Terms & Conditions

1. House of co is a platform available online on the website www.houseofco.eu operated by House of co BV, company under Belgian law, with its registered office at Bosdreef 9, 2390 Oostmalle and listed in the Crossroad Bank for Companies (Kruispuntbank voor ondernemingen / Banque-Carrefour des entreprises) under company number BE0650 856 637.
2. These Terms of Use, including the terms of our Privacy Policy(“Terms”), contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please take sufficient time to read and understand all of these Terms carefully before using our services.
3. These Terms and Conditions are part of the Rental Agreement between the customer, herafter called “the Tenant” and House of co, hereafter called “the Landlord”
4. The Tenant and the Landlord are hereinafter jointly referred to as “the Parties”.
   The Rental Agreement between the Parties comes into effect as of the explicit acceptance of the offer by the Tenant. The Terms and Conditions will be brought to the knowledge of the Tenant together with the offer and will also be made available to the Tenant by the Landlord upon confirmation of the stay. The Tenant is thus deemed to have taken cognisance of the Terms and Conditions upon conclusion of the rental agreement.

Acceptance of terms

1. By registering for a reservation or a booking a person who applies for an Accommodation acknowledges that she/he has read and understood these Terms and agree to be bound by them to comply with these Terms and all applicable laws and regulations.

Services

1. House of co provides accommodation in cohousing projects. House of co provides an all-in-one service to their tenants and partners.
   House of co does not own the accommodation it offers on the platform. It intervenes as an intermediary between the tenant and the landlord within the framework of the property management mandate entrusted to it by the Landlord.
   You understand and agree that :
   The house rules are known and be observed
   House of co can facilitate the move-in of the Tenant and hand over the key, badge or access code to the house.
   House of co has the mandate to follow up on any repair works in the house.
   All of these services are hereafter referred to as “Services”.
   Functioning of the website
   House of co attaches the utmost care to uploading information on the available Accommodations and their characteristics, as well as photos illustrating the Accommodations.
   House of co wants to make sure the description and pictures of the Accommodation correspond with reality. However, sometimes through the years the inventory and the state of the room (colours, sheets,…) might change because of wear or replacement. In such cases House of co cannot be held liable.
   To apply for a visit and ultimately book an Accommodation, You must be at least eighteen (18) years old and be entitled in your jurisdiction to enter into legally binding agreements in order to rent a room. You must provide current, accurate identification, contract and other information that may be required as part of the registration process and/or continued use of the Services.
   House of co is invited to provide a certain number of data:
   Last name, first name and contact information;
   E-mail address;
   Whatsapp number;
   Date of birth;
   Place of birth
   Sex;
   Nationality;
   Job Title;
   Address;
   Booking procedure
   The booking of an Accommodation via our website is made in following stages, as described below:
   Select the desired Accommodation and room by clicking on “houses” or “find a room’
   You can apply for a visit or make an early reservation by mailing to info@houseofco.eu. You can also make a direct booking.
   An Accommodation can never be booked for less than three (3) months. The Tenant is free to choose the initial duration of the rent, as long as it doesn’t exceed the period of the rental agreement of a specific house. Rental agreements are usually up to 1 year and extendable until 3 years. A Tenant can decide at any moment to terminate his/her rental agreement with 3 months’ notice.
   The booking of an accommodation shall be restricted to the initial day of each month, excluding all other days. The Tenant shall be entitled to exercise the option of early or late check-in and/or check-out exclusively on the designated days of occupancy.
   When a housemate decides to put an end to his lease, this person must notify the Landlord and the other housemates as soon as possible, by letter, email or any other communication channel with acknowledgment of receipt.
   Within the first month of the 3 months’ notice, the outgoing Tenant is held to make sufficient efforts to find a replacement Tenant, who is aligned with the Philosophy of House of co.
   The Landlord has the right to refuse the proposed replacement. When House of co has accepted the candidacy of the respective replacement tenant, the replacement tenant will be invited to sign an rental agreement and House of co house rules.
   Provided the outgoing tenant has made sufficient active searches or a replacement tenant has been admitted the outgoing housemate is released from any future liabilities or obligations. In any other case the tenant remains responsible and liable to this rental agreement for a period of three months starting from the first day of the month following on the month in which the tenant informed the landlord about the early termination.
   Rental Agreement
   Short term rental Agreement ( maximum 1 year)
   The House of co code of conduct and house rules
   Description of the Premises and contents
   The Description of the Premises and contents is prepared by House of co. The Tenant declares to have received the inventory describing his private space and common areas by a shared online file and as a physical copy.
