Are you a student renting a room or apartment in Amsterdam? Or are you planning to do so? Then it’s good to know what your rights are. Many students pay too much rent. Or they have to pay too much deposit or unclear service costs to their landlord.
In the Netherlands, there are laws that protect you as a tenant. Two important laws are the Affordable Rent Act and the Good Landlord Act. These laws ensure that your rent is fair and that landlords behave properly. Most tenants are happy with their landlord. But sometimes things go wrong.
Affordable Rent Act
The Affordable Rent Act has been in effect since July 1, 2024, and is intended to protect tenants from excessively high rents. Are you going to rent a (new) room? The landlord must adhere to the rent price according to the points system of your room. The points system of your room is determined by factors such as the area, energy label, and WOZ value. This number determines the maximum rent price.
Since January 1, 2025, landlords are required to clearly state how many points your room has at the beginning of the rental period. You can also calculate your points yourself via the Rent Price Check from the Rent Commission. You will also immediately see the rent price that corresponds to the number of points.
What if you pay too much rent?
Suppose you rent a room and pay € 600 per month. You do the rent price check and discover that the room can cost a maximum of € 450 according to the points system. Then you can ask the landlord to lower the rent price. If you cant reach an agreement, there are various things you can do:
- Report it to us Report problems with landlords. We investigate the case and can take enforcement action against landlords who do not comply with the rules. This helps to improve landlords behavior permanently.
- Present your case to the Rent Commission. The Rent Commission can lower your rent if you are paying too much and can make a binding ruling on defects in your home or room. Through My Rent Commission, you can start a case.
- Contact !WOON. They help you for free to take the right steps.