Resolving a dispute between a tenant and landlord on the setting of rent and/or additional rental expenses
This document is currently being updated
Last updated more than 5 years ago
On occasion, disagreement may arise between the landlord and the tenant on the setting of rent and/or additional rental expenses. In most cases, the two parties are able to come to an amicable arrangement.
However, when the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the landlord may decide to lodge an application to increase the rent with the Rent Committee of their commune. The tenant, for their part, may apply to the same Committee to reduce the rent.
Considered as conciliation bodies, the Rent Committees set up at the communal administration offices are a useful tool in amicable conflict resolution. Indeed, they are highly useful in practical terms, because many disputes conclude with an agreement, rather than having to be pursued through the courts.
Who is concerned
This procedure is applies to all tenants or landlords of residential property. The following types of properties are excluded:
- those subject to commercial lease agreements;
- those subject to administrative lease agreements;
- those subject to industrial lease agreements;
- rental agreements for artisanal use or for the exercise of a freelance/liberal profession.
The following property types are also excluded:
- secondary residences;
- premises that are not attached to a housing unit (such as a garage not attached to a house);
- hotel rooms;
- shelters for temporary accommodation of foreigners for the purpose of their reception and integration in Luxembourg;
- furnished or unfurnished dwellings in special accommodation facilities (old people's homes, integrated centres for the elderly, geriatric centres, centres for the disabled, etc.);
- furnished or unfurnished dwellings made available to natural persons as part of a social assistance programme implemented by a commune, an association of communes, a non-profit association or a foundation involved in the field of housing.
Prerequisites
Before being able to apply to the Rent Committee, though, the claimant (be it the landlord or the tenant) must first notify the other party of their intention to do so, in writing—it is advisable to send the notification by registered letter—, failing which the application will not be accepted.
This notification is considered to be an attempt to reach agreement prior to taking the case to the Rent Committee.
If no agreement has been reached within a month of that notice being served, then the claimant can send a request to the board of the mayor and aldermen of the commune where the building in question is located. That board of the mayor and aldermen will then forward the application to the appropriate Rent Committee.
How to proceed
Conditions and procedure
The Rent Committee can only hear disputes relating to the setting of rent and additional rental expenses.
Applications to the Rent Committee to increase or decrease rent submitted during the first 6 months of the lease will not be accepted. (In calculating that period, it is not the date of signing of the lease which is taken into account, but the first 6 months of the rental relationship). Thus, a tenant having accepted a certain level of rent at the time of signing the lease cannot, immediately after signing that lease, apply to the Rent Committee for a reduction of the rent.
Although the procedure with the Rent Committee is not a judicial procedure, but rather a procedure to seek conciliation between the parties, there are a minimal number of rules which must be observed:
1) After the claimant has sent the request to the board of the mayor and aldermen of the commune where the building is located, the tenant and landlord are summoned to appear before the Rent Committee, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, containing:
- the date, time and place to appear before the Rent Committee;
- a copy of the claimant's original request.
The parties must appear in person or be represented by proxy—a person with the authority to act with power of attorney on behalf of the other, such as a lawyer—before the Rent Committee, at the time and date indicated in the summons, and will present their testimony.
2) The Rent Committee may visit to the rented property. It may bring in an expert/consultant to clarify one or other of the issues raised before the Rent Committee. The fees incurred by such an expert assessment are not borne by the Committee, but by the parties, depending on the outcome of the matter. The claimant, however, must advance these fees.
3) Following the submission of a dispute to the Rent Committee, several scenarios are possible:
- in case of conciliation, the Committee's written report setting out the conditions of the arrangement must be signed by the parties (or their representatives) and by the chairman of the Committee;
- in case of non-conciliation or failure to appear by one of the parties, the Committee will determine the rent falling due and/or the advances on fees;
- when the parties have asked the Rent Committee to arbitrate, the decision will be binding on the parties and come into effect immediately.
