Electrical Dossier for a Property Sale in 2026: Rules and Records
Which electrical inspection is mandatory when you sell in Belgium, what goes into the installation file and when the 18-month deadline applies – per AREI/RGIE Book 1 V06, with references.
AuthorStephan BehmWhat applies electrically when you sell
When you sell a flat or house in Belgium, you hand the buyer the installation file with the single-line diagram, situation plan and inspection reports (AREI/RGIE Book 1, section 9.1.2). If the installation dates wholly or partly from before 1 October 1981 and that old part has never been inspected, you also have a control visit carried out by an approved inspection body before the sale (section 8.4.2). The date and handover of the report are recorded in the deed of sale. If the report is negative, the buyer has 18 months from the deed of sale to have the infringements corrected and the installation inspected again – by a body of their choice.
So two questions belong apart: does the sale trigger a special inspection duty? And which documents belong in the file regardless? This guide answers both under AREI/RGIE Book 1, version 06, applicable since 1 April 2026. It covers the electrical side; regional and notarial duties are for your notary.
Editing and review: PlanElec team, 5 October 2026.
When does the sale inspection apply?
Section 8.4.2 applies to the sale of a dwelling with an old domestic installation, meaning one whose construction began before 1 October 1981, in two cases (8.4.2.1):
- The installation has not been significantly modified or extended since 1 October 1981.
- It has been significantly modified or extended, but the pre-1981 part has never had a control visit.
| Situation | What applies | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Old installation from before 1981, old part never inspected | The seller arranges a control visit; date and handover of the report in the deed | 8.4.2.2 a |
| The buyer demolishes or completely renews the installation | Statement in the deed instead of a visit; buyer informs the Directorate-General for Energy; new installation under chapter 6.4 | 8.4.2.2 a and b |
| Court-ordered sale where no inspection is possible | Statement in the deed or auction record that no visit took place | 8.4.2.2 a |
| Installation with a conformity inspection (under the former or current AREI) | No visit under 8.4.2; hand over the file and respect the periodic deadline from the last report | 9.1.2, 6.5.2, 8.1.2 |
Convents, hospitals, prisons, care homes, boarding schools, hotels and educational institutions, among others, do not count as dwellings. In co-ownership, the duty only covers the private parts; garages, parking spaces or storage rooms supplied through the co-owners' meter are excluded. Dwellings being expropriated are exempt too (8.4.2.1).
Missing plans do not stop the inspection
If neither a single-line diagram nor a situation plan is available at the sale visit, the inspection body still carries out the inspection. The inspector draws up a short description of the boards with address, nominal voltage, supply cable cross-section, outgoing circuits, RCDs and protective devices, plus a rough sketch showing sockets, switches, light points and fixed appliances. These documents only record what was inspected; they do not replace the plans. The missing plans are recorded in the report as an infringement (8.4.2.2 d).
Up-to-date plans are therefore your best preparation: they make circuits, protective devices and connection points unambiguous and spare the buyer an infringement that rests purely on missing documents.
What belongs in the installation file?
The owner of a domestic installation holds the file in duplicate and hands it to the new owner on sale; a tenant receives a copy (section 9.1.2). The file contains:
| No. | Document |
|---|---|
| 1 | Single-line diagram(s) of the installation |
| 2 | Situation plan(s) |
| 3 | Conformity inspection report(s) (chapter 6.4) |
| 4 | Where applicable, control visit report(s) (chapter 6.5) |
| 5 | Where applicable, evidence that equipment offers the required safety guarantees |
| 6 | For significant modifications or extensions, the same documents as under 1, 2, 3 and 5 |
| 7 | Short descriptions of all non-significant modifications or extensions |
For a domestic PV system under chapter 7.112, the file also includes the operating instructions (operation and maintenance), safety instructions and the technical references of the equipment such as make, model and power.
Only the approved inspection body issues the inspection report. Invoices, data sheets and as-built documents from your electrician supplement the file, but an installer's declaration does not take the place of the report.
What do the single-line diagram and situation plan show?
The single-line diagram shows the electrical structure: boards, protective devices, circuits, conductor data and labels (3.1.2.2). The situation plan shows where the equipment sits in the building (3.1.2.3). Both show the current state; old building plans or a diagram from before a renovation are not enough if the installation has since been built differently. For old installations from before 1981, part 8 allows simplified plans with a defined minimum content (8.2.1 no. 7).
Before the inspection, a structured comparison pays off:
- name every board and outgoing circuit unambiguously;
- record ratings and types of RCDs and overcurrent protection;
- have conductor type and cross-section checked rather than estimated;
- locate sockets, light points, switches and hard-wired appliances;
- record earthing, the disconnecting link and equipotential bonding;
- compare the plans with the labels and the real installation.
Do not enter hidden cable routes as established fact. Uncertainties are clarified by an electrician before the inspection.
What happens with a negative sale report?
A negative report does not block the sale. The seller records in the deed that the buyer must notify the body that issued the report in writing of their identity and the date of the deed. The buyer then has a new control visit carried out within 18 months from the day of the deed of sale. The buyer chooses the approved body freely; a different body informs the first one (8.4.2.2 a). If infringements remain at the new visit, the rules for non-conforming old installations apply (8.4.2.3, 9.1.4).
