Step 1 — The estate declaration within 4 months
After every death, the estate must be declared to the Flemish Tax Administration (Vlaamse Belastingdienst). The deadline is 4 months if the death occurred in Belgium, 5 months in another country of the European Economic Area and 6 months elsewhere. Filing late exposes each heir to a tax increase.
Flemish inheritance tax applies when the deceased’s last tax residence was in the Flemish Region, as in Antwerp and the surrounding municipalities. For property, a notary is almost always involved in practice: they draw up the certificate or deed of inheritance and handle the sale.
Inheritance tax in Flanders: rates in the direct line
In the direct line (for example parent and child) and between partners, the tax is calculated per heir, separately on the movable and the immovable part. The rate is 3% up to €50,000, 9% from €50,000 to €250,000 and 27% above that.
The Flemish coalition agreement announces a reform and reduction of inheritance tax. Until it is formally decided, the current rates apply. Have the notary or a tax adviser check the calculation for your situation.
Step 2 — Getting all heirs on the same page
A sale is only possible when every heir agrees. If the heirs cannot agree, the court can appoint a notary to settle the division, which delays the sale.
Plan an early meeting with all heirs and agree who follows up with the notary and buyers. When selling to Pandpartners.be there is one visit and one written offer; all heirs sign together at the notary and each receives their share through the notary.
Step 3 — What to do with the contents?
An inherited home is often full of personal belongings. You can clear it yourself, hire a clearance company or sell the property with its contents. With Pandpartners.be, the clearance is then shown as a separate item in the offer.
Clearing a home in the city of Antwerp yourself? The city’s recycling parks are only open to Antwerp residents, with their own identity card and by appointment (except on Wednesdays), and limits apply, such as a maximum of 2 cubic metres of bulky waste per week. Heirs who live elsewhere therefore cannot simply use them. Always let the heirs go through valuables, documents and photos first.
Vacancy: in Antwerp, waiting costs money
The city of Antwerp keeps a register of vacant homes and buildings. A home that has not been used as a dwelling for at least 12 consecutive months can be added to it, and properties on the register are subject to an annual tax. An inherited home left empty for a long time is covered too.
When a property is sold, the city mentions a notification duty for the notary. Ask your notary what the sale means for an existing registration or tax.
Step 4 — EPC, asbestos certificate and renovation obligation
To sell you need, among other things, an EPC, an inspection report of the electrical installation, a soil certificate and a planning extract. If the home dates from before 2001, a valid asbestos certificate is also mandatory, at the latest at the signing of the sale agreement.
The renovation obligation arises with a sale, exchange, donation or contribution; inheritance is not on that list. If the heirs sell a home with EPC E or F, the buyer must renovate it to at least label D within 6 years. Buyers factor that into their offer. With a direct sale you do not need to renovate anything beforehand.
Heirs in the municipalities around Antwerp
In Wijnegem, Edegem, Brasschaat, Kontich, Mortsel, Schoten, Zwijndrecht and the other municipalities around Antwerp, the same Flemish rules apply to the declaration, inheritance tax and sale certificates. What differs per municipality includes the vacancy rules and access to the recycling park. Ask the municipality where the home is located.
Step 5 — Selling discreetly without public viewings
Selling on the open market means viewings, publication and often a sign on the facade. For heirs in a sensitive family situation, that can be hard. A direct sale stays confidential: no publication and one visit.
Step 6 — Notary and payment
Once the price is agreed, the notary requests the necessary certificates and information and schedules the deed. Payment goes through the notary at the deed; each heir receives their share in their own account.
For the full sale process, see our central guide to selling property in Antwerp.
Frequently asked questions
What if one heir does not agree? Without the agreement of all heirs a sale is not possible; mediation or a court-ordered division are then the options. Does Pandpartners.be pay the inheritance tax? No, that is a separate obligation of the heirs towards the Flemish Tax Administration. Do we need to clear the house first? No, you can also sell with the contents; the clearance is then shown separately in the offer.