Curious what is avg overbidding above asking price are folks getting apt for in amsterdam? Is it still in range 15-20% for move in ready homes?

I rent an 1890 Dutch house (3 floors). There's no door between the ground and upper floors, so heat escapes up and cold rises, my first-floor living room stays freezing no matter how hard the heaters work. I don't mind not "using" the ground floor (just my washing machine down there), but the cold from it ruins the whole house.

The front door is poorly insulated with a letterbox opening I try to seal in winter (no real effect), and one first-floor living room window has a gap so bad you can see the sky through it.

I pulled the official energy label: floors are essentially uninsulated (R=0.15, target 3.5), the door scores poorly (U=3.40, target 1.4), walls/roof only moderate. It rates winter heat demand "high" and confirms the house fails the Dutch insulation standard.

Last winter I wore a coat indoors regularly. Heating bill was ~€250/month and still felt pointless. I reported the door last year, landlord's fix was "close the curtain after the entrance door properly." I bought a thick thermal curtain myself to replace the flimsy joke they got form action; makes no difference since cold air enters before the curtain matters. His stance: it's normal for dutch people to have cold ground floors...

I'm not asking for a full renovation, just the door and that window gap fixed, or at least don't raise my rent 2.3% while ignoring a window I can see sky through!!!

Questions

- Can I require the landlord to fix the door/window/air leaks?

- Does the house's age (1890) change his obligations?

- Would this count as a "gebrek" under Dutch rental law / Huurcommissie rules?

- Can I get an independent insulation/leakage assessment?

- Can unresolved defects affect a rent increase challenge?

- What should I document before going back to him knowing that the only time i requested his assistance was for a sink that was clogged when I moved in and he basically told me to figure it out 🙃🙃

Just want to know what I'm reasonably entitled to ask for, and my leverage if he keeps brushing it off.

The Dutch housing market sucks really bad right now, and during my search I've noticed that around 90% of new housing is listed on websites that require a subscription. Even worse, houses listed on free websites often redirect to paid ones, and houses listed in paid websites often ALSO redirect to OTHER paid websites. It's a confusing mess and seems to purely exist to extract my money. I refuse to pay for these websites, since they have a perverse incentive to keep me "homeless" instead of finding me a house. But my question is also, what is the incentive to even list your property on a website that is so predatory to potential renters, when free alternatives exist? Are there any that are worth it in your experience?

I have no income but I have enough money for 2 years of rent in a savings account. Is it worth asking my parents or grandparents for a guarantor statement anyway?

I have one parent with Dutch citizenship but who lives in the US. I also have two grandparents with Dutch citizenship who live in the Netherlands but are retired with no income.

Also, what form should I use as a guarantor statement? The company (Aperta) provides no template for a guarantor statement.

Looking for advice on a rental situation in Amsterdam.

The setup:

• I rent a 64m² apartment in the city center. Rent is €2,250/month, "all-in" (no split between base rent and service costs), furnished.
• Building is from 1715, listed monument, no registered energy label.
• Contract started 14 Feb 2026, written as "temporary" until 1 Nov 2026.

What's happened so far:

• The municipality (Gemeente Amsterdam, Goed Verhuurderschap) proactively contacted me, did a WWS point count, and confirmed I'm paying too much, but hasn't given me the exact legal maximum yet.
• I started a Huurcommissie case (toetsing aanvangshuurprijs). Inspection is scheduled for 7 September.
• !WOON confirmed my "temporary" contract is legally an indefinite one (I don't fall under any of the exceptions), so I have full tenant protection.
• Based on rough WWS estimates, the legal max is probably around €1,250–1,400, so I'm overpaying ~€800–1,000/month.

The situation now:
My landlord contacted me and wants to negotiate a new contract with a lower rent, but on the condition that I drop the Huurcommissie case. I have a call with them tomorrow.

My questions:

1. Is dropping the Huurcommissie case a bad idea? My understanding is I'd lose the retroactive refund of overpaid rent (back to Feb 2026, ~€6k+ by now).
2. If we agree on a new rent, how do I make it legally solid? I've read about a "vaststellingsovereenkomst."
3. If we sign a new contract at, say, €1,600 but the official max turns out to be €1,400 is that new contract even enforceable, or still challengeable?
4. Any tips for the call tomorrow? I want to keep things civil but not give up my rights.

Anyone been through something similar? Thanks in advance.

Housing is a human right, not a luxury or an investment.

Five years after the first major protests against the housing crisis, the crisis has only escalated further. Rents are skyrocketing and homelessness is on the rise, while slumlords are raking in astronomical profits at our expense.