The 18 months only apply to this sale case. After a negative periodic control visit, the same body returns within one year (6.5.7.2 b.7), and for a new installation the affected part stays out of service until it has been inspected again (9.1.3.1). So check in the report which type of inspection and which deadline are meant.
A deadline is no permission to keep a visibly dangerous situation in place: have immediate hazards fixed straight away or take the affected part out of service.
How long is an inspection report valid?
For domestic installations, a control visit is due at the latest every 25 years after the conformity inspection (6.5.2); the exact date is stated in the report. That does not mean a blanket "valid for 25 years for any sale". Significant modifications, a stronger connection or an earlier negative report create their own inspection triggers, and the report has to match today's installation.
So check report type, date, result, address, scope of the installation and later changes. An old positive document is not enough if it describes a different installation.
Planning costs and timing realistically
The AREI sets no prices for plans, inspection or repairs, and no waiting times. Effort and timing depend on the installation, provider, region and the work identified. Get concrete quotes and coordinate the schedule with the notary, inspection body and electrician. The best preparation starts with three questions: what is in the file? When will the deed be signed? Which inspection trigger applies?
Roles of seller, buyer, notary and inspection body
| Party | Role in the sale |
|---|---|
| Seller | Arranges the visit in the case of 8.4.2, hands over the report and the file |
| Approved inspection body | Inspects, issues the report and describes infringements |
| Notary | Includes the prescribed statements in the deed of sale |
| Buyer | Notifies the body of identity and deed date, has infringements corrected and re-inspected |
| Electrician | Surveys the installation, corrects defects and updates the plans |
Keep these roles separate in communication too. If it is unclear who produced a document or which scope it covers, clarify that before handover.
Changes between inspection and deed of sale
An inspection is a snapshot. If circuits are added afterwards, the connection is upgraded, an EV charger or PV system is installed or protective devices are replaced, the report no longer fully reflects the state at handover. An updated diagram alone does not prove the change was inspected. Record the date, scope and person responsible for the work and ask the inspection body whether a new inspection is needed.
For a PV system, the additional information from 9.1.2 belongs in the file, not just a symbol on the single-line diagram. If the installed inverter does not match the plans or manufacturer documents are missing, close the gap with evidence, not an assumption.
Reading the report correctly
Do not read only the conclusion. Check the installation's identification, connection data, inspected scope, measured values, infringements, remarks, applicable derogations and the date of the re-inspection. A remark is not an infringement; conversely, a negative conclusion does not turn positive because some measurements look fine. If the report and the installation contradict each other, the inspection body is your contact.
Distinguishing existing parts, partial and complete renovation
Part 8 contains derogations for certain old parts of an installation – not grandfather rights for the whole building. If only one room or board is changed, delimit the change clearly: the modified part follows current rules, unchanged parts keep their existing-installation rules. The exemption from the sale visit for complete renewal only applies if seller and buyer record it in the deed; the new installation then follows the conformity inspection of chapter 6.4.
Keep old and new plan versions with their dates rather than overwriting the earlier state, and mark which report belongs to which version. The buyer then sees which parts were inspected and which work followed. Photos and invoices supplement the history; they do not replace plans and report.
Handover checklist
- Inspection trigger and any exemption clarified with notary and inspection body
- Existing reports complete and linked to the address
- Single-line diagram and situation plan match the actual state
- Changes, PV system and technical documents added
- Boards and circuits legibly labelled
- Infringements, deadlines and responsibilities from the report understood
- Installation file handed to the buyer, second copy kept
Checking the file before ordering and handover
Before the inspection, lay out all documents and sort them by address, meter or EAN code, board and date. Check that the most recent plan really describes the dwelling being sold. A report for common parts, an old house number or a plan from before a renovation does not silently count as current evidence. Note contradictions and clarify with the notary and inspection body which documents are relevant to the sale.
After the inspection, transfer each finding with location, plan reference, responsible party and deadline into a task list. An electrician carries out and documents the corrections; only updated plans and, where needed, the re-inspection close the matter.
The FPS Economy FAQ for notaries and the property sector explains the sale visit, file contents and roles; the FPS Economy overview of inspection types narrows down the trigger.
What PlanElec contributes
With PlanElec you record the installation in the editor, export the single-line diagram and situation plan as PDFs and run the AREI/RGIE self-check. The installation dossier combines the documents with a cover page, document index and continuous page numbering – a clean basis for the installation file. The roles are clear: PlanElec delivers consistent plans and shows findings in the supported rules; measurements and the official report come from the approved inspection body.
Further reading
- Preparing for an electrical inspection in Belgium
- What does the inspector check?
- Creating a single-line diagram step by step
Open PlanElec for single-line diagram, situation plan and self-check →
Regulatory basis: AREI/RGIE Book 1 V06, in particular part 8 section 8.4.2 and chapter 9.1. The official text, the specific inspection report and the assessment by the notary and approved inspection body are decisive.