4) The Committee is required to hand down its decision within 3 months of the date of submission of the application. Decisions by the Rent Committee do not have the status of judicial decisions. Therefore, they cannot acquire the status of res judicata. These decisions are only mandatory because of the express or tacit acceptance of the outcome by the parties.
Appeal against the Rent Committee's decision
If dissatisfied with the Rent Committee's decision, either one of the parties may, within a month, file an appeal with the Justice of the Peace (juge de paix), depending on the location of the building. That 1-month period begins when the decision is notified to the parties by registered letter.
If one of the parties (for example, the landlord) has not taken action against the decision within a month of notification of the Committee's written report, they are deemed to have accepted it (including any of the fees they are instructed to pay). Later, in sub-judice, in the context of an appeal filed against the Rent Committee's decision by the tenant, the landlord cannot decide to increase or alter the rent. Thus, if no appeal has been filed against the decision within the prescribed 1-month period, the Rent Committee's decision is considered to have been accepted fully by the parties.
The decision to set the rent passed by the Rent Committee (or by the Justice of the Peace) may take effect retroactively from the date of the first rent falling due after the date on which the board of the mayor and aldermen received the request to raise or lower the rent.
Who to contact
-
Communal Administrations
-
Beaufort9, rue de l'Eglise
L-6315 Beaufort
Phone : (+352) 83 60 45-1Fax : (+352) 86 93 88Monday to Friday: 08.30 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 16.30 (closed on Thursday afternoon) / open until 20.00 on Wednesdays -
Bech1, Enneschtgaass
L-6230 Bech
Phone : (+352) 79 01 68-1Fax : (+352) 79 06 74Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00 (closed on Monday afternoons); Thursday: 13.00 - 19.00 (open until 17.00 during school holidays) -
Beckerich6, Dikrecherstrooss
L-8523 Beckerich
Phone : (+352) 23 62 21-1Fax : (+352) 23 62 91 62Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 08.30 - 12.00; Wednesday: 08.30 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.45 -
Berdorf5, rue de Consdorf
L-6551 Berdorf
Phone : (+352) 79 01 87-1Fax : (+352) 79 91 89Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00; Monday to Wednesday: 14.00 - 16.00; Thursday: 14.00 - 19.00 -
Bertrange2, beim Schlass
L-8058 Bertrange
Postal address :
B.P. 28 L-8005 Bertrange
Phone : (+352) 26 31 2-1Fax : (+352) 26 31 27 57Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 16.00 -
Bettembourg13, rue du Château
L-3217 Bettembourg
Postal address :
B.P. 29 L-3201 Bettembourg
Phone : (+352) 51 80 80-1Fax : (+352) 51 80 80-601Monday to Friday: 08.30 - 11.30 and 14.00 - 16.30 / "Biergerzenter" open until 19.00 on Thursdays -
Bettendorf1, rue Neuve
L-9353 Bettendorf
Phone : (+352) 80 25 92-1Fax : (+352) 80 92 34Monday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 14.00 - 18.45; Tuesday to Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 14.00 - 16.30 (closed on Wednesdays) -
Betzdorf11, rue du Château
L-6922 Berg
Postal address :
B.P. 2 L-6901 Roodt/Syre
Phone : (+352) 77 00 49-1Fax : (+352) 77 00 82Lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 12.00 et 13.30 - 16.30 (bureau de la population et état civil) / Uniquement sur RDV: lundi, mardi, jeudi, vendredi: 16.30 - 17.00; mercredi: 07.00 - 08.00 -