   The tenant is asked to give his consent by signing the documents and sending them by mail to info@houseofco.eu. The electronic signature has the same legal value as a handwritten signature. By signing the documents, the tenant acknowledges having read the documents and expressly accepts the rights and obligations mentioned therein.
   The tenant is strongly advised to download and save the documents.
   The booking of the accommodation will be confirmed by automatic email within 48 hours following the application for the room. House of co reserves the right to refuse an application, especially if the accommodation is not available or if the data provided by House of co are incomplete or incorrect. House of co will contact the Tenant personally in case of refusal to specify the reason for the refusal.
   In case of refusal, there will be no contract between House of co and the Tenant. If for any reason an agreement is not reached, House of co will refund the payment made within 5 business days. House of co cannot be held liable for any compensation whatsoever.
   Prices
   Charges
   The room prices appearing on the website are indicated in euro (€) and all monthly charges are included. The price consists of the rent and the monthly charges.
   The Tenant is required to pay the price as indicated on the website at the time of booking. Any obvious error in the price indicated can always be corrected by House of co after the conclusion of the contract. The Tenant will have the possibility to terminate the contract if he does not agree with the new price and will be able to obtain the refund of the sums already paid. Prices vary from house to house and from room to room. House of co has the right to modify its prices at any renewal of a Tenant. At each anniversary of the rental agreement rent is subject to the annual indexing.
   Payment of the deposit
   The Tenant must pay a security deposit. They will receive a payment request for this within 48 hours after booking. The Tenant will respect the payment terms stated on this payment request. The deposit will be at least 3 months’ rent for every stay.
   Irrespective of the time of the request for payment of the security deposit, it must be paid at the latest 4 weeks before of te start of the rental agreement.
   The Landlord is entitled to refuse to activate the key card or to hand it over to the Tenant until the security deposit has been paid.
   The security deposit is paid via the offered online payment system to a separate account managed by the Landlord. The Landlord is forbidden to use the funds deposited in this security deposit account for any other purpose than to guarantee the Tenant’s contractual obligations.
   Payment of the rent
   The Tenant should pay his first rent pro rata on the bank account given in the confirmation mail and the rental agreement.
   From the moment the deposit and the first rent are paid, the rental agreement of the tenants becomes active. House of co will add you to the House of co house groups on WhatsApp.
   The following rent payments, including monthly charges, shall be made during the term of the rental agreementon the same account number in accordance with the terms of the rental agreement. The rent is due per calendar month and must be paid prior to the calendar month in question. The Landlord will provide the Tenant with a timely monthly invoice for this purpose. The Rent is payable via the online payment system offered or any other payment system that has been offered.
   In the event of late payment, the Tenant will be liable, ipso jure and without prior notice, to interest at a rate of 1 % per month from the due date of payment. In that case the Tenant also owes a fixed compensation of 10 % of the outstanding amount due to the administration and collection costs incurred.
   In the event of (partial) non-payment or late payment, the Landlord furthermore reserves the right to terminate the Rental Agreement with immediate effect. The payments for the entire rental period remain due in full, as do any payments for rental damage and administrative costs.
   Moving in
   The tenant could, in principle, move in anytime he wants. However, House of co will only be able to welcome the incoming tenant during office hours, so between 10 am and 5 pm from Monday to Friday. The tenant can however always ask for an exception. The Tenant is however always required to communicate in advance the day and time of his arrival to House of co house. Moving in takes place at the cost and risk of the tenant.
   Cancellation Policy
   House of co services are executed once the booking of an accommodation has been made. Therefore, the Tenant acknowledges and accepts that he loses his right of withdrawal once he has validated his booking on the website.
   Without prejudice to the possibility of giving notice during the rental period, the Tenant must pay compensation of one month’s rent in the event of cancellation before the start of the rental period but after the Rental Agreement has been signed.
   Description of place/checklist
   The parties shall draw up a detailed description of the premises of the rented accommodation. Upon check in, the Landlord will give the Tenant a checklist for this purpose, consisting of a detailed description of the rented accommodation and an overview of the furniture, fittings and decoration present in it.
   The tenant should immediately inspect the rented accommodation with the aid of the checklist and return the checklist to the Landlord within 48 hours after check in. Any damage, defect or irregularity should be noted on the form. If the Tenant has not completed or returned the checklist within 48 hours after the check in, the Tenant will be deemed to have no comments and the rented accommodation will be deemed to be in perfect condition.
   The rented accommodation should be returned by the Tenant in the condition it was in upon check in.
