New PEB certificate in Wallonia: what changes when selling or buying a property?

What actually changes in the Walloon PEB certificate

The reform concerns the content and presentation of the document, not the principle behind it. The certificate is still drawn up by an accredited assessor and remains compulsory before any sale or letting of a home.

An indicative renovation pathway towards label A

This is the main novelty. The certificate now sets out the principal energy improvements that could be considered, the order in which they could be carried out and their expected impact on the label. A property rated E therefore no longer comes down to a single letter: the buyer sees at a glance which items (roof, walls, window frames, floors, technical installations) weigh most heavily in the result. The Union des Villes et Communes de Wallonie sets out the content of this new version in its analysis.

A cost estimate, but not for every property

For certain categories of building, the pathway comes with an indicative estimate of the cost of the works, expressed as ranges. For a single-family house, the analysis covers the whole building. For a flat or a home connected to communal installations, the certificate provides no budget estimate, since part of the works depends on decisions taken at the level of the co-ownership.

Solar panels: two labels instead of one

The certificate now distinguishes between the actual label of the home and the label it would obtain without taking renewable electricity production into account. The reading is more honest: it separates the intrinsic performance of the building fabric from the contribution of the panels. The document also states the share of renewable energy produced on site and the CO2 emissions linked to the use of the home.

What does not change for sellers

An important point, and one that is often misunderstood: this new version does not modify the applicable rules. Certificates still within their validity period remain valid until their regulatory expiry date. The obligations attached to sale and letting, along with the information to be included in property advertisements, remain unchanged.

In other words, there is no need to have a still-valid certificate redone. If, on the other hand, you need one drawn up for an upcoming sale, you will automatically receive the new format, with the additional information it contains.

Sellers: anticipate how the new certificate will be read

The renovation pathway turns an abstract figure into a legible programme of works. That is an opportunity for the seller who prepares, and a negotiation risk for the one who discovers the certificate on the day of the first viewing.

A property of character is not bought on its label, and buyers of this kind of heritage have always factored a share of works into their project. But the conversation shifts. A renovation pathway putting a figure of several tens of thousands of euros on the works, with nobody there to put it in perspective, weighs heavily during a viewing. A reasoned reading of the document is worth far more than a simple “it is old, that is normal”.

Renovate before selling, or sell as it stands?

There is no single answer. Some items improve the label for a contained investment and are recovered in the sale price. Others, heavier ones, are rarely profitable for a seller and are of more interest to the buyer, who will fold them into their own project and financing plan. The trade-off depends on the property, on the buyer profile being targeted and on the state of the local market.

This is precisely the kind of analysis we carry out during an appraisal ahead of a sale. Our principle has never changed: a fair valuation rather than a flattering one. An overvalued price that the certificate contradicts during viewings costs months of marketing and, ultimately, a heavier discount than the one it was meant to avoid.

Buyers: a useful tool, provided you read it properly

For a prospective buyer, the new certificate finally answers the question that inevitably followed the announcement of the label: and in practice, what does that mean?

A starting point, not a quotation

The renovation pathway and the cost estimates are generated automatically by the certification software, from the characteristics observed during the visit. They offer a standardised view that takes no account of your technical choices, of the particularities of the property, or of your project. As the notaries of Belgium point out, this document replaces neither a technical study nor a contractor’s quotation. The Walloon housing audit remains the reference tool for a personalised analysis.

Building renovation into the negotiation

A costed renovation pathway gives an objective framework to the discussion on price. It also makes it possible to prioritise: some works improve immediate comfort, others the label, others again the resale value. The three do not always overlap.

One element among others in a transaction

The PEB certificate sheds light on one aspect of a property. It says nothing about planning rules, easements, occupancy status or development potential, all of which weigh just as heavily in an estate transaction. For rural properties and properties of character, these elements combine and call for an overall reading.

For 100 years, Comptoir Foncier has been supporting owners and buyers in the brokerage and appraisal of substantial properties: built, agricultural and forestry. Over the past ten years, our activity has covered more than 40,000 hectares.

Looking to sell? Have your property appraised by our specialists before bringing it to market, and obtain a reasoned valuation, PEB certificate included.