room. Room prices range between 280€ (for a room with shared bathroom and kitchen) and 450€ (for a studio with own sanitary/kitchen). The housing service makes sure that the rooms offered meet all legal standards regarding safety regulations, operating licence, fire insurance, certificates of conformity, etc.

The housing service also provides information and advice about renting a student room and can mediate in case of a conflict between tenant and landlord. If you rent through the model rental contract and you need legal advice, the housing service will help you by referring you to the correct authority, in most cases the Huurderssyndicaat. This consultancy firm can inform you about the rights and obligations as a tenant and helps in solving legal rental questions.

Student accommodations on Kot@Limburg

Check www.kotatlimburg.be (you can select ENG on the top right) for available student accommodation in the region of Limburg, including Genk, Hasselt and Diepenbeek. The website also has a FAQ section (in Dutch and English) where you will find all kinds of information.

Hasselt is the capital of Limburg and houses several university colleges. Diepenbeek is the University city of Limburg and houses a University and several university colleges. In Hasselt and Diepenbeek more rooms are available compared to Genk and there is more student activity. Both Diepenbeek and Hasselt can be reached by bus. You can also rent a student bike to move around easily!

Some recommendations for international students

If your stay is less than 12 months it is not always easy to find a student room. Belgian students who are themselves going abroad for an Erasmus exchange might subrent their room. They put their room on the following list: https://www.kotatlimburg.be/Documents/studentenkamers/Erasmuslijst.pdf

The tenancy agreement

The landlords in the database use the standardised model tenancy agreement. This contract is evaluated and legally reviewed annually. If you submit a copy of this contract to the housing service (preferably digitally) before October 31, you will receive a free fire insurance policy.

The tenancy agreement will specify certain things: the amount of the security deposit, the duration, the rental fee, notice period(s), obligations, rights, prohibitions, etc. A contract is binding, so once it has been signed by both parties there is no backing out of it. It cannot be terminated before it expires, unless stated otherwise in the contract. An English model of the standardised model tenancy agreement can be viewed at Kot@Limburg.

The deposit

Keep in mind that you might be required to pay a deposit. Make sure the landlord gives you a receipt! The landlord can request you to open a joint bank account for the deposit, which will be returned to you upon departure if no damage has been ascertained to the room or its furniture. The deposit should never be considered as payment for the rent!

Supplementary costs:

If the cost of heating, electricity, water, etc. is not included in the rent, it should be clearly stated in the contract how these costs will be calculated (a fixed fee is also possible). At the end of the rental period this sum is compared with the real costs by reading the meters and then you either get a refund or may be required to pay extra.