Rental guarantee

A blocked account with BNP Paribas Fortis

Prefer not to set up your rental guarantee online? No problem. You can open a dedicated account for this purpose at BNP Paribas Fortis - by appointment at your branch or post office.

The funds (equivalent to 2 or 3 months’ rent, depending on the region and lease type) are blocked in this account for the duration of your tenancy. Any interest earned on the capital may also be blocked.

When are the funds released? When you terminate your lease and vacate the rental property.

How is the account unlocked? With mutual agreement between you and the landlord, or by court order.

What type of account is this rental guarantee blocked on?

The account used for your rental deposit is the BNP Paribas Fortis Savings Account (Category A)*, opened in your name and blocked for the duration of your lease.

*Category A: a regulated savings account with no conditions.

What are its main advantages?

• Free of charge: no management fees or commission
• Interest-bearing: you receive a basic interest rate and a loyalty premium, subject to certain conditions
• Favourable tax regime: the current tax legislation in Belgium, subject to future changes, exempts individuals from professional withholding tax on a certain amount of interest

Risks: insolvency risk and inflation risk (see the ‘Risks associated with the Savings Account’ section).

What interest do you receive?

The interest rate of the Savings Account consists of a basic rate and a loyalty bonus. Currently, the basic rate is set at 0.30% and the loyalty bonus at 0.20% (gross annual percentages).

These percentages may vary depending on market conditions. We will inform you of any changes via the first account statement following the change in question. A Savings Account can never have a negative balance, so you will never pay debit interest.

Base rate

The basic rate is the rate you receive for all amounts you deposit into your savings account. Your money earns interest every day it’s in your account (starting from the calendar day after the deposit). You receive your basic-rate interest on 1 January of each year or when your account is closed.

Loyalty bonus

You receive a loyalty bonus on each deposit that remains in your Savings Account for 12 consecutive months. Any loyalty bonuses you receive also earn interest. The loyalty bonus is paid on the first day following the end of the quarter in which it vested (1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October or when the account is closed).

The loyalty bonus may fluctuate, but is guaranteed for the entire vesting period. To give a practical example, if you deposit €100 into your Savings Account on 10 January 2026, then 12 months later, on 11 January 2027, you will receive the loyalty bonus that was applicable on 10 January 2026, whether or not the loyalty bonus has been changed in the meantime.

Note: If you withdraw all or part of your money before the 12-month term expires, you will forfeit the loyalty bonus for the withdrawn amount.

If the bank modifies the loyalty bonus rate after a deposit is made, the applicable bonus will be calculated based on the rate in effect at the time of that deposit.

How much does the Savings Account cost?

There are no opening, closing or management fees on the Savings Account, although some postage fees may apply. If the balance of the Savings Account is less than €25 and no withdrawals or deposits have been made for 10 years, a fee of €2.50 will be charged each year. This will only happen if the account holder is 24 years old or older and has no other accounts with BNP Paribas Fortis.

What taxes do you pay?

The bank does not deduct any professional withholding tax from the interest on your regulated savings account, provided that the interest doesn’t exceed the annual tax-free amount of €1,020 (for interest income in 2025 until 2029). For a savings account opened in the name of two married/cohabiting individuals, the bank doesn’t deduct any professional withholding tax, provided that the interest does not exceed twice that amount, i.e. €2,040 (for interest income in 2025 until 2029). This tax regime applies to individual customers who are Belgian residents.

If you’re resident in Belgium for tax purposes, you must check each year the total amount of interest you receive on regulated savings accounts based on your assets/marital regime (as well as accounts legally controlled by you on behalf of children under 18) and from which banks have not deducted any professional withholding tax. If that total exceeds the annual tax-free amount of €1,020 per taxpayer (assuming tax residence for the entire income year), you must declare the amount of interest above that level in your personal income tax return. The non-exempt portion of your interest is subject to a 15% professional withholding tax.

Risks associated with the Savings Account

• Insolvency risk

Funds deposited in a BNP Paribas Fortis savings account are covered by the deposit protection scheme up to a maximum of €100,000 per person. In the event of bank insolvency or risk of insolvency, the saver bears the risk that any claims exceeding €100,000 may be converted into shares (‘bail-in’) or partially/fully lost. Further details are available in the Deposit Protection Information Sheet.

• Inflation risk

Persistent price increases may erode the value of deposited funds.

Make an appointment at your agency

Make an appointment at your agency or post office. An advisor will open your Savings Account so you can deposit your rental guarantee. And why not take the opportunity to discuss the best way to protect your new home?

Don't feel like going out? Just contact our Easy Banking Centre at 02 762 90 00.

Legal information

The savings account for setting up a rental guarantee is a regulated savings account under Belgian law, offered by BNP Paribas Fortis. It falls under category A (a no-conditions regulated savings account) as defined by the new classification established by the Belgian federal government and the banking sector.

You can find more general information about regulated savings accounts via the link www.bnpparibasfortis.be/savings-info.

Complaints

Any complaint about our products or services should be sent by post to BNP Paribas Fortis SA – Complaints Department – Montagne du Parc 3, 1000 Brussels or by email to gestiondesplaintes@bnpparibasfortis.com.

If you are not satisfied with the bank’s proposed solution, you can submit a complaint to Ombudsfin (Mediation Service on Financial Matters). To file your complaint and ensure efficient handling, please use the form available on the website: Ombudsfin - Introduce a complaint. Email (only if you encounter issues with the online form): ombudsman@ombudsfin.be.

Learn more

Read the ‘Essential information for savers’ document before opening your Savings Account to set up your rental guarantee.

• Essential information for savers
• Deposit Protection Information Sheet
• Scale of fees
• Regulated Savings Account for setting up a Rental Guarantee – Pre-contractual information
• Specific terms and conditions of the Savings Account