   Upon check out, the Parties will again jointly arrange an inspection of the premises on the basis of the checklist completed at the time of check in. Compensation fees for damage, defects or any other irregularity attributable to the Tenant will be deducted from the deposit in the first instance. If the deposit is not sufficient to cover the damage, the balance will be charged separately.
   The checklist forms an integral part of the Rental Agreement.
   Liability of House of co
   The Rental Agreement is concluded between the tenant and the Landlord.
   The liability of House of co limited to the services provided as described above. House of co cannot be held liable if the bad execution of the Services is due to the fault of the tenant, a third party unrelated to the rental agreement or in case of force majeure.
   In any case, the liability of House of co is limited to the repair of the direct damages suffered by the tenant arising from identified shortcomings. House of co can in no way be held liable for any form of indirect damage resulting from any shortcomings.
   Intellectual property
   “Intellectual Property Rights” means copyrights, patents, registered design, design rights, database rights, trademarks, trade secrets, know-how or any other proprietary or industrial right, registered or unregistered.
   The content which is published on our website is protected by the intellectual property rights of House of co. “Content” means the very broad category of information, logos, photos, brands, drawings, models, slogans, databases, et cetera available on the website. The source code of the website is protected. Any third party cannot derive or attempt to derive such source code, or reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or translate the software or any part thereof unless House of co has given its prior agreement in writing, tenants are not authorised to modify, reproduce, translate, distribute, sell, borrow, rent, communicate to the public, in whole or in part the protected elements. House of co intends to pursue any infringement of its intellectual property rights.
   Protection of personal data
   The personal data provided by the Tenant at the time of booking is necessary for the execution of the services. This data is collected and processed by House of co exclusively for internal purposes. House of co undertakes to comply with the applicable legislation in this area, namely the Belgian Act of 8 December 1992 on Privacy Protection in relation to the Processing of Personal Data (“Privacy Law”) and the Regulation of 27 April 2016 on the Protection of Natural Persons with regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free Movement of such Data (“GDPR”).
   Pet prohibition
   Pets are prohibited in the entire building.
   Smoking prohibition
   Smoking is prohibited in the entire building, both in the communal areas and in the rented accommodation. If it is found that this rule is not followed, a smoking fee of EUR 150.00 will be charged immediately.
   Right of retention
   In the event of non-compliance with payment obligations by the Tenant, the Landlord has the right to keep in its possession any goods deposited by the Tenant until full payment of the arrears has been received.
   Prohibition on transfer and subletting
   It is not permitted to transfer the present Rental Agreement or to sublet the accommodation rented. Offering the rented accommodation through Airbnb is also prohibited.
   In view of this general prohibition, the Tenant cannot, under any circumstances, appeal to a tacit consent of the Landlord.
   Maintenance and repairs
   The Landlord shall place the rented accommodation at the Tenant’s disposal in a good state of maintenance.
   The Tenant undertakes to keep the rented accommodation and the furniture, decoration, materials, etc. therein in a good state of repair for the entire duration of the rental and to return it at the end of the rental period in the state in which it was upon check in.
   The Tenant will immediately inform the Landlord if any damage occurs or threatens to occur. The Tenant is liable for any nuisance and/or damage caused directly or indirectly by the Tenant or their guests and visitors. The Tenant is not liable for damage as a result of normal use or wear and tear.
   Each instance of nuisance or damage caused by the Tenant which gives rise to extra cleaning or laundry services will automatically incur a flat-rate charge of EUR 100.00. This is without prejudice to the compensation for any repair or replacement of damaged furniture, curtains, decoration, etc. or damage to the rented accommodation itself.
   The Tenant is not permitted to make any changes to the rented accommodation, nor make any holes, use any nails or screws, glue or adhesive material, etc. in the walls, floors or ceiling.
   Landlord access to the rented accommodation
   The Landlord has the right to access the residential unit and the common areas at all times in case of urgent necessity, as well as for security reasons or if there is a well-founded suspicion that the Tenant is carrying out illegal practices or acts contrary to the Terms and Conditions and the House Rules in the residential unit(s).
   The Landlord is also entitled to view the residential unit(s) with potential future tenants. The Landlord will inform the Tenant of the time at which these viewings will take place in good time.
   Liability
   The Tenant is liable for any damage or nuisance caused to or in the building or rented accommodation except if the damage is the result of normal use or wear and tear.
   If damage or loss occurs as a result of an attributable failure on the part of a service provider of the Landlord, the compensation for the damage or loss to the Tenant will be limited to the compensation that the Landlord receives from the service provider concerned.
   The Landlord’s liability shall in any event be limited to the value of the Rental Agreement or the compensation paid to the Landlord by a third party or the insurance company as a compensation for the damage or loss suffered by the Tenant.
