Rent committee scraps Amsterdam landlord's "short stay" contract, cutting rent by 66%

The Rent Assessment Committee has declared one Amsterdam landlord’s short-stay rental contract illegal and cut the tenant’s rent by 66 percent. The landlord charged the tenant 1,850 euros per month for the 34-square-meter home. The tenant now only has to pay the just over 630 euros that the home is worth under rent regulation, the !Woon foundation, which represented the tenant in this case, announced.

Landlords are using short-stay contracts as a loophole to escape rent regulation and a ban on temporary rental contracts by presenting the home as a type of hotel. The home is typically offered furnished with added services, like bicycle rental and biweekly cleaning. As in this case, tenants are also often asked to waive their right to rent price protection in a recorded video or in writing. “This is a direct attempt to circumvent the law,” !Woon said.

In this case, the Rent Assessment Committee ruled that the short-stay contract was illegal, Parool reported. According to the committee, this is a regular rental home because it was rented out as a main residence and had “nothing to do with temporary or tourist rental.”

The Rent Assessment Committee reduced the rent to 633.58 euros per month, the maximum rent allowed under rent regulation. The landlord must also cover the fees for the committee’s hearing.

!Woon called the ruling an important victory for tenants and a warning for landlords. This tenant’s case is not an isolated incident, the foundation said, urging tenants to be alert.