Rotterdam is finally taking action against landlords charging illegally high rent. The city is now working together with housing association, Woonbron, to push landlords to lower their rent in Rotterdam’s Carnisse neighbourhood.
And if the landlords fail to do so? Well, their tenants will be moved to alternative housing provided by Woonbron. On top of that, landlords may potentially be fined up to €90,000, the NOS reports.
Should the landlords say nee and not lower their rent, the municipality will move tenants to another home. Not only that but from July 1, any new rental contracts in the district can only be signed if a realistic rent is requested.
This means the age-old trick of booting tenants to boost the rent won’t work in this scenario.
Ridiculous rent for Rotterdam housing
In the current housing crisis, it’s no surprise to hear that private landlords often rent out small, old, and unpreserved homes for a lot of money.
READ MORE | The Dutch housing crisis explained
As a result, tenants are often charged more than €1000 rent per month for a home that is run-down, has improper insulation, and unsuitable maintenance.
What is a realistic lease?
Rotterdam is now saying that this won’t fly in the district, which is often home to migrants and low-income households.
READ MORE | Housing & rental scams in the Netherlands: ultimate red flag guide
So, how will a realistic lease be calculated? This is where the housing valuation system (WWS) applies. Here’s how it works:
Every home is given points for size, maintenance, insulation, and other factors that determine its quality. If a home receives less than 142 points, it is forbidden to ask for more than €808 euros of monthly rent. Yet often, landlords charge much more than this.
If tenants are being charged an amount that is too high, and the landlord refuses to lower the rent, they will be removed from their homes and moved somewhere else.
READ MORE | How to save a ton on your Dutch energy bill this year, from the experts
But does this mean that a tenant could become homeless, or be moved to an even worse living situation?
Nee. The municipality is working with housing association, Woonbron, which provides alternative housing when necessary. The association ensures that landlords charge a realistic amount and that every tenant has a proper home.
As alderman Chantal Zeegers tells Rijnmond, “this law is a breakthrough. As a municipality, we are very happy that we finally have something to deal with abuses structurally and to protect tenants against dishonest landlords”.
Who knew it would take so much effort to get landlords to do the bare minimum?
Do you know someone who is paying far too much rent? Tell us about their experience (or yours) in the comments below!
Isn’t this the same kind of “action” that Lenin advocated in Russia, that Castro advocated in Cuba, and that Chavez advocated in Venezuela? The answer is yes. – The migrants that you complain are being exploited, don’t have to stay in the Netherlands, they can go to France or Greece, or even Russia if they find life too oppressive here.
As far as the “low income“ households, how about getting a job that pays more so they aren’t low income. But of course, that’s not Socialism and you would have nothing to pontificate about!!
Everyone who is renting privately in Rotterdam is paying too much. And there is no social housing free, a long waiting list, and it’s capped (as it should be) so that lower income families can afford it. Problem is that forces everyone into the private sector and that’s just a joke here.