The Cost of Renting in The Netherlands

Renting in the Netherlands can be expensive, especially if you are looking for property in the capital city, Amsterdam. In other cities renting a property is usually cheaper, but it may not be as cheap as in other countries. However, compared to other European countries, rent in the Netherlands is by no means extortionate. To ensure that property is not unreasonably priced, a special points system has been developed to assess how much landlords should charge.

You should expect to pay more for a property in a popular area, and for a property which has special features such as a double garage or wood-burning stove. You may find it difficult to rent a property in a popular area or city, especially in the capital Amsterdam. Since housing in fashionable areas is in high demand, landlords can charge high prices – landlords who abuse this opportunity are known as 'huisjesmelkers', literally, house-milkers! The average price for an inclusive room in the Netherlands is €320, but prices will vary depending on location and the type of property you rent. Luckily, rental costs seem to be settling down: the average cost per square metre has reduced by seventeen percent since last year.


Average rent for a student room per month:

To determine the rental cost of a room or property, you will need to consider the two rental expenses: the rent itself and the running costs. If the price has taken both these elements into account it is known as an 'inclusive' rent. The rent itself is calculated based on the size of the property or room, and the facilities available to tenants such as an ensuite bathroom, dishwasher or washing machine.

Running costs will depend on the different services available, such as electricity, water, the internet and phone line, and the amount that they are used. You may find however that you are only expected to contribute to the gas, water and electricity costs: it is common in the Netherlands for landlords to cover the cost of internet and of property maintenance themselves. However, most landlords will assess their expenditure at the end of each calendar year, and ask you to pay extra if bills are significantly higher than expected or if energy prices have risen. Alternatively, they may give you a refund if you have been overcharged.

In the Netherlands, property advertisements will usually quote the inclusive price at the monthly rate, which prevents tenants from unwelcome surprises. Nevertheless, you may wish to ask the landlord for the exclusive price (the rent alone) in order to assess the way in which the cost of the property has been determined.

At the end of each year, the landlord is required to send each tenant a breakdown of the service costs, even if tenants pay an inclusive rate. If you feel that service costs are excessive, or that your landlord is being dishonest, you can contact the Rental Commission and ask how much you should reasonably expect to pay. To ensure that you are not being charged too much by your landlord you can compare the rent you are paying against the rent you would be expected to pay according to the points system. This is a system which evaluates the quality of a property based on the size of the living space, the location, the rental price of comparable apartments, the surroundings, the available amenities and the living comforts, and awards it a corresponding number of points. Aspects such as room size, heating system, kitchen equipment, outside space and the neighbourhood will all be taken into account. The more points that a property is awarded, the higher the rental price that can be charged:


Independent property (for instance an apartment) per month:

Dependent property (a student room for instance) per month:

The point system exists for both 'independent' as well as 'dependent' properties, but the points system differs somewhat in the evaluation of the different property types, and rent for independent properties is usually higher. Every year the government determines the maximum rental price for properties in each points category. The numbers mentioned above are valid from the first of July 2007. Some properties can be 'liberalised' from the points system if they have qualities which cannot be categorised in this way, for example a particularly trendy location. There is however a limit to the rent which can be charged for a liberalised property: if a property's rental cost exceeds this, it cannot be classed as a liberalised residence.

Rent will increase each year in line with inflation, but legally it should not increase by any more than this. Some housing associations increase rent by more than the rate of inflation, but the government aims to prevent this in the future. Rent increases are valid from the first of July each year. If you wish to negotiate a rent decrease, you will need to hand a written proposal to your landlord: the Rental Committee has a form which you can use. You should include reasons for the rent decrease, such as the poor condition of the property. If your landlord does not accept your proposal you may wish to ask the Rental Committee to review your situation and negotiate a rent reduction on your behalf.


For more information on rental costs, see also:

• Additional Costs