Heating

Boilers and heating in Brussels: the complete guide (breakdowns, PEB servicing, prices, rights)

Short answer: In Brussels, put safety first, then ask for a diagnosis and a written quote. The PEB check is mandatory every two years for gas and yearly for oil. In a rental, the tenant pays for servicing and checks; age-related wear falls to the landlord, unless the tenant is at fault. Insurance depends on the policy and cause. The guides below explain prices and next steps.

Published on 27 October 2026 · Updated on 27 October 2026

No heating, gas smell, feeling unwell: the first steps

If anyone has a headache, nausea or dizziness while a boiler or water heater is running, call 112 straight away. If there is no gas smell or other sign of danger, note the useful details and contact a heating engineer: never take the appliance apart yourself.

Situation, first step and detailed guide
Situation	First step	Avoid	Read more
Headache, nausea, dizziness or feeling unwell, boiler running	Call 112 immediately, as Brussels Environment asks, and get out into fresh air if you can	Waiting indoors for it to pass	Servicing and the PEB check
Smell of gas	No flame or switch; go outside and alert the gas network operator or 112 from outside	Looking for the leak yourself	Heating engineer page
No heating or hot water, no smell	Note the error code, the displayed pressure and the thermostat setting, and photograph the screen	Resetting in a loop or forcing the appliance	Heating engineer boiler breakdown in Brussels
Water leak next to the boiler	Shut off the water supply if you can reach it and have the leak identified	Patching it without a diagnosis	Plumber page
Old boiler, repeated breakdowns	Ask for a written diagnosis before choosing between repair and replacement	Signing the first quote without comparing	Replacing a boiler

The 5 reflexes to keep in mind

Safety first: feeling unwell or smelling gas outranks any price question.
Document: error code, photo of the screen, date of the last PEB check.
Tenant: tell the landlord in writing as soon as the boiler fails.
Insured: read your policy's cover before ordering a major replacement.
Ask for a written quote and the technician's approval before work starts.

For a call-out, see the heating engineer in Brussels page of FUSE SERVICES; the number to call is shown at the top of this page.

How the price is built, and how to compare two quotes

A quote combines call-out, diagnosis, labour, parts and VAT. Compare the same scope and the total including VAT: an excluding-VAT figure is not directly comparable with an including-VAT figure. Ask what you owe if you decline the repair after diagnosis.

Get call-out charges, possible surcharges and included work in writing.
Ask for part references, labour charges and your approval before additional work.
For servicing, check whether the PEB check and certificate are included and whether descaling is listed separately.
For replacement, compare removal and disposal of the old boiler, adaptations and commissioning too.

Market ranges, with each source's VAT basis, are in the servicing guide: one-off visits and contracts and the replacement guide: prices, VAT and grants. These are not FUSE SERVICES tariffs.

FPS Finance distinguishes specific components of a fossil-fuel heating installation subject to 21% VAT from certain non-specific components that may qualify for 6% if the conditions are met. Request an itemised split. Check regional support before signing and do not deduct it from your budget until eligibility is confirmed.

Tenant or landlord: who pays for the boiler?

In Brussels, the landlord pays for age-related repairs and replacing a faulty boiler, unless the tenant is at fault; the tenant pays for servicing, the periodic PEB check and damage caused by their own fault or lack of maintenance. This split is mandatory: a lease clause does not change it.

Boiler in a rental in Brussels: guideline split
Situation	In principle paid by	Note
Servicing, cleaning, PEB check, flue sweeping	Tenant	The lease may say who arranges the check, without changing who bears the cost
Worn-out boiler or faulty components	Landlord	Unless lack of maintenance or misuse by the tenant is to blame
Breakdown due to lack of maintenance	Tenant for the share attributable	A missing certificate does not by itself prove the cause

The full part-by-part table (burner, circulator, radiators…), the formal-notice letter template and the steps to follow are in boiler broken in a rental: who pays?. Do not apply that list to a home in Flanders or Wallonia.

Home insurance: what is covered and what is not always

According to Assuralia, home insurance covers fire, smoke, explosion and water damage among other perils, but every policy has its own terms. Whether the boiler itself is covered after a breakdown or for wear must be checked against your policy: ask your insurer to confirm.

