Leaving Soon? Please Plan Your Waste Disposal Before You Move Out

Leaving your studio clean also means leaving it completely free of waste.

Every year, we unfortunately find studios where rubbish, food, cardboard, bottles or incorrectly sorted waste has been left behind. This creates unpleasant odours, hygiene issues, delays for incoming residents and additional work that could easily be avoided.

In some cases, the waste must be collected, transported, sorted manually and taken to the appropriate recycling facilities. During warm weather, food waste can quickly produce strong odours, making the cleaning process particularly unpleasant. With a little planning before your departure, these situations are usually easy to avoid.

Our goal is not to charge additional fees, but to prevent these situations from occurring in the first place.

Plan Ahead During Your Final Two Weeks

Instead of waiting until your last day, we recommend that you gradually reduce the amount of waste you produce.

You can do this by:

• Using the food already stored in your refrigerator and freezer before buying more.
• Avoiding large grocery purchases during your final week.
• Disposing of rubbish regularly instead of allowing it to accumulate.
• Flattening cardboard boxes and taking them to the appropriate collection point as soon as possible.
• Giving unopened food to friends or fellow students if you cannot take it with you.
• Selling or donating items you no longer need before moving out.
• Checking the Leuven waste collection calendar to know when each type of waste will be collected.
• Planning ahead if your departure falls between collection days.

A little preparation during your final week will save time, reduce stress and help avoid unnecessary costs.

Please Do Not

To protect other residents and our neighbours, please never:

• Leave rubbish inside the studio.
• Leave rubbish bags in corridors, entrance halls, basements or any common areas.
• Put waste outside on the wrong collection day.
• Leave rubbish next to public bins or anywhere in the street.

Please note that illegal dumping or placing waste outside at the wrong time may result in fines imposed by the City of Leuven. Any such fines remain the responsibility of the tenant and may be deducted from the rental deposit.

Before Returning Your Keys

Please ensure that:

• The studio is completely free of waste.
• The refrigerator and freezer are empty and clean.
• All food has been removed.
• Waste has been sorted correctly according to Leuven’s waste collection rules.
• No rubbish bags, cardboard, bottles or personal belongings remain in either the studio or the common areas.

Leaving waste behind is not considered part of normal end-of-tenancy cleaning.

What If the Collection Day Is After My Departure?

If the official collection day takes place after your departure, please plan ahead. Leaving waste in the studio or common areas is not an acceptable solution.

Possible alternatives include:

• Reducing waste production during your final week.
• Taking your rubbish with you if you are travelling by car.
• Asking a friend, flatmate or fellow student who is staying longer to place your official rubbish bags outside on the correct collection day.
• Taking recyclable materials (glass, paper/cardboard and PMD) to the appropriate public collection containers before leaving.
• Bringing larger quantities of waste to the local recycling centre before your departure.
• Giving away unopened food or reusable household items instead of throwing them away.

If you are unsure how to dispose of certain waste or if your departure does not coincide with the collection schedule, please contact us before moving out. We are always happy to help find a practical solution.

Waste Removal Charges

If waste, abandoned belongings or incorrectly sorted rubbish is left behind after your departure, the landlord will need to collect, transport, sort and dispose of these items.

A fixed waste removal charge of €150 per studio will therefore be applied.

This amount reflects the average costs involved, including:

• Approximately three hours of labour.
• Transport to the appropriate disposal facilities.
• Official waste bags and disposal materials.
• Recycling centre and disposal fees where applicable.
• Administrative processing.

If the actual costs exceed this amount, for example because of excessive quantities of waste, abandoned furniture or other bulky items, the additional costs may also be charged to the tenant.

We understand that moving out can be a busy and sometimes stressful period, particularly for international students. If you anticipate any difficulties, please contact us before your departure. In most cases, a simple conversation in advance allows us to find a practical solution.

For more information about waste collection in Leuven, please visit our article 🗑️ Garbage Collection in Leuven: How It Works & What to Do