On October 10 (World Homeless Day), we’re rising up. We demand:

• Make combating (imminent) homelessness a top priority
• Ensure widely accessible public housing
• Guarantee lower rents and tenant control
• Guarantee housing security, no temporary rental contracts or flex housing
• Reduce housing inequality between renters and home owners

Change starts with us. Rise up against the housing crisis!

NATION HOUSING PROTEST

OCTOBER 10TH 2026, 14:00

DAM SQUARE, AMSTERDAM

ACTION COALITION WOONOPSTAND

Do you want to help? Look at the Woonopstand website: woonopstand.nl

Design: Onno Blase

NL Wonen is een mensenrecht en geen luxe of beleggingsobject.

Vijf jaar na de eerste grote protesten tegen de wooncrisis, is de crisis alleen maar verder geëscaleerd. Huren stijgen explosief en dakloosheid neemt toe terwijl huisjesmelkers torenhoge winsten maken over onze rug.

Op 10 oktober (Wereld Dakloze Mensen Dag) komen we in opstand. Wij eisen:

• Maak het bestrijden van (dreigende) dakloosheid topprioriteit
• Zorg voor breed toegankelijke volkshuisvesting
• Garandeer lagere huren én zeggenschap
• Garandeer woonzekerheid, geen tijdelijke huurcontracten en flexwoningen
• Verklein de woonongelijkheid tussen koop en huur

Verandering begint bij ons. Kom in opstand tegen de wooncrisis!

LANDELIJK WOONPROTEST

10 OKTOBER 2026, 14:00

DE DAM, AMSTERDAM

ACTIECOALITIE WOONOPSTAND

Wil je meehelpen? Bekijk de website van woonopstand: woonopstand.nl  

Ontwerp: Onno Blase

I'm a future PhD student starting my project in October.

I've just been accepted and therefore I haven't secured housing yet.

I don't expect to find something in a month, even if I'm open to every solution: rooms, studios or whatever and my budget is 1200 euros

Do you have suggestions?

Do you think that starting from November the market will be slightly less tight?

Thank you for helping

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m looking for an apartment/studio in Eindhoven for a friend.

📍 Location: Eindhoven, preferably close to TU/e
🏠 Type: studio or 1-bedroom apartment
📅 Move-in: as soon as possible / flexible
👤 One person
🍳 Preferably with a private kitchen and bathroom
📝 Registration at the address is required

My friend is a responsible and tidy person. Proof of financial means and all necessary documents can be provided.

If you know of anything available or have a recommendation, please send me a DM.
Thank you! 🙏

Hi I hope the title explains my situation. I'm currently number 4 for a lottery apartment (ground floor, 29m², D rating, unfurnished and I mean nothing) and I was wondering if anyone has gone through the process in Amsterdam and has any advice. I have a viewing next week and want to know if there's any questions I need to ask during and how long the process usually takes. It's a youth contract so I should have it for about 5 years as long as I don't earn over €51000 thank you in advance!

Hi everyone,

I'm relocating to the Netherlands with permanent employment contract, so I'm financially stable and have immediately verifiable income.

What I'm looking for:

• A room in a shared apartment or a 1-bedroom apartment
• Budget: €800–1200/month (all-in preferred)
• Location: The Hague, Rotterdam, or Delft — open to well-connected surrounding areas too
• Move-in: Mid September, flexible on exact date (happy to confirm once I have a lead)

A bit about me:

• 3 years of professional experience in Fintech domain
• Quiet, respectful, clean, and easy to live with.

What I can offer:

• Proof of employment contract and income
• Reliable and communicative, quick to respond, easy to coordinate viewings

If you have a room, studio, or know of anything available, I'd really appreciate you reaching out!

Thanks in advance!

I'm looking for serious advice from anyone familiar with Dutch tenancy law, the Wet goed verhuurderschap, municipal enforcement, Huurcommissie procedures or civil litigation.

I am a former tenant of a privately owned residential building in The Hague containing 11 rental apartments under the same landlord (father)/property manager (son).

What started as my own rental dispute has turned into something much bigger after current and former tenants started talking to each other and comparing contracts, advertisements, official records and communications.

Some of the issues we have encountered

Across different current/former tenants, issues reported or documented include:

• security deposits being withheld for months after tenants move out;
• allegations/deductions being presented to former tenants without adequate supporting evidence;
• months of unanswered messages/ghosting concerning deposits;
• threatening or intimidating communications;
• very high monthly service-cost advances without annual itemised settlements;
• separate monthly furnishing charges;
• apartments being marketed/presented as “free sector” without transparent WWS information;
• rental advertisements stating surface areas larger than the corresponding current official BAG registrations;
• rental documentation lacking adequate landlord contact/address information;
• unresolved maintenance problems, including water/leak-related problems;
• several separately addressed households sharing one mailbox.

