A good letter strengthens your position: it records what you reported and when, and it cites the article of Dutch law you rely on. Below are four free template letters for the most common rental problems in the Netherlands. Fill in the details in square brackets, send the letter by e-mail and registered post, and keep a copy. The deposit check prepares the letter to reclaim your deposit for you.
Deposit not returned? Use the deposit check: it calculates your repayment deadline and prepares the demand letter.
Reporting a defect and requesting repair
Use this letter for a leak, mould, broken heating or another defect. Send it by e-mail and registered post, and keep photographs. Do not withhold rent yourself. Dutch landlords may prefer a Dutch letter; the Dutch version is on our Dutch page. See: Rent reduction for defects.
To: [name of landlord]
[address]
[place], [date]
Re: report of a defect at [address of the property]
Dear Sir or Madam,
The property I rent at [address] has the following defect: [description, since when, which rooms]. Photographs are attached. I reported this earlier on [date and how, for example by WhatsApp].
Under Article 7:206 of the Dutch Civil Code you are required to remedy this defect. I ask you to have it repaired within [period, for example 14 days; shorter for a leak] of the date of this letter and to let me know in advance when the repair will take place.
If this does not happen, I reserve the right to request a (temporary) rent reduction from the Huurcommissie or the subdistrict court and to take other measures.
Yours faithfully,
[name]
[phone / e-mail]
Objecting to a rent increase
For social housing and mid-rent: send your objection before the effective date. First check with the rent increase check whether the increase is too high or came too late. See: Rent increase check.
To: [name of landlord]
[address]
[place], [date]
Re: objection to rent increase, [address of the property]
Dear Sir or Madam,
On [date] I received your proposal to increase the basic rent from [current amount] to [new amount] as of [effective date]. I do not agree to this proposal because [choose what applies: the increase exceeds the statutory maximum of [percentage] for [year] / the proposal did not reach me at least two months before the effective date (Article 7:252(1) Dutch Civil Code) / the rent was already increased in the past twelve months / serious defects have not been remedied].
I will continue to pay the current rent. If you wish to maintain the increase, please let me know whether you will refer the dispute to the Huurcommissie.
Yours faithfully,
[name]
Responding to a late or early notice of expiry
Do you have a temporary rental contract and did the notice arrive outside the window of three months to one month before the end date? Check it first with the notice check. See: Notice check.
To: [name of landlord]
[address]
[place], [date]
Re: your letter of [date] about the end of the tenancy at [address of the property]
Dear Sir or Madam,
You write that my tenancy agreement ends on [end date]. I received your notification on [date]. Under Article 7:271 of the Dutch Civil Code the landlord must inform the tenant in writing, no earlier than three months and no later than one month before the end date, when the tenancy ends. That condition has not been met, because [the notification came too late / too early].
The tenancy agreement therefore continues for an indefinite period. I will not leave the property on [end date] and will continue to pay the rent.
Yours faithfully,
[name]
Requesting the annual service charge statement
Your landlord must send you an annual statement of service charges at the latest six months after the end of each calendar year. See: Service charges.
To: [name of landlord]
[address]
[place], [date]
Re: service charge statement [year], [address of the property]
Dear Sir or Madam,
I pay a monthly advance of [amount] for service charges. Under Article 7:259(2) of the Dutch Civil Code you must provide me, at the latest six months after the end of each calendar year, with a statement of the costs charged and how they were calculated. I have not received the statement for [year].
I ask you to send me this statement within fourteen days. If it is not received, I will refer the matter to the Huurcommissie.
Yours faithfully,
[name]
These templates are based on the Dutch statutes (checked on 23 September 2026) and are a starting point; your situation may call for a different approach. In doubt, or no reply from your landlord? Send us your letter and the reply. Nederlands: voorbeeldbrieven. More: tenancy law and renting in the Netherlands as an expat.
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