Intergenerational homesharing in Belgium: what newcomers should know

A Brussels idea that spread to Wallonia

The Belgian scheme best known abroad is 1toit2âges, a non-profit set up in Brussels in 2009 by Claire de Kerautem, a French expatriate. It adapted French and neighbouring models to Belgian law and now matches students with older hosts in several French-speaking cities.

Early backing came from the municipality of Etterbeek and from two universities, ULB and UCL. By 2015 the organisation had eleven paid staff and roughly six hundred pairings behind it; a 2022 profile put the annual figure at around five hundred pairs.

Which cities are covered?

Pairings exist in Brussels, Namur, Mons, Liège, Louvain-la-Neuve, Tournai, Charleroi and Marche-en-Famenne. International students at the Brussels campuses of UCLouvain will find the scheme listed by the university housing office next to a student social rental agency and private agencies.

Why not Flanders?

The same 2022 profile reported that the organisation does not operate in Flanders, where regional housing rules stand in the way of this type of cohabitation. Flemish policy has instead developed zorgwonen, a separate small unit attached to a family home for an older relative or carer.

What does a typical arrangement look like?

The student moves in from September to June, lives there on weekdays and often goes home at weekends. The kitchen is shared, because the model relies on everyday contact; a fully self-contained studio falls outside it. The young person offers presence, not nursing.

Three regions, three legal approaches

Since the sixth state reform, residential leases are a regional competence. Readers used to a single national tenancy law, as in England, should therefore check which region the home sits in before signing anything, because definitions and protections differ.

Brussels has a statutory definition

The Brussels Housing Code describes intergenerational housing as a building with at least two dwellings, one occupied by someone over 65, where households exchange services under a written agreement. The Region may also subsidise social rental agencies that create such homes.

The 2018 lease reform

A Brussels ordinance of 27 July 2017, in force since 1 January 2018, introduced a student lease, a co-tenancy pact and a chapter allowing a special label for intergenerational and solidarity housing. A municipal seniors' council noted in February 2022 that the implementing decree was still missing.

Flanders and the code Z

Under zorgwonen, the subordinate unit may not exceed one third of the building's volume and houses at most two people aged 65 or over, or their carer. It receives a separate code in the population register, so occupants can remain single households for benefit purposes.

The benefits trap: single versus cohabiting

Belgian social security distinguishes people living alone from those who cohabit, and many allowances are lower at the cohabiting rate. Taking in a lodger can therefore cost an older host money if the authorities treat the household as shared rather than as two separate lives.

How the pension top-up is affected

The income guarantee for older people, known as GRAPA, pays a higher amount to someone living alone. A 2013 reform, effective in 2014, stopped counting the resources of unrelated housemates, yet a 2022 Uccle report describes a host whose entitlement was still reassessed after a lodger arrived.

Can the student register at the address?

Usually not. A Mons listing updated in September 2026 states plainly that registering the address is impossible, so students keep their official residence with their parents. One Brussels municipality, Auderghem, decided in 2019 to rely on residents' declarations instead of routine police checks.

What about unemployment benefit?

For unemployment payments, the national employment office changed its practice after a 2017 Court of Cassation ruling that clarified objective criteria for cohabitation. Other federal bodies have been slower to follow, which is why hosts on any allowance should ask before the student moves in.

What students pay in 2026

The figures below come from the 2026 Mons listing and from earlier reports on 1toit2âges. They are far below typical Brussels student rooms, which explains the waiting lists, but they vary with the comfort of the room and the chosen formula.

Who is it designed for?

Hosts are typically independent owners with a spare room; in 2015 their average age was 75 and about 85 percent were women. Guests are quiet, usually non-smoking students. Belgium has a high ownership rate, 72 percent of households according to the national bank.

How a match is made

Belgian associations rely on separate interviews and a home visit before introducing anyone. The sequence below reflects the process described in published reports on the Brussels and Walloon schemes.

1. The host contacts the association and arranges a home visit to check the room.
2. The student is interviewed, sometimes with parents, to confirm genuine motivation.
3. Staff propose a pairing based on distance to campus, interests and formula.
4. Both meet, then each confirms separately.
5. A charter and a written agreement are signed.
6. A host who rents obtains written consent from the landlord and informs the insurer.
7. The association phones regularly and organises gatherings for members.

Mistakes that cause problems

Most difficulties reported in Belgium concern paperwork rather than personalities. International students and families abroad should be aware of these before committing to a room.

• Assuming a lodger has no effect on a pension top-up or other allowance.
• Expecting to register an official address at the host's home.
• Treating the student as an unpaid carer who handles medication.
• Offering an independent studio with no shared rooms.
• Forgetting landlord consent when the host is a tenant.
• Applying Brussels rules to a property in Flanders.

Frequently asked questions about homesharing in Belgium

The answers below summarise situations commonly faced by students and older hosts in Brussels and Wallonia. They give general orientation only and do not replace advice from the benefits agency or municipal office handling a particular case.

Can an Erasmus student join?

Yes, provided the stay fits the academic year and the association can complete its interview. Short stays are harder to arrange, because the model is built on a ten-month commitment. Exchange students should contact the scheme well before the September intake.

Is the host taxed on the contribution?

Income from letting part of one's home may have to be declared to the federal finance service, depending on how it is classified. Hosts should check with the tax authority rather than assume a contribution towards costs is automatically exempt.

What happens if the pairing fails?

The association acts as mediator through calls and joint meetings, and the agreement can end early if needed. Because both sides know from the start that the arrangement runs to June, a mismatched pair can separate without lengthy proceedings.

Can a young worker take part instead of a student?

In principle yes, but an employee needs an official address, which collides with the registration problem. A 2015 report already called for legislative change, and the Brussels label promised in 2018 was meant to address exactly this situation.