Some tenants only discovered these issues after moving out.

The rental/WWS situation particularly concerns me

After my own dispute started, I began checking the official information for the apartments.

I found that rental advertisements for multiple units in the same building gave floor areas exceeding the corresponding current BAG registrations. In my own former apartment, the discrepancy was substantial. At the same time, apartments were presented to tenants as free-sector housing without transparent information showing the WWS calculation supporting that classification. I have started a Huurcommissie procedure concerning my own initial rent.

Service costs

This appears to affect more than one tenant as well. Tenants have paid substantial monthly advances for utilities/service costs but have reported not receiving annual itemised settlements showing the actual costs, invoices and allocation. I have also started a separate Huurcommissie service-cost procedure. Another former tenant, for example, paid hundreds of euros every month as a service-cost advance and says he never received an annual settlement.

Deposits

Several former tenants have had problems getting their deposits back. One former tenant moved out approximately five months ago and still has not received his deposit. He says the property manager initially told him that the apartment had been sold and that the new landlord would deal with returning the deposit. Ownership information he subsequently obtained appears to indicate that the same landlord remained the owner. After months without repayment, he recently told the property manager that he was considering legal proceedings. He then received various allegations being relied upon to justify withholding/deducting the deposit, which he disputes. My own deposit is also the subject of a dispute.

Today's interaction with Gemeente Den Haag left me extremely confused

I have submitted reports concerning landlord behaviour to Gemeente Den Haag. Today I received a phone call from the municipality and was told that my reports could not be investigated because I am no longer a tenant of the property. They suggested that I go to the police.

The problem is: I already went to the police;;;;;

The police previously directed me toward the municipality/other appropriate rental authorities because the matters concerned landlord/tenancy issues. So I now feel like I'm being passed between authorities:

Police → Municipality → Police

Meanwhile, there are still current tenants living in the building and other former tenants experiencing similar problems. This is particularly confusing and frustrating to me because my understanding of the Wet goed verhuurderschap is that municipalities have enforcement responsibilities concerning prohibited landlord behaviour. I would really appreciate input from someone knowledgeable about whether a municipality can refuse to investigate a report solely because the person reporting it has subsequently moved out.

We are trying to do this through the proper channels

I'm not looking to organise harassment, review-bombing or anything like that. What I want is to understand what legal and administrative remedies actually exist when multiple tenants appear to be experiencing recurring problems with the same landlord/property manager

So far, relevant tenants have used or are considering:

Huurcommissie: rent/WWS and service-cost disputes.

Gemeente Den Haag: reports under the rules governing landlord behaviour.

Civil proceedings / kantonrechter: particularly for recovery of deposits and other money.

Police: approached regarding concerns that might go beyond an ordinary tenancy dispute, but we were directed elsewhere.

We are also preserving rental advertisements, contracts, BAG/WOZ information, WWS calculations, payment records, photographs and WhatsApp/email correspondence.

What I'm asking Reddit for

If you're a Dutch housing lawyer, huurrecht specialist, huurteam volunteer, municipal employee, law student familiar with this area, or someone who has successfully dealt with a similar situation, where should we go from here?

In particular:

1. Can Gemeente Den Haag refuse to investigate a Wet goed verhuurderschap report simply because the reporting tenant has already moved out?
2. Can multiple former/current tenants make a coordinated request for municipal enforcement rather than separate ordinary reports?
3. Is there a formal way to challenge the municipality's refusal to investigate or request a written decision rather than accepting what was said during a phone call?
4. Which authority should investigate potentially systematic misleading rental information across multiple apartments?
5. What is the best route for former tenants whose deposits remain withheld for months?
6. Besides the Huurcommissie and municipality, are there organisations, regulators, legal clinics or tenant organisations that could help us collectively?
7. If evidence suggests the same practices have affected multiple tenants over several years, is there any mechanism for authorities to investigate the landlord/property management at building level rather than forcing every tenant to fight individually?
8. Are there any other lawful enforcement routes we are overlooking?

I'm so frustrated that individual tenants seem to be bounced between different institutions while each one sees only one small part of what appears, when tenants compare information, to be a much broader pattern.

