On November 14, 2023, the Dutch Senate approved the Wet Vaste Huurcontracten (Indefinite Rental Contracts Law). The law was published on December 1, 2023. The law will take effect on July 1, 2024.
This law comes on top of the Wet Betaalbare Huur (Affordable Rent law), that will be implemented on July 1, 2024 or January 1, 2025 if the Senate also approves of this law.
What does the Indefinite Rental Contracts Law mean?
Once the law comes into force, the standard will be that tenants of both independent living spaces and non-independent living spaces (such as rooms) will have tenant protection from the start of the rental agreement. This means that landlords will need a legal ground for termination to validly end the rental agreement.
This means that the so-called Model B contracts will below to the past starting very soon. Almost all rental contracts will be for indefinite periods.
Which exceptions?
There will probably be some exceptions to the Indefinite Rental Contracts law, allowing certain categories of people to still enter into temporary rental agreements of up to two years, even after July 1, 2024. Highly skilled migrants/other expats are as it looks now not one of the exceptions. The Senate still has to decide on the exceptions so the list might change.
These temporary rental agreements will automatically end on the agreed end date, provided the landlord informs the tenant of this date no earlier than three months and no later than one month before the end date.
The categories of people are:
- Students;
- Tenants temporarily living elsewhere due to urgent work or renovation of their home;
- Urgent home seekers;
- Tenants with whom the landlord enters into a so-called second chance contract: these are tenants whose previous rental contract was terminated, for example, due to causing serious nuisance, and who are given a temporary second chance with the new contract;
- Orphans and survivors;
- Divorced parents;
- Tenants working on the Wadden Islands;
- Permit holders (status holders) who come directly from a COA shelter and are awaiting permanent housing.
It remains possible to rent out a house for a fixed period for people who do not use their house temporarily (eg due to study or work abroad). In this case a diplomatic clause applies.
Transitional Law
The Indefinite Rental Contracts law will apply to rental agreements concluded on or after the law’s effective date of July 1, 2024.
The law does not apply to rental agreements concluded before this effective date. Note: according to the wording of the transitional law, only the date of conclusion is decisive, not the date the rental agreement takes effect.
Can Anywr Netherlands still assist?
Yes, we still gladly assist your employees from abroad with their relocation to the Netherlands. Home finding is an important part of this assistance! Do you want to know more about how Anywr Netherlands can help your employees from abroad to find a new home in the Netherlands? Send a message to info.nl@anywr-group.com and we’ll answer you within a business day!
