Dutch rental contracts explained for expats

Your verhuurder emails you a PDF. Six pages in Dutch, a signature line at the bottom. Most expats sign it the same day because the housing market leaves no room to negotiate timing. But the contract contains terms that determine what you pay, what you owe when you leave, and what your landlord can and cannot do while you live there.

Kale huur and servicekosten

Every Dutch rental contract splits your monthly payment into two parts. The kale huur (literally "bare rent") is the base rent for the property itself. The servicekosten cover shared costs: cleaning of common areas, elevator maintenance, lighting in hallways, sometimes gas and water.

This split matters because your legal protections are tied to the kale huur, not the total amount you pay. The Huurcommissie can only assess the reasonableness of your kale huur. And since July 2024, the Wet betaalbare huur expanded rent regulation to the middenhuursegment, meaning more properties now fall under the puntenstelsel (points system) that caps what landlords can charge. If your kale huur exceeds what the points system allows, you can file a case with the Huurcommissie within six months of signing to get it reduced.

Your landlord must provide an annual breakdown of servicekosten. If they charge a monthly voorschot (advance), they owe you a yearly afrekening showing actual costs. If you overpaid, you get the difference back.

Borgsom

The borgsom (deposit) is money you pay upfront and get back when you leave, provided the apartment is in the same condition as when you moved in, minus normal wear and tear.

Since July 2023, the Wet goed verhuurderschap caps the borgsom at two months' kale huur for new contracts. Before this law, three months or more was common in the vrije sector. If your contract was signed after July 2023 and demands more than two months, that clause is unenforceable.

When you move in, photograph every existing defect and email the photos to your landlord with a date stamp. This is your evidence when they try to deduct repair costs from your deposit at the end. Ask for a voorinspectie (pre-inspection report) if one was not provided. Dutch landlords must return your deposit within a reasonable period after you move out, and any deductions must be itemised.

Opzegtermijn

The opzegtermijn (notice period) is asymmetric in Dutch rental law. As a tenant, you must give one calendar month's notice, always ending on the last day of a month. Your landlord's notice period is longer: at least three months, increasing by one month for every year you have lived there, up to six months.

A landlord also cannot simply decide to end the lease. They need a legal ground: personal use, renovation requiring vacancy, or a court ruling. This is huurbescherming (tenant protection), and it applies to most contracts voor onbepaalde tijd (indefinite-term).

Fixed-term contracts (bepaalde tijd) are an exception. Contracts of two years or less for independent housing end automatically on the agreed date, provided the landlord sends written notice between one and three months before the end date. If they forget, the contract converts to indefinite and full tenant protection kicks in.

Clauses your landlord cannot enforce

Dutch rental law overrides contract terms that violate tenant protections. Some clauses that regularly appear in contracts but have no legal standing:

Sleutelgeld. Charging money for handing over the keys is illegal under Art. 7:264 BW. Refuse to pay it.

Bemiddelingskosten charged to the tenant when the agent worked for the landlord. If a makelaar was hired by and represents the verhuurder, they cannot charge you a fee. This applies even if you found the listing on a platform.

Unreasonable renovation restrictions. You have the right to make minor changes (painting walls, installing shelves) without permission. For larger changes, a landlord can require you to restore the original state when you leave, but cannot prohibit all modifications outright.

Rental increases above the legal maximum. For regulated contracts, annual increases are capped by government-set percentages. Even in the vrije sector, an indexation clause must follow a clear formula (usually CPI-based). An open-ended "landlord may increase rent at any time" clause is unenforceable.

When to contact the Huurcommissie

The Huurcommissie is an independent government body that resolves disputes between tenants and landlords. You can file a case if you believe your rent exceeds what the puntenstelsel allows, if servicekosten are not properly itemised, if your landlord refuses to address serious maintenance issues, or if you are charged illegal fees.

Filing costs a small fee (€25 for tenants in 2025, refunded if the ruling is in your favour). The Huurcommissie's assessment is binding unless either party appeals to a kantonrechter within eight weeks.

For properties in the vrije sector with a kale huur above the liberalisatiegrens, the Huurcommissie's role is more limited. But the Wet betaalbare huur lowered the bar: since mid-2024, more rental properties fall within their jurisdiction than before.

Practice the vocabulary

TikTaal's free huurcontract scenario walks through a rental contract in context: reading each section, asking your verhuurder about a clause, and recognising terms like borgsom, opzegtermijn, and kale huur. Every Dutch word is clickable for pronunciation and translation.