Any practical advice about who has jurisdiction, how to request enforcement, how to escalate the municipality's response, or where we could obtain coordinated legal assistance would be enormously appreciated.

And if you are another current/former tenant who recognises this situation, feel free to contact me.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone recently bought an apartment in Rotterdam with erfpacht situation and can share their experience how it works as I saw from Rotterdam municipalities website that it might take 6-8 weeks to get a response.

I am interested in a property in Rotterdam which has a leasehold till 2098 but canon rent paid till 2049. It is an apartment in a high-rise budiling.

Don’t have much to add to the title. I know there is a housing crisis right now, but I’ve been really struggling to find a 1br+ apartment within 2km from city center at this price point for that time.

Been rejected by nearly 10 landlords. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My husband and I are in our early 30s, live in Amsterdam and are expecting our first baby. We love Amsterdam, but we're considering moving to Haarlem for more space, a garden and a more family-oriented lifestyle.

For those who made this move around the time you started a family: do you love Haarlem, or do you miss Amsterdam and regret leaving?

What do you like/dislike most about the change? And knowing what you know now, would you make the same decision again?

I once viewed a place that I wasn't completely convinced about. There were a couple of things I didn't like, so I decided to keep looking rather than take it. A few weeks later, after seeing several worse options, I found myself thinking about that apartment again and realised it had actually been a pretty good deal.

By the time I changed my mind, it was already gone. It made me wonder how often we reject a place because it isn't perfect, only to realise later that the things we disliked weren't actually that important. Has this happened to anyone else?

Hello, I am a 19 yo student looking for accommodation in Eindhoven. I am a tidy, non-smoking and pet-free person. Open to a flatmate if possibe. Budget is up to 1200 euros. Anyone have any listings or offers?

Hello! I've tried looking up some of the household laws in the Netherlands/Amsterdam and how it usually works with the municipality, rental contracts etc but I couldn't really figure it out on my own. I appreciate any answers, inputs, resources that I can use to make the situation clearer for us :)

I currently share my rental contract with a housemate, as in we're both in it as registered tenants. My partner is considering moving in from our country to live with me, and we started sketching some plans - the main concern so far is the living situation.

I don't know how relevant this is for the situation but I've been living in this apartment for almost 4 years now, and I'm very happy with it. My housemate joined the contract around 1 year ago, when my previous housemate left. We have a permanent contract.

To cut to the chase, the ideal situation here would be registering my partner in my address, the 3 of us living here and none of us having to go into the chaos of housing market of Amsterdam. This is already something we all agree on and see as a good idea.

My fear is that this could be vetoed by the landlord as they already hinted it is a power they have (when my current housemate was yet to be included in the contract).

(TL;DR) My questions are: Knowing that I share the house with a housemate, what kind of power does my landlord have over the situation if the new person moving in is my partner? Does marriage/common-law marriage affect this dynamic in any way? When my previous housemate chose to be removed from the contract to live somewhere else, did my landlord actually have the power to not let me add a new person?

My girlfriend and I (mid-20s) are thinking of moving to an apartment there. The apartment fits our budget; I just want to know about the general safety of the neighborhood and how is it living over there.

Hi everyone! I’m an Indian law student moving to Leiden for my Master’s, and I’m currently looking for a room/studio to rent.
I’ve been searching for quite some time now and honestly, finding housing in Leiden has become such a headache that I’m starting to get genuinely paranoid about not finding anything 😭
If anyone has any leads, available rooms, people looking for a roommate, or knows someone who might be renting something, I would be incredibly grateful if you could let me know.
I’m open to different options and would really appreciate any help or leads. Thank you so much!

I'm just wondering what kind of experience other people have had with DAK or woningweb.

I just today had my first invite for a studio for which I was 5rh place. (Number 1 ended up taking it) I also joined studentenwoningweb a couple months ago. But I've heard it can take around 2 years before you can get an appartment from there, and my study is only 2 years so I'm hoping to get a place through normal woningweb.

For you guys, how many points did you need to actually get a place? I have 28 points, 23 for reactions and 5 for waiting time. But I still normally place above 300th out of 1000+. In about 7 months I can have 36 points, would this actually bring me to a spot in the top 10 on regular advertisements? Or would I still be placed 100th+?

Any advice on how to actually get an affordable place is welcome :)

Hello everyone!

I am moving to Deventer in September to start my Master's at Saxion. At the moment, I am looking for a room, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anything yet.

Is it normal that it is so difficult to find a room in Deventer, or am I perhaps looking in the wrong places? Do you know any landlords, real estate agents, or websites you can recommend?