Which cover to check in which situation?
Situation	To check in the policy	Read more
Leak from the boiler or circuit damaging the home	Water damage cover, excess, exclusions	Plumber page
Heating oil leak	Damage to the building (compensation often limited, per Assuralia), possible soil clean-up	Replacing a boiler
Fire, smoke, explosion	Basic cover of the policy	Heating engineer page
Costs to limit damage, rehousing	Additional cover: prevention costs, loss of use of the home, assistance after a loss	Your insurer's general terms
Breakdown or wear of the appliance itself	Not mentioned by Assuralia: ask in writing whether any cover exists	Who pays in a rental

Report the loss quickly, keep invoices, photos and the certificate of the last check, and take reasonable steps to limit the damage. As a tenant, Assuralia notes it is in your interest to take out your own policy.

Mandatory servicing, the PEB check and prevention

In Brussels the periodic PEB check is mandatory: every 2 years for gas boilers and every year for other fuels, by an approved PEB boiler technician. It helps reduce the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, more than 120 cases a year in Brussels according to Brussels Environment.

PEB check: servicing, safety and efficiency checks, a certificate to keep. Details and price: boiler servicing in Brussels.
Chimney: Brussels Environment advises having it checked and cleaned, preferably before the appliance is serviced.
Ventilation: the appliance room needs at least one fresh-air supply opening; occasional airing is not enough.
CO detector: install it, place it properly and replace the batteries in time.

Descaling is a separate job from the PEB check and is usually charged on top: have it listed line by line on the quote.

Brussels, Wallonia (Walloon Brabant) and Flanders: what changes

Walloon Brabant falls under Wallonia, not Brussels. The statutory interval, technician approval and support schemes depend on the home's address.

Checks: regional differences
Region	What to check for your appliance
Brussels	PEB check: gas every two years, oil every year, by an approved technician.
Wallonia, including Walloon Brabant	The SPW states yearly checks for oil and every three years for small domestic gas boilers. Have the interval confirmed for your model and output. Servicing is distinguished from the statutory check.
Flanders	For gas or oil central heating, mandatory servicing depends in particular on output: gas every two years, oil yearly for appliances within scope. Check the scope on Vlaanderen.be rather than applying the Brussels rule.

For oil-boiler restrictions and replacement support, see the replacement guide's regional comparison, then confirm the current conditions before ordering. The tenant/landlord cost split must also be checked for the relevant Region.

Which heating guide should you read for your situation?

Three articles go deeper into the points of this guide and two service pages present FUSE SERVICES' call-out. Pick the one that matches your situation.

Heating guides in Brussels
Guide or page	It answers
Boiler servicing in Brussels: law, frequency, price	The PEB check, frequency by fuel, price of a service and contract, descaling
Boiler broken in a rental: who pays?	Landlord / tenant split, formal notice, what to do without heating in winter
Replacing a boiler: price, VAT, grants	21% or 6% VAT, price ranges, the oil-boiler ban, grants by Region
Heating engineer	Service page: emergency repair, servicing and boiler replacement
Heating engineer in Brussels	Local service page for the Brussels Region

Find all our articles on the blog.

01 — Questions

Your questions before we arrive

What people in Brussels, Walloon and Flemish Brabant ask before confirming.

My boiler has broken down: what should I do first?

For feeling unwell, headaches or nausea, get into fresh air if possible and call 112 immediately. For a gas smell, avoid flames and switches, leave and alert the network operator or 112 from outside. Without apparent danger, note the error code and contact a heating engineer and, if renting, the landlord. Request a quote →

How often must a boiler be checked in Brussels?

In Brussels, an approved technician must carry out the PEB check every two years for gas and yearly for oil. Elsewhere the interval and scope differ: confirm the due date for your Region, fuel and appliance output. Request a quote →

Tenant: who pays for a broken boiler in Brussels?

In principle the landlord pays for wear and for replacing a faulty boiler, the tenant for servicing and the PEB check. The tenant answers for a breakdown caused by their own fault or lack of maintenance. Have a heating engineer establish the cause before discussing the bill. Request a quote →

How much does a service or a new boiler cost?

There is no single price: call-out, diagnosis, parts, labour and VAT depend on the job. Compare written quotes including VAT for the same scope. The servicing and replacement guides provide market ranges with each source's VAT basis. Request a quote →

Does home insurance pay for a broken boiler?

Not automatically. Assuralia lists fire, explosion and water damage among the basic cover, but does not mention wear or the breakdown of an appliance. Read your general and special conditions and ask your insurer before ordering. Request a quote →

Sources

Need help right now?

FUSE SERVICES operates in Brussels and both Brabants. Call the number shown at the top of this page for a quote.

Call