Despite the Affordable Housing Act coming into effect last July, the housing market in the Netherlands remains unaffordable and inaccessible to many.
Painfully high rent in the Netherlands isn’t exactly breaking news, but that’s the point: the new law was supposed to change things.
Ignoring the points
The Affordable Housing Act introduced a maximum rent for many properties, using a points system based on examining the properties’ characteristics.
If the total points are less than 187, the highest rent the landlord can charge is €1185.
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But a new RTL investigation reveals that landlords are regularly overcharging for properties listed on Funda.
Apartments that are too expensive BY LAW continue to be listed, and rented. Because what choice do we have?
Vulnerable and weak
Breaking the law shouldn’t be this easy, but “as long as there is such a large shortage, landlords are just trying to ask for more, and there are always house seekers who are prepared to pay that”, explains a spokesperson for the Woonbond.
This makes it increasingly more difficult for young people to move out and puts tenants in a vulnerable position.
Tenants: take action
Since the law stipulates that landlords must disclose how many points their property has when entering into a contract, you should check that before you sign.
And if you suspect your 30 m2, €1400 per month apartment in Haarlem does not reach 187 points, some protections are in place. 👇
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You can ask the Rent Assessment Committee for a ruling on the maximum rent. Since last year’s housing act was introduced, RTL found over 50 cases ruled in favour of the tenants.
But Dutch landlords are like cyclists, they see the obstacles they want to see. And most of them get ignored along the way.
Have you encountered similar issues when finding a home in the Netherlands? How was your experience?
