Step 1: advice and mediation
Are you studying at the University of Antwerp, Artesis Plantijn College, Karel de Grote College, Maritime Academy, Thomas More Antwerp, KU Leuven campus Antwerp or the Institute for Tropical Medicine? Then you can always ask Kotweb for help, free of charge (even if you did not use the model lease). Every educational institution has an expert counsellor and international officer who is ready to help and guide you!
Step 2: Justice of the Peace
If mediation is not successful, an appeal can be made to the justice of the peace. The Justice of the Peace is after all the authorised court for the treatment of all rental disputes.
If you and your landlord can not reach an agreement about a rental dispute, it is in your interest to first start a conciliation procedure. This procedure is free and does not require assistance from a solicitor. You and your landlord may request the procedure verbally at the court clerk's office for the Justice of the Peace in the district where the rented property is located. You will both then be summoned by letter to appear before the Justice of the Peace.
If conciliation did not take place or if one of the parties did not appeared, there is no alternative but to initiate legal proceedings.
Step 3: legal proceedings
Finally, it is also possible to have a bailiff summon the other party. The applicant must first pay the service costs (official publication) to the bailiff. Those unfamiliar with the legal proceedings should first consult a solicitor. This is also recommended for complicated legal problems. Free legal advice is also available from the Tenants Union through Kotweb
