Skip to content
BELtogether
EN
TRTürkçeNLNederlandsFRFrançaisENEnglish
REQUIRED Flanders

Do I need an asbestos certificate when I sell my old house? Can I remove an asbestos roof myself?

In short

In Flanders, yes. When you sell a building constructed before 2001, an asbestos certificate (asbestattest) is required. You can remove intact, bonded asbestos yourself; loose asbestos may only be removed by an approved contractor.

Share on WhatsApp
This rule in 75 seconds
Video transcript

You're selling your house in Flanders, built before 2001. The preliminary sales agreement is coming up. Required: In Flanders, selling a building from before 2001 requires an asbestos certificate. Only an authorised company may remove loose asbestos. The right way: Have a certified expert draw up the certificate and give it to the buyer by the preliminary agreement at the latest. Take waste to the recycling park. If you break the rules: Without certificate, buyer: Can ask to void the sale; Waste in wrong place: Fly-tipping fine; If an environmental crime: Prison is possible.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • Flanders: since 23 November 2022, you have needed a valid asbestos certificate to sell or give away a building constructed before 2001. Inheritance is not covered by this obligation.
  • The certificate must be given to the buyer no later than when the preliminary sales agreement (compromis) is signed. The notary checks this. A certified asbestos inspector surveys the building and OVAM then issues the certificate. It is usually valid for 10 years (5 years if high-risk asbestos is present; with no time limit if no asbestos is found).
  • Flanders: from 2032, every owner of a building constructed before 2001 must have an asbestos certificate, even if they are not selling.
  • Removing it yourself: inside a building, you may only remove undamaged, bonded asbestos (hechtgebonden), and without breaking it. Loose asbestos, such as sprayed asbestos, pipe lagging and plaster, may only be removed by an approved contractor (erkende asbestverwijderaar).
  • Put asbestos waste in two clear bags or an asbestos bag and take it to the recycling centre. The centre must accept at least 200 kg, 1 m³ or 10 sheets per household per year free of charge. Loose asbestos is not accepted.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICE
Fine / payment
If there is no certificate, the buyer can ask for the sale to be declared void (nietigheid). Dumping asbestos waste in the wrong place leads to a fly-tipping fine; the amount is set by the municipality or the court.

Legal basis:OVAM – Verkoop van een gebouw

Court / prison
If the certificate is missing, the main consequence is that the buyer can ask for the sale to be annulled. The breach can also be prosecuted as an environmental offence, in which case a prison sentence is also possible.

Legal basis:Omgevingshandhavingsbesluit 23.5.2025, bijlage 1, art. 24Materialendecreet 23.12.2011, art. 33/14 §6 en art. 68

What really matters: the indirect consequences

Why does this rule exist?

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause cancer years later. The certificate lets the buyer know what is in the house. The removal rules protect you, your family and your neighbours.

Where can you go?

  • Municipal planning departmentAsk before you start the works (dienst omgeving / service urbanisme)
  • Tax office – land register (cadastre)Report renovation works through MyMinfin
  • Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.

This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses

Source and reliability

Official source
Source check
12 / 12 statements in an official source
Checked: 02.11.2026
Last checked
02.11.2026
Rules can change
Show the 12 checked statementsopen

The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.

General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?

Related rules

Home and buildingDepends

Can I turn my garage into a room or a flat, or split my house into two flats?

Only if you get a building permit. In Flanders and Wallonia, splitting a house, adding an extra flat, or turning a garage or shop into a home requires a permit. In Brussels, a permit is usually needed too; check with your municipality. In Flanders, there are narrow exceptions, such as living with family to provide care ('zorgwonen').Open the rule Home and buildingDepends

Do I need a permit to build a garden shed, a veranda or a carport?

It depends on the region and the size. Small outbuildings can sometimes be built without a permit if certain conditions are met; if any condition is not met, you need a permit. For a veranda and in Brussels, always ask the municipality.Open the rule Home and buildingRequired

I had a bathroom, a veranda or an extra room built in my home; do I have to report this to the tax authorities?

Yes. You must report renovations that increase the value of your home to the land registry within 30 days after the work is finished. If you do not, there is a fine of 1.000 €, 2.000 € or 3.000 €.Open the rule