Reporting centre for issues with landlords

You can report the following to the local council:

• Housing discrimination: You believe you are being denied a home because of, for example, your religion, appearance, political views, ethnic origin, gender, nationality or sexual orientation.
• Your landlord is trying to intimidate you, either through messages or in person.
• Your landlord does not wish to draw up a tenancy agreement, or the tenancy agreement has not been signed by both the tenant and the landlord.
• Your landlord is not providing you with adequate written information regarding:
  • your rights and obligations.
  • the arrangements regarding a possible deposit.
  • the contact details of the landlord and/or property manager.
  • the contact details of the local helpline for reporting issues with the landlord.
  • the service charges.
• Your landlord is asking for a deposit of more than two months’ basic rent.
• Your landlord does not explain what the service charges are for.
• You think the service charges are too high.
• Your letting agent or estate agent is charging double agency fees for letting your property.
• Your tenancy agreement has not been drawn up separately from your employment contract
• The information is not provided in a language you understand
• According to the rent check, you are paying too much rent, but the landlord is unwilling to adjust the rent. Read more about the rent check at Is my rent too high? by Volkshuisvesting Nederland.

Other matters, such as reports or complaints regarding poor maintenance or defects in the rented property, are not covered by the Good Landlord Act or the Affordable Rent Act. On the website of the Central Government You can read more about your rights as a tenant and what you can do to serve a notice of default on a landlord. There are various organisations that offer assistance with tenancy disputes. For example, you can ask a question about your rights as a tenant to the Housing Association, you can rent control committee seek an independent opinion or ask the legal advice centre.

You can find a simple explanation of your rights as a tenant at wonen.steffie.nl

Are you a local resident wishing to report a nuisance? You can do so via report a nuisance

Do you rent from a housing association or housing organisation?

Housing associations must also comply with the Good Landlord Act and the Affordable Rent Act. If you rent a property from a housing association, you can lodge your complaint with them. They will deal with your complaint.

Are you having trouble? If so, please refer to the information under the heading “Is your report about something else?”.

The council does not deal with reports concerning housing association properties. However, we do think it is important to be aware of what is going on. If we receive a large number of reports about a particular housing association, we will raise this in our discussions with them. You are therefore always welcome to submit a report about a housing association.

These are the rules set out in the Good Tenancy Act:

• Landlords must not discriminate against people looking for a home.
• Landlords must not threaten or intimidate tenants.
• Landlords may charge a deposit of up to two months’ basic rent. Basic rent is the rent excluding additional costs such as service charges, gas, water, electricity or administration fees.
• Landlords must draw up a tenancy agreement. The tenancy agreement must be signed by both the landlord and the tenant.
• Landlords must provide tenants with clear information on:
  • your rights and obligations that are not set out in the tenancy agreement.
  • the deposit and how to get it back when the contract ends.
  • how to contact the landlord. For example, by post, telephone or email.
  • where you can report unethical letting practices (on this website).
  • the service charges you are required to pay.
• Landlords may only charge service charges that are specified in the law (Articles 259 and 261 of Book 7 of the Civil Code).
• Letting agents are not permitted to charge tenants double agency fees.

Are properties let to migrant workers? If so, a landlord must also:

• Set out the tenancy agreement separately from the employment contract;
• Provide the tenant with the aforementioned information in writing, in a language they understand.

• The rent must be commensurate with the quality of the property. The aim of the Affordable Rent Act is to ensure there are more affordable rental properties and rooms. Or, to put it another way: more properties and rooms with a rent that is commensurate with their quality. That quality is determined using the Property Valuation System (WWS).
• The WWS is a points-based system and works simply: each property or room is awarded points based on its quality. For example, the number of square metres, the energy label, the WOZ value, the kitchen facilities available, and whether there is a garden or balcony. You add these points together. The total number of WWS points – in other words, the quality of a property – determines the maximum rent. A separate points system applies to non-self-contained accommodation (such as rooms): the Housing Valuation System for Non-Self-Contained Accommodation (WWSO).
• For social housing – that is, properties scoring up to and including 143 points – landlords have always been obliged to adhere to this maximum rent. The Affordable Rent Act means that a new sector is now being added to which this obligation also applies: the mid-range rental sector. These are properties with a score of 144 to 186 points. Previously, there was no fixed rent for these properties and landlords could charge whatever they wanted. By extending the rules to this sector as well, more affordable homes will become available.
• Properties scoring 187 points or more fall within the private sector. There is no maximum rent for these properties.
• Please note: the law also applies to properties let by private landlords, student accommodation and other non-self-contained living spaces.
• Find out all about the Affordable Rent Act and your specific situation at Is my rent too high? by Volkshuisvesting Nederland.

Once you have submitted a report, there are three steps to follow:

1. The local authority is investigating your report. In doing so, it will assess whether your report falls under the Good Landlord Act or the Affordable Rent Act, and whether something is indeed taking place that is not permitted.

2. If there is a breach of the Good Landlord Act or the Affordable Rent Act, an enforcement procedure will be initiated. The landlord will then receive a written warning. The local authority may also impose a fine on the landlord.

3. You will receive a response from the local authority as soon as possible, but no later than eight weeks. If necessary, we will contact you to request further information or supporting documents. This will enable us to assess the situation properly. We will then provide you with information about the relevant laws and regulations and advise you on which organisation might be able to help you further.

   Are you submitting your report anonymously? If so, you will not receive a response from the council. We will note your report and contact your landlord if necessary. You should therefore always ensure that your report is as specific as possible.

Are you unable to reach an agreement with your landlord? And does your complaint fall under the Good Landlord Act or the Affordable Rent Act (see the ‘What can you report to the local authority?’ tab)? If so, you can report this to the complaints helpline. Don’t forget to include as much evidence as possible, including proof of any contact you’ve had with your landlord.

Report an incident

You have two options:

• Report in person (you will be asked to provide personal details)
• Report anonymously (you do not provide any personal details)

Please note! You will only receive a response if you submit a report using your personal details. You can submit a report anonymously, for example if you are afraid of your landlord. Your report will still be processed, but the council will not be able to keep you informed about how it is being dealt with, as we do not have your contact details. Furthermore, the council will be unable to take enforcement action, as it cannot be established whether you are an interested party.

The local authority handles your personal data with care. For further information, please see the privacy statement from the municipality of Apeldoorn.