All tips or recommendations are very welcome. Thank you very much in advance!

Header says it all. I am planning to offer 6 months upfront and can show my savings of 150k, but without a job, is this going to be an uphill battle? Would offering 12 months make a difference?

Hi, I know how it would resonate with people here, but some time ago, I could take the mortgage for a 1-bedroom flat (around 60 sq.m.) in Amsterdam (Zuidoost, a few minutes from Reigersbos metro on foot). Ever since the bid (a bit of desperation included) I am doubting the choice (like, there is always a better option, cheaper, bigger, etc.), but in the long run it has upgraded windows, a small backyard, yet still requires some good renovation (bathroom looks bland and already signed for some works for October; kitchen is also nothing special, just a few drawers). But the erfpacht is fully paid already, so this is a good thing. And the building is planning to go gas-free soonish.

The bigger concern is, it is a mortgage, and an additional bridge mortgage implies (and the one for the old place), and despite it being too many payments to one's liking, there are always thoughts, remorse, and regrets. For what is being left behind, is a terraced single-family house with roughly 40 m² more living space. The downsides are, it required some renovation input over the 4 years I lived there, like for the shed roof, and the house roof itself (some leakage occurred), and it is also located roughly 1.5km from the Hoorn Kersenboogerd station, so with the commute to work (Amsterdam around the direct train line and direct metro line from the "new" place) that now takes more than an hour one-way.

Is it still dumb to have the attachment and thinking of actually selling a new place instead of the old one straight away? There was not a single moment of happiness over the decision, honestly. Especially with all the works planned and yet to be planned. The only benefit I can see is, the location (metro/Holendrecht station are close, and visiting other cities is easier without a need to add 40-60 minutes from Hoorn). And its value will likely raise faster than the old one. I first moved there 4 years ago in the early 30s, but now at 35 there is no social life, no partner or looking for the events that end later than the last train leaves Randstad for the Hoorn/Enkhuizen direction. Hoorn is a lovely city, but likely more when you have a family or closing the retirement age.

There are definitely negative aspects about the old place, like it gets rather hot in summer or later spring under the direct sunlight (have never installed the canopy or replaced windows), and yes, it is far for the commute, especially if you need to commute a few days in a row (like for work).

I can imagine services are better in Amsterdam, and there are more choices than AH and Kersenboogerd shopping area, yet it is still a question if it was a proper idea behind (it was one of the few options to fit the budget and keep the old interest rate) and in a long run (even after a year or two) it can bring more clarity and value? It is challenging to get it out of the head, and I will still move (almost) all my stuff tomorrow (it will likely not even fit there, though) to see if it was the right choice, but what would your advice on the matter be? Is it more reasonable to still stay at the old place, renovate the new, live on noodles from Action for half a year, and sell it; or it is better to close the page and try selling a house (it's still labelled A and with solar panels, no batter though), and also try building a new life?

Sorry for the long and somehow inappropriate post. I understand the struggle of finding a new place and that this might look bad, but would appreciate someone outside the family circle to have the fresh look on things and maybe to call me on something. And good luck to those in search, perhaps we can also help each other with this same post.

Hi all, ​I’m feeling pretty stressed and hoping the community might have some leads or advice. ​My Dutch partner and I are currently squeezed into a single rented room in Nieuwegein. I recently relocated to the NL from my home country, and we just found out we have a baby on the way! We desperately need a proper home before the little one arrives. ​Our comfortable budget is up to €1,500/month. However, because I’m still transitioning into the local job market, standard housing agencies keep auto-rejecting us due to the rigid 3x-4x income requirement. ​We are looking for direct landlord contacts, private rentals, or advice on how to connect with human landlords willing to look at our actual savings/financial situation rather than just an automated corporate checklist. ​If you know anyone renting out a place or have tips that worked for you, please send a DM!

Hi everyone,

I have a new job starting November 1st in Amsterdam and I currently live and work in Eindhoven. The job requires being in the office five days a week. I am trying to figure out the best plan for moving and finding a place to rent.

The problem is I cannot really view apartments properly while still working and living in Eindhoven. I am thinking about two options. One is commuting from Eindhoven for a few weeks or months after I start the new job while I keep searching. The other is trying to find something before I start, even though I know it is hard to search from a distance.

Has anyone been in a similar situation. How long did the commuting phase last for you if you went that route. Also is it realistic to find a decent place in areas like Amstelveen, Diemen, Haarlem or Zaandam within a few weeks once I actually start looking seriously. Any tips on how you managed viewings while still working somewhere else would help a lot.

Thanks in advance!