Advice Landlords

We are also happy to give advice on how to enter into a proper and legal lease. We can advice landlords on the final statement of service costs. In this way, we prevent problems from arising. Both parties benefit from this.

General

General: Answers to questions about what you need to arrange can be found here.

Rental Contract

It is important to lay down agreements in a rental contract. You give the tenant the right to stay in your property. You always want to avoid problems with the tenant. Your lease should be tailored to your specific situation. You have to take into account various aspects, such as: do you want to rent temporarily and is this allowed? What is the legal rent you are allowed to charge? This is of great importance because the tenant has the right to have the lease, the rent and the service charge statement to be reviewed by the Rent Commission. Therefore, seek advice in advance and avoid problems with the tenant.

Rent

As landlord, you may not charge just any rent. The property you rent is calculated in points in the Dutch housing rating system. The number of points depends on the size and quality of a property or room. If the house falls in the social sector or the middle segment (up to 186 points), you must adhere to the maximum rent that corresponds to the housing rating system. On the website of the Rent Commission you can calculate the rent accurately. Please note: if you ask a higher rent than the maximum rent or if that rent does not fit with how you have maintained the property, the tenant can force you to lower the rent. This can be done through the Rent Commission.

Rent Protection

The tenant has protection if there is an indefinite rental contract. This means that as a landlord you cannot simply terminate the lease. The law stipulates the situation in which you as a landlord may terminate the lease. For example, this can be done in the following situations:

When the tenant does not behave properly and there is non-performance due to late payment or nuisance.
You urgently need the rented accommodation for your own use. There are strict rules for this. We can advise you.
It is hospitable tenancy. As a landlord, you can terminate the first nine months prematurely.

However, there are more cases in which you as a landlord can give notice. You can contact us for this and we can advise you.

Temporary Contract

There are exceptions made to indefinite leases where a fixed-term lease is possible. Seek advice on this. Fixed-term leases are allowed in cases such as:

You rent to a student and you agree on a so-called campus contract.
You rent to a status holder who is waiting for a permanent housing solution.

Rights and duties of the landlord and tenant

The obligations of tenants and landlords of residential premises are, for the most part, laid down by law. The main rights and obligations are as follows: The tenant must behave as a good tenant. That is, pay the rent on time, do not cause a nuisance and report defects. The landlord’s main obligations are as follows. First, the landlord must provide the property. The landlord is also responsible for providing residential enjoyment. That is, as a tenant, you must be able to live in the home undisturbed. Therefore, the landlord is not allowed to enter the property just like that and must ensure that the property is in good condition. Furthermore, the landlord must repair defects in the property and maintain the property properly. Which costs for maintenance are for the landlord and which for the tenant can be found here.

Service Charges Final Settlement

De verhuurder moet elk jaar vóór 1 juli van het opvolgende kalenderjaar aan zijn huurders een eindafrekening servicekosten aanbieden. Uit deze afrekening moet blijken wat en hoe hoog de servicekosten waren en of de maandelijkse voorschotten die zijn betaald voldoende waren. Als er te veel is betaald, dan moet je dit als verhuurder terugstorten. Wij kunnen verhuurders die deze berekening lastig vinden helpen door hen gebruik te laten maken van onze template.

Rent Increase

Once a year you are allowed to increase the bare rent of an existing contract. Every year the government sets the percentage by which rents for the social, middle and free sector may be increased. Always consult the government website for current information. There are also rules that the rent increase proposal must meet; for example, it must be sent to the tenant 2 months before the effective date. If the rent increase does not meet the legal requirements, the tenant can object.

Identity Fraud

You need to know who you are renting your property to. Always ask the tenant for valid identification. Always check that the person on the ID is also the one signing the lease and verify that the tenant’s ID is genuine.

Good Landlord Act

Since July 1, 2023, the Good Landlord Act sets out how a landlord must behave. This offers tenants more protection. There are rules about discrimination and harassment, the deposit, mediation fees, service charges, mandatory written rental agreement and additional rules for renting to migrant workers. Tenants can report violations of these rules to our Meldpunt Huurders Nijmegen. The municipality can enforce against a violation. More information about the rules and the consequences of this law for landlords can be consulted here