Bissen1, rue des Moulins
L-7784 Bissen
Postal address :
B.P. 25 L-7703 Bissen
Phone : (+352) 83 50 03-21Fax : (+352) 85 97 63Monday: 08.30 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 18.30 (only population service); Tuesday to Friday: 08.30 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 16.30 (closed on Thursday morning) -
Biwer6, Kiirchestrooss
L-6834 Biwer
Phone : (+352) 71 00 08-1Fax : (+352) 71 90 25Lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 11.30 (fermé le 1ier mercredi de chaque mois, ouvert le 1ier mercredi de chaque mois de 14.00 - 18.00) -
Boulaide3, rue de la Mairie
L-9640 Boulaide
Phone : (+352) 99 30 12Fax : (+352) 99 36 92Monday, Thursday: 14.00 - 17.00; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 08.30 - 12.00 -
Bourscheid1, Schlassweee
L-9140 Bourscheid
Phone : (+352) 99 03 57-1Fax : (+352) 99 03 57-565Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00; Monday: 14.00 - 18.00; Tuesday to Friday: 14.00 - 16.00 (except on Wednesdays) -
Bous-Waldbredimus20, rue Luxembourg
L-5408 Bous
Phone : (+352) 28 86 04 01Fax : (+352) 28 86 04 109 -
ClervauxMontée du Château
L-9712 Clervaux
Postal address :
B.P. 35 L-9701 Clervaux
Phone : (+352) 27 800-1Fax : (+352) 27 800-900Lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 11.30; mardi à vendredi: 14.00 - 16.30; mercredi ouvert jusqu'à 19.00 (uniquement bureau de la population, sauf la veille d'un jour férié) -
Colmar-Berg5, rue de la Poste
L-7730 Colmar-Berg
Postal address :
B.P. 10 L-7701 Colmar-Berg
Phone : (+352) 83 55 43-1Fax : (+352) 83 55 43-225Monday to Thursday: 08.00 - 12.00; Monday: 13.00 - 17.00; Wednesday: 13.00 - 18.30 (closed on Fridays) -
Consdorf8, route d'Echternach
L-6212 Consdorf
Phone : (+352) 79 00 37-1Fax : (+352) 79 04 31Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 16.00; open until 18.00 on Tuesdays -
Contern4, Place de la Mairie
L-5310 Contern
Phone : (+352) 35 02 61Fax : (+352) 35 72 36Monday-Friday: 08.00 - 11.45 and 13.00 - 16.45 / Population office: Wednesday: 07.00 - 11.45 and 13.00 - 16.45 -
DalheimGemengeplaz
L-5680 Dalheim
Phone : (+352) 23 60 53-25Fax : (+352) 23 60 53-50Monday, Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 17.00; Tuesday, Thursday: 07.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 17.00; Wednesday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 17.00 -
Diekirch27, avenue de la Gare
L-9233 Diekirch
Postal address :
B.P. 145 L-9202 Diekirch
Phone : (+352) 80 87 80-1Fax : (+352) 80 87 80-250Lundi à vendredi: 08.30 - 11.30 et 14.00 - 16.30 / Bureau de la population et état civil: mercredi jusqu'à 18.00 -
Differdange40, avenue Charlotte
L-4530 Differdange
Postal address :
B.P. 12 L-4501 Differdange
Phone : (+352) 58 77 1-11Fax : (+352) 58 77 1-1210Monday and Friday: 07.30 - 12.00 and 13.30 - 17.00 / the "Biergeramt" is also open on Saturdays: 09.00 - 11.00 -
Dippach11, rue de l'Eglise
L-4994 Schouweiler
Postal address :
B.P. 59 L-4901 Bascharage
Phone : (+352) 27 95 25-200Fax : (+352) 27 95 25-299Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00; open until 18.00 on Mondays; Wednesday from 07.30 -
DudelangePlace de l'Hôtel de Ville
L-3590 Dudelange
Postal address :
B.P. 73 L-3401 Dudelange
Phone : (+352) 51 61 21 -1Fax : (+352) 51 61 21-299Monday, Tuesday and Friday: 8.00-12.00 and 13.00-17.00; Wednesday: 8.00-12.00 and 13.00-19.00; Thursday: 8.00-17.00 -
