As a rental agent, it is our job to keep you informed of recent developments that may affect your rental activities. As you may already know, the Dutch government recently passed a bill that gives municipalities more options to protect tenants from abusive rental practices.
This bill introduces a standard for good landlordism and allows municipalities to require a rental permit. This means that municipalities can actively manage good landlordship, for example, by imposing additional requirements on landlords when it comes to home maintenance and the maximum rent for regulated rental housing.
What does the Good Landlord Act entail?
As a rental agent, it is our job to inform you of the most important aspects of the Good Rental Practices Act. Below is a summary of what this law entails:
No discrimination / equal treatment in the housing market:
The Good Landlord Act prohibits discrimination in the housing market. This means that everyone should have equal opportunities in finding housing, regardless of origin, gender or other personal characteristics.
No housing scam:
The Good Landlord Act imposes requirements on landlords to combat cottage milking. This means that landlords must comply with the rental law and be transparent about the requirements imposed. In addition, tenants' rights must be respected.
No unfairly charged mediation fees:
The Good Landlord Act prohibits charging tenants unjustified mediation fees. Only the actual costs incurred may be charged.
Adequate response to tenant role:
The Good Tenancy Act requires landlords to adequately respond to the role of the tenant to prevent undesirable tenant behavior. This could include responding to tenant complaints in a timely and adequate manner.
The Good Landlord Act is currently under preparation:
The Basic Agreement of the Housing Agenda was presented in spring 2018. This agreement serves as the basis for the introduction of the Good Landlord Act. Municipalities will be given the power to set rules to promote Good Landlordism and combat undesirable rental practices.
As rental agents, we welcome this development. It offers us the opportunity to distinguish ourselves from less reliable landlords and to present ourselves as a reliable and professional party. We are always committed to being good landlords and safeguarding the interests of both tenants and landlords..
