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Question about giving notice to leave the apartment
I am looking for advice to make sure that it is possible for me to leave my apartment after I have already informed my landlord about my intention to vacate the place. I had my rental contract for 18 months which has already passed (end-date October 2020). I was informed, as per Belgian law, that I am allowed to leave my apartment anytime as long as I provide my 3 months' notice.
I sent my landlord the notice around the end of December because I would like to move out by April 1st. However, I am having some difficulty confirming with her even after sending an email and a text message. I also called her on the phone, but it was also difficult to communicate with her because she is also very old. She said that she understood, but I only have a verbal confirmation for she never responded to my email.
I hope you can help me with this issue.
Best regards,
Cindy Soriano
You need to send a registered letter, not an email.
You can either send a registered letter or take the letter and hand it over personally (getting her to sign a duplicate as receipt). The emai that you sent isn't a valid notice and therefore any valid notice that you give now won't take effect until the end of April.
Also, when the determination date of the original fixed-term contract passed without either side having given the required notice of determination, it converted automatically into a standard nine year contract and, as such, will require you to make a compensation payment for determining the contract prior to the end of the third year - this payment is three months rent in the first year, two months in the second and one month in the third. From what you have said it is likely that the determination will just fall in the third year.
