Rental Licence

The city council is able to influence the rental market by introducing an accommodation licence. Not all councils have this regulation, but it is an option available to every council. Often, councils will choose to implement a rental licence when the number of available properties in the area is limited. The licence may enable new tenants to obtain accommodation. Currently, roughly twenty-five percent of Dutch city councils use rental licences: mostly cities in urban areas. This does not mean that you must have a licence to rent any kind of accommodation, but it will help you to find a property and be accepted as a new tenant.

To qualify for a rental licence, the tenant needs to meet the requirements set out by the city council. Each council determines their own specific conditions, for example, requiring a prospective tenant to prove a connection to the particular city where they wish to live. It is usually important that a prospective tenant is interested in a few properties but does not have endless money to spend on accommodation. A rental licence is inexpensive, but may help you in your search for a place to live. If you are a student looking to rent a student room, you do not need a rental licence.