Selling a house or apartment in Belgium?
Most sales are concerned. Here are the cases where the electrical inspection is mandatory:
Any electrical installation dating from before 01/10/1981 must be inspected.
Does your last electrical report date back more than 25 years? A new inspection is required.
No single-line diagram or report? The inspection is essential.
Your notary requires a valid report to finalise the deed of sale.
In doubt? Contact us. We check free of charge whether your property requires an inspection.
Don’t let these mistakes jeopardise your transaction.
The day before the deed, it is too late to react in case of problems.
An inspection by a non-accredited body will be refused by the notary.
The buyer discovers problems and renegotiates the price downwards.
Fast intervention, official report recognised by all notaries and agencies. You sell with complete peace of mind.
The sale can proceed even with a non-compliant report.
What the notary expects from you:
Compliant or not, the notary needs an official document to finalise the deed. Certinergie provides it within 48h.
Since 1st June 2020, the General Regulations on Electrical Installations (RGIE) approved by the royal decree of 8 September 2019 is in force. Section 8.4.2 fully reinstates the former article 276bis and defines the obligations when selling a home.
Timing of inspection: The visit must take place between the sales agreement and the notarial deed. The report must be handed to the buyer at the deed, and its date mentioned in the notarial deed.
Ref. : RGIE Book 1, Section 8.4.2
The seller has no obligation to bring the installation into order. The obligations fall on the buyer according to the type of installation.
Ref. : RGIE Book 1, Section 8.4.2 & Section 9.1.3
Ref. : RGIE Book 1, Section 6.5.7 & Section 9.1.3
Any electrical installation carried out or modified after 1st October 1981 is deemed compliant with the RGIE. The seller owner must possess an up-to-date electrical file. If this file is incomplete or lost, a new inspection is necessary, with a shorter 12-month deadline because the installation should have been compliant. For old (pre-1981) installations never inspected, the legislator grants a longer 18-month deadline and greater freedom in choosing the re-inspection body.
If the buyer resells the dwelling within 18 months, the initial inspection report remains valid for the new buyer, on condition:
The new buyer automatically receives a new 18-month deadline from the date of their notarial deed.
Ref. : RGIE Book 1, Section 8.4.2
An extension of the 12-month deadline can be requested from the Directorate General for Energy of the FPS Economy.
Information to provide:
Directorate General for Energy
High surveillance of energy infrastructures and products
Boulevard du Roi Albert II 16, 1000 Brussels
Tel. : 0800 120 33 (free)
Email : gas.elec@economie.fgov.be
Important : The file must be established in two copies. When ownership is transferred, the seller transmits the file to the new owner.
Demolition/renovation notification: FPS Economy online form
Simple, fast, stress-free.
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Online or by phone. Slots available within 48h. Emergencies handled.
02
Our accredited inspector checks the installation according to the RGIE.
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Complete check: panel, sockets, earth, residual current devices.
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Report sent immediately to you AND your notary.
We are 100% digitalised. As soon as the inspection is finished, your report is sent instantly by email
30 minutes to 1h30 depending on property size
Deed in 48h? We find a solution
Price quoted = price billed. No hidden extras.
Combine electrical inspection + EPC certificate and save.
Anticipating costs less than renegotiating after discovering problems.
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Official accreditations for electrical inspections in Belgium.
Our reports are recognised by all notaries without discussion.
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Deed in 48h? We always find a solution.
Report sent immediately to you and your notary by email.
A team available to answer your questions.
Is the electrical inspection mandatory before the deed of sale?
Yes, since 2008, every seller of a home must provide an electrical inspection report at the signing of the notarial deed. Without this document, the notary cannot finalise the sale.
Who pays for the electrical inspection during a sale?
The seller is legally responsible for providing the report. The cost is therefore generally at their expense, unless a different agreement is negotiated with the buyer in the sales agreement.
Must I do the works before the sale if the report is negative?
No, you can sell with a negative report. The compliance works will be at the buyer’s expense who has a deadline of 12 or 18 months after the deed to regularise the installation.
Can the notary refuse a Certinergie report?
No. Certinergie is an accredited inspection body. Our reports are official and compliant with the RGIE. They are accepted by all notaries and administrations in Belgium.
When should the inspection be done to avoid problems?
Ideally, have the inspection done as soon as the property is put up for sale. The visit must take place between the sales agreement and the notarial deed (RGIE Section 8.4.2). This gives you time to react in case of problems. We intervene within 48h.
What is the difference between the 12-month and 18-month deadlines?
18 months : pre-1981 installation never inspected → deadline from the notarial deed, free choice of re-inspection body.
12 months : post-1981 or already inspected installation → deadline from the inspection date, re-inspection by the same body (RGIE Section 9.1.3). The 12-month deadline can be postponed to 12 months after the notarial deed by FPS Economy flexibility.
Can an extension of the compliance deadline be obtained?
Yes, for the 12-month deadline. The request is made to the Directorate General for Energy of the FPS Economy (online or by post). The extension will be refused if the report is over 5 years old, is positive, or concerns a temporary installation or a shop. The seller and buyer must have marked their agreement in the notarial deed.
The buyer resells within 18 months: is the report still valid?
Yes, provided that the installation has not been modified and the report is less than 5 years old. The new buyer receives a new 18-month deadline from their notarial deed. The initial buyer must communicate the resale and the identity of the new buyer to the inspection body.
Is a sale inspection required for a shop or non-residential building?
No. Shops and non-residential buildings are non-domestic installations. RGIE Book 1 does not require any inspection at sale. Only the electrical installation file must be transmitted to the new owner (Section 9.1.1).
Which sections of RGIE Book 1 apply to the sale inspection?
The main sections are:
Section 8.4.2 (seller/buyer obligations – former article 276bis)
Section 6.5.7 (report conclusions)
Section 9.1.2 (domestic electrical file)
Section 9.1.3 (12-month compliance deadline)
Section 6.5.2 (25-year periodicity)
Intervention within 48h • Official instant report • Accepted by all notaries
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