Letting out a home in the Netherlands

1. Are you allowed to let?

• Mortgage. Most Dutch mortgages require written consent to let. Letting without it can have serious consequences, up to the loan being called in.
• Owners' association (VvE). In an apartment building, check the deed of division — it may restrict letting or require a user declaration from your tenant.
• Municipality. Many cities operate opkoopbescherming (buy-to-let protection): if you bought a home below a local WOZ threshold, you must live in it yourself for four years unless you get a permit. See our municipal monitor for the current thresholds.
• Insurance. Notify your buildings insurer; a standard policy often excludes letting.

2. What rent may you charge?

Not a free choice. The points system decides whether your property falls in the regulated, mid-rent or liberalised segment, and what the ceiling is. Charging above it isn't enforceable, can be reduced retroactively, and since the Affordable Rent Act municipalities can fine you. Details:is my rent legal?

3. Which contract?

Open-ended is the norm. Fixed-term is only valid in specific legal situations; if you use it outside those, you have an open-ended contract with full tenant protection whether you intended it or not. Seerental contracts explained. Leaving the country temporarily and returning later? That's the diplomatic-clause route.

4. Screening within the rules

You may verify identity, income and rental history — but only what is necessary, only at the final stage, and you must destroy the data of rejected candidates. You may not record BSN numbers or select on nationality or origin: the Good Landlordship Act requires a transparent, non-discriminatory procedure.

5. Record everything

A written contract is mandatory. Make a signed inspection report with photos, meter readings and — if letting furnished — an inventory list. Keep basic rent, service costs and any furniture allowance strictly separate in the contract.

6. Tax

For private owners a let second home usually sits in box 3, taxed on a calculation over the WOZ value with a correction for the fact that it is let. The system is moving towards taxation on actual return, so keep proper records. Buy-to-let purchases also attract the higher rate of transfer tax. Get advice for your own situation.

Thinking about the expat market?

Expats are an attractive segment — employer-backed income, furnished demand, natural turnover — but Dutch tenant protection applies to them exactly as it does to anyone else. "They'll leave anyway" is not a contract strategy.

Full Dutch step-by-step guide:woning verhuren stappengids ·municipal buy-to-let monitor

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.