Over 700 complaints about bad landlords in Utrecht

The Huurteam Utrecht helped over 700 tenants with complaints against their landlord, like too high rents, incorrect service costs, unclear leases, and overdue maintenance. On average, the team got a rent reduction of 172 euros per helped tenant last year.

That amounts to 601,170 euros in rent reduction last year, the Huurteam Utrecht said on Friday. That is about 50,000 euros more than in previous years and a new record for the Utrecht team committed to helping tenants fight bad landlords.

“These figures send a clear signal to landlords who do not comply with the law: you will nog tet away with this,” Utrecht alderman Dennis de Vries said to DUIC. “With these checks, we want to ensure that landlords comply with the rules and that residents get what they are entitled to for the price they pay. Landlords who abuse the housing shortage are not welcome in Utrecht.”

Huurteam Utrecht inspectors visited 715 rentals last year and found abuses in 656 cases. Many of the reports involved too high rents, but the team also addressed reports of harassment, threats, overdue maintenance, and incorrect service charges.