Temporary rental contracts in the housing market must once again become an exception. A majority of the House of Representatives therefore voted on Tuesday for new rules to ensure that permanent contracts are the norm. What exactly changes and what exceptions are there?
Why are there new rules?
Since 2016, landlords are allowed to offer temporary contracts. The expectation was that this would result in more rental houses, but that turned out to be disappointing. However, more and more landlords started working with temporary contracts, an evaluation by the Ministry of the Interior showed. One in three new leases was temporary, with terms of up to two years.
These types of agreements are popular with landlords, because a house generates more when it is sold if there is no tenant in it. Rents can also be increased further with a new lease than with an existing contract.
Opposition party PvdA and coalition party ChristenUnie argue that tenants are in uncertainty for a long time due to temporary contracts. That is why they came up with a proposal last year to allow temporary contracts only in exceptional cases. A majority of MPs voted in favor of this on Tuesday.
What exactly changes?
Due to the rules, the rental contract for an indefinite period must become standard again. This should give tenants more security. The rules will apply to new contracts. And because more and more temporary contracts will expire in the coming period, more and more contracts for an indefinite period will be replaced. The rules still have to be approved by the Senate. It is not yet known when that decision will be made.
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What exceptions are there?
A number of exceptions have been agreed. For example, landlords are still allowed to offer temporary contracts to specific target groups, such as students. These are campus contracts, usually with a term of five years. The tenant must leave the accommodation within six months after completion of the study or promotion.
Furthermore, holiday rental remains allowed, as is renting out your home if you go abroad for a while. Temporary contracts will also remain permitted for those who want to rent out to foreign students who come to study in the Netherlands for a year.
The ruling party CDA recently added an exception to this. A couple who currently live separately, but want to live together, can temporarily rent out a house. This way the couple can try living together for a while, without the house of either of them becoming empty.
It has also been agreed that landlords may terminate the lease if they want to offer accommodation to a close family member. It must then concern a first-degree relative, for example a child or a parent. This exception must be included in the rental contract.
I now have a temporary lease. What will change for me?
If you currently have a temporary contract, nothing will change immediately. After all, the new rules only apply to new contracts. But as soon as your current contract has ended and you can continue to live in the same place, you will be replaced by a contract for an indefinite period, provided you do not fall under one of the exceptions.
2023-05-17 07:24:49
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