A landlord who does not repair a leak, an unexpected increase or a notice requiring you to leave: the first question is what you need to achieve. Arslan Advocaten helps assess housing disputes from our office in The Hague. Repairs, repayment, compensation and ending or continuing the tenancy can require different steps.
If you have received a summons, gather the complete document, tenancy agreement, landlord’s account and your payment evidence. Include earlier payment arrangements. If you have paid since the claim was issued, establish what is still being claimed and whether the case continues. A pending complaint is not a substitute for responding to the court.
Call: 070 450 03 00 · Request an appointment
Tell us about any hearing, eviction or response deadline immediately. Sending a message does not itself create an engagement or extend a deadline.
Define the result you need
A tenant with a leak may want to remain after repair, while another tenant may prefer an agreed departure. We first discuss your objective: restoring the property, recovering money, resisting termination or leaving on clear terms. That makes it possible to select evidence and requests that match the problem.
Create a timeline separating facts from expectations. When did you discover the problem, when did you report it, what was promised and what happened? A clear sequence is often more useful than dozens of disconnected screenshots. Tell us about any Huurcommissie application, municipal report or court proceedings already underway.
Where there is immediate danger, seek appropriate emergency assistance first. A legal contact form is not an emergency service. An urgent but non-emergency legal issue still needs the exact deadline and documents at the first contact.
Defects: identify the problem and responsibility
Responsibility for a repair cannot always be determined from one photograph. Not every minor repair falls to the landlord, and a landlord cannot simply attribute every structural problem to a tenant’s use of the property. The nature and cause of the defect, maintenance history and available evidence matter.
For a leaking roof, persistent damp, a defective installation or a door that will not close securely, identify the location and practical effect. Is a room unusable? Does the heating repeatedly fail? Has an expert visited? Those facts help formulate a specific repair request and support further action.
A technical inspection may be necessary where the cause remains disputed. Discuss its purpose, scope and cost before commissioning it. A legal assessment does not replace an expert’s investigation, and the expense of an investigation should remain proportionate to the issue. [Huurcommissie] See our guide to overdue housing maintenance.
Make a report that enables repair
Describe the defect clearly and keep evidence of sending and receiving the report. State the action requested and offer reasonable opportunities for inspection and repair. Record cancelled appointments, missed visits and explanations given. This helps distinguish unwillingness to act from miscommunication or a genuine dispute about the cause.
WhatsApp correspondence may form part of the evidence. Keep the whole conversation and confirm important agreements in an organised written message. A single screenshot may leave out context that changes its meaning. Include earlier reports rather than treating each new message as an unrelated incident.
The urgency of the problem and the selected procedure influence the appropriate response period. A standard deadline copied from a sample letter is not suitable for every defect. Immediate safety concerns and continuing damage need a different response from ordinary maintenance.
Rent reduction does not itself repair the home
A temporary reduction may address reduced enjoyment of the property, but it does not send a contractor to repair it. Equally, agreeing on a repair does not necessarily settle the earlier period of inconvenience. State those objectives separately in correspondence, a settlement or proceedings.
The Huurcommissie can assess serious defects under