Echternach2, place du Marché
L-6460 Echternach
Postal address :
B.P. 22 L-6401 Echternach
Phone : (+352) 72 92 22-1Fax : (+352) 72 92 22-51Lundi à jeudi: 08.30 -11.30 et 14.00 - 16.30 ; vendredi: 08.30 - 13.00 heures / Bureau de la population et état civil: lundi ouvert jusqu’à 19.00 -
Ell27, Haaptstrooss
L-8530 Ell
Postal address :
B.P. 9 L-8501 Redange/Attert
Phone : (+352) 26 62 38-1Fax : (+352) 26 62 38-55Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 08.15 - 11.45; Thursday: 14.00 - 18.30 -
Erpeldange sur Sûre21, Porte des Ardennes
L-9145 Erpeldange-sur-Sûre
Postal address :
B.P. 39 L-9001 Ettelbruck
Phone : (+352) 81 26 74-1Fax : (+352) 81 97 08Monday: 07.30 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 18.00; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 07.30 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 16.30 -
Esch sur AlzettePlace de l'Hôtel de Ville
L-4002 Esch-sur-Alzette
Postal address :
B.P. 145 L-4002 Esch-sur-Alzette
Phone : (+352) 2754 1Fax : (+352) 54 35 14 667Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 17.00 ("Biergeramt") -
Esch-sur-Sûre1, an der Gaass
L-9150 Eschdorf
Phone : (+352) 83 91 12-1Fax : (+352) 83 91 12-25Monday to Thursday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 16.30 ; open until 18.30 on Mondays, Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 -
EttelbruckPlace de l'Hôtel de Ville
L-9087 Ettelbruck
Postal address :
B.P. 116 L-9002 Ettelbruck
Phone : (+352) 81 91 81-1Fax : (+352) 81 91 81-364Monday to Friday: 08.30 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 16.30; open until 18.30 on Wednesdays -
Feulen25, route de Bastogne
L-9176 Niederfeulen
Phone : (+352) 81 27 47-1Fax : (+352) 81 79 08Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 (closed on Thursday morning); Monday, Wednesday: 13.00 - 17.00; Thursday: 13.00 - 19.00 -
Fischbach1, rue de l'Eglise
L-7430 Fischbach
Phone : (+352) 32 70 84-1Fax : (+352) 32 70 84-50Monday and Friday: 08.30 - 11.30; Thursday: 14.00 - 18.00 -
Flaxweiler1, rue de Berg
L-6926 Flaxweiler
Phone : (+352) 77 02 04-1Fax : (+352) 77 08 33Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00 -
Frisange10, Munnerëferstrooss
L-5701 Frisange
Postal address :
B.P. 12 L-5701 Aspelt
Phone : (+352) 23 66 84 08-1Fax : (+352) 23 66 06 88Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 16.00 (closed on Friday afternoon); Tuesday: 07.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 16.00; Thursday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 18.30 -
Garnich15, rue de l'Ecole
L-8353 Garnich
Phone : (+352) 38 00 19-1Fax : (+352) 38 00 19 90Monday-Friday: 08.30-11.30; Monday: 14.00 - 18.00; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 14.00 - 16.00 -
Goesdorf1, Op der Driicht
L-9653 Goesdorf
Phone : (+352) 83 92 70Fax : (+352) 89 91 73Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 08.30 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 18.00; closed on Thursday at 17.00 -
Grevenmacher6, Place du Marché
L-6755 Grevenmacher
Postal address :
B.P. 5 L-6701 Grevenmacher
Phone : (+352) 75 03 11-1Fax : (+352) 75 03 11-80Sécrétariat et recette communale: lundi à mercredi: 08.30 - 11.40 et 13.10 - 16.00; jeudi ouvert jusqu’à 18.00; vendredi ouvert jusqu’à 15.00 / Service du citoyen: 08.30 - 11.40 et 13.10 - 16.00; jeudi ouvert jusqu’à 19.00; vendredi ouvert jusqu’à 15.00 -
Grousbous-Wahl1, rue de Bastogne
L-9154 Grosbous
Postal address :
B.P. 7 L-9006 Grosbous
Phone : (+352) 83 80 22-1Fax : (+352) 83 86 55 -