   The Tenant must prove for each damage to, or loss or theft of, his property that it took place in the residential unit and that it is due to certain acts or omissions by the Landlord or service providers of the Landlord. Unless the Tenant provides such proof, the Landlord or the service provider engaged by the Landlord is not liable for damage to goods and persons, loss or theft.
   The Landlord is not liable for damage or loss for which the Tenant is or should have been insured.
   The Tenant is responsible for the guests and visitors to whom they grant access to the building and/or the rented accommodation. The Landlord cannot be held liable for damage or loss caused by these persons, nor for damage or nuisance caused by certain goods that the Tenant or their guests bring into the building. The Tenant is liable for any damage caused by their own actions or omissions (whether unlawful or not) or by those of their guests and visitors.
   Without prejudice to the foregoing, the Landlord is liable for damage to or loss of goods that the Tenant has given into the care of the Landlord in return for payment. However, compensation for damage or loss shall be limited to the market value of the item(s) concerned. The Landlord shall not be liable for the contents of goods placed in its care. For example, the contents of a wallet shall only be compensated if, at the time of depositing, the Tenant has notified the Landlord of them in writing. The Landlord can never be held liable for goods that have not been placed in its care in return for payment
   Impossibility of performance/Force majeure
   Force majeure is understood to be any event beyond the control of the Parties of an unpredictable and insurmountable nature that prevents either the guest or the hospitality center from fulfilling all or part of the obligations set out in the contract. Such events include:
   war (whether declared or not), armed conflict or the serious threat of same (including but not limited to hostile attack, blockade, military embargo), hostilities, invasion, act of a foreign enemy, extensive military mobilisation;
   civil war, riot rebellion and revolution, military or usurped power, insurrection, civil commotion or disorder, mob violence, act of civil disobedience;
   act of terrorism, sabotage or piracy;
   act of authority whether lawful or unlawful, compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, curfew restriction, expropriation, compulsory acquisition, seizure of works, requisition, nationalisation;
   act of God, plague, epidemic, natural disaster suchas but not limited to violent storm, cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, blizzard, earthquake, volcanic activity, landslide, tidal wave, tsunami, flood, damage or destruction by lightning, drought;
   explosion, fire, destruction of machines, equipment, factories and of any kind of installation, prolonged break-down of transport, electronic telecommunication networks or electric current;
   general labour disturbance such as but not limited to boycott, strike and lock-out, go-slow, occupation of factories and premises.
   Neither party will be liable to the other party in the event of a breach of its obligations resulting from an event of force majeure. It is expressly agreed that force majeure suspends, for the Parties, the execution of their reciprocal obligations and that each party shall bear the burden of the resulting costs.
   In case of force majeure, the Landlord has the right to suspend performance of the Rental Agreement, without the Tenant being able to claim any compensation from the Landlord for this.
   Insurance
   The Landlord shall insure the property for its full construction value. It does so with an approved insurance company and throughout the duration of the Rental Agreement for the following risks, at a minimum: fire, flood, storm, earthquake, water damage, explosion, electrical risks, etc.
   The Tenant is responsible for insuring their own household and personal effects.
   Registration
   The Landlord is responsible for the registration of the Rental Agreement.
   Applicable law and court of competent jurisdiction
   These Terms and all matters arising out of or relating to these Terms (including non-contractual disputes or claims and their interpretation) shall be governed by the laws of Belgium to the extent that such law is not overridden by applicable mandatory law. Any claim or dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms shall (including non-contractual disputes or claims and their interpretation) shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Antwerp, Belgium.
   Any dispute relating to their validity, interpretation or execution shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the judicial district Antwerp.
   Entire Agreement
   These Terms and Conditions, the Short term rental agreement and the House of co code of conduct and house rules collectively set forth the entire agreement and understanding between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as specifically provided herein, supersede and merge all prior oral and written agreements, discussions and understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and neither of the Parties shall be bound by any conditions, inducements or representations other than as expressly provided for herein.
   No general or specific term or condition communicated by a guest can be incorporated into these Terms and Conditions or the House of co code of conduct and house rules.
   Nullity
   In the event of nullity or unenforceability of a provision of this Rental Agreement, the Parties undertake to replace this provision with one that is valid and of as similar economic and legal effect as possible.
   Amendment of these Terms and Conditions
   These Terms and Conditions may be modified and/or supplemented at any time. In that case, the new version of these General Terms and Conditions will be made available online and will automatically apply as regards all Tenants with immediate effect, except for reservations made prior to the date on which said terms and conditions were published online, for which the previously accepted version of these Terms and Conditions remain applicable.