Thousands of complaints about bad and aggressive landlords

It seems like bad landlords are using the housing shortage to become even worse. Rental teams received thousands of complaints from tenants this year, and the problems are increasing, BNR reports after speaking with rental teams in various municipalities.

Last year, rental teams received at least 3,000 complaints from dissatisfied tenants. In reality, the number of complaints is likely higher because not every municipality has a rental team where tenants can get help. Many tenants also don’t dare to complain for fear of losing their homes.

The tenants’ association Woonbond alone receives dozens of reports every year from tenants who face intimidation from their landlords, usually after a complaint about, for example, excessive rents or deferred maintenance. That number is increasing, spokesperson Mathijs ten Broeke said. He believes the housing shortage is behind it. “Tenants have nowhere to go and therefore must take more from their landlord.”

Nick de Liege of Huurteam Eindhoven also said tenants more often experience intimidation from their landlords. “Think of entering the living space without permission, but also threats of physical violence if the tenant does not leave the living space.”

Ian van der Molen recently lost his home after complaining about too high rent, he told BNR. “From that moment on, the landlord tried to force us out of the house. He came to our home several times, banged on the door, started yelling, and blamed problems on us.” The Rent Assessment Committee later ruled in Van der Molen’s favor, but only after the landlord didn’t renew his lease. “It’s a choice between a roof over your head or getting justice.”

Part of the problem is temporary rental contracts, implemented in 2016 to entice more homeowners to rent out their homes. The threat of not getting your lease renewed in this tight housing market makes tenants put up with more and lets bad landlords get away with more.

The ChristenUnie and PvdA recently filed a bill to stop temporary leases. Parliament is also considering another bill, referred to as the good landlordship bill, that gives municipalities more power to act against landlords not fulfilling their duties.