HabschtPlace Denn
L-8465 Eischen
Phone : (+352) 39 01 33-1Fax : (+352) 39 01 33-209Maison communale à Eischen: lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 12.00; lundi, jeudi, vendredi: 13.00 - 17.00; mardi: 13.00 - 19.00 / Bureau communal à Hobscheid: mercredi: 10.00 - 12.00 / Bureau communal à Septfontaines: mercredi: 13.30 - 16.30 -
Heffingen2, am Duerf
L-7651 Heffingen
Phone : (+352) 83 71 68-1Fax : (+352) 87 97 54Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00 ; Tuesday from 07.00, open until 19.00 on Thursdays -
Helperknapp2, rue de Hollenfels
L-7481 Tuntange
Phone : (+352) 28 80 40-1Fax : (+352) 28 80 40-299Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 11.30; Monday: 13.00 - 16.30 / the Population Office is open until 19.00 on Wednesdays -
Hesperange474, route de Thionville
L-5886 Hesperange
Postal address :
B.P. 10 L-5801 Hesperange
Phone : (+352) 36 08 08-1Fax : (+352) 36 00 06Monday to Friday: 07.45 - 11.45 and 13.30 - 17.00; open until 18.00 on Thursdays -
Junglinster12, rue de Bourglinster
L-6112 Junglinster
Postal address :
B.P. 14 L-6101 Junglinster
Phone : (+352) 78 72 72-1Fax : (+352) 78 83 19Lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 11.30 et 13.00 - 16.30 / Bureau de la population: ouvert jeudi jusqu'à 19.00 (sauf la veille d'un jour férié) -
Käerjeng24, rue de l'Eau
L-4920 Bascharage
Postal address :
B.P. 50 L-4901 Bascharage
Phone : (+352) 50 05 52-1Fax : (+352) 50 05 52 399Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 16.00 (or by appointment) -
Kayl4, rue de l'Hôtel de Ville
L-3674 Kayl
Postal address :
B.P. 56 L-3601 Kayl
Phone : (+352) 56 66 66-1Fax : (+352) 56 33 23"Biergerzenter": Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 16.30; open until 18.30 on Wednesdays -
Kehlen15, rue de Mamer
L-8280 Kehlen
Phone : (+352) 30 91 91-1Fax : (+352) 30 91 91-200Monday-Friday: 07.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 16.00 -
Kiischpelt7, op der Gare
L-9776 Wilwerwiltz
Phone : (+352) 92 14 45Fax : (+352) 92 06 15Monday to Friday: 09.00 - 11.30 and 14.00 - 16.30 -
Koerich2, rue du Château
L-8385 Koerich
Phone : (+352) 39 02 56-1Fax : (+352) 39 73 62Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 16.00; open until 19.00 on Wednesdays -
Kopstal28, rue de Saeul
L-8189 Kopstal
Phone : (+352) 30 01 71-1Fax : (+352) 30 04 15Monday to Friday: 07.30 - 12.00 and 13.30 - 16.00 -
Lac de la Haute-Sûre7, Duerfstrooss
L-9635 Bavigne
Phone : (+352) 99 35 54-1Fax : (+352) 99 35 53Monday, Friday: 08.00 -11.30; Tuesday, Thursday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 16.30 (closed on Wednesdays) -
Larochette33, chemin J.A. Zinnen
L-7626 Larochette
Phone : (+352) 83 70 38-1Fax : (+352) 87 96 46Service population: lundi à vendredi: 08.00 - 12.00 et 14.00 - 17.00, lundi ouvert jusqu'à 19.00 / Sécrétariat et état civil: lundi à vendredi de 08.00 - 12.00 et 14.00 à 17.00 -
Lenningen3, rue de l'Église
L-5414 Canach
Phone : (+352) 35 97 35-1Fax : (+352) 35 97 36Population office and civil registry office: Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 12.00 and 13.00 to 16.00; by prior appointment also on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 07.00 to 08.00 and on Wednesdays from 16.00 to 18.00 -
Leudelange5, Place des Martyrs
L-3361 Leudelange
Postal address :
B.P. 32 L-3205 Leudelange
Phone : (+352) 37 92 92-1Fax : (+352) 37 92 92 50Monday to Friday: 08.00 - 11.30 and 13.00 - 16.00; open until 18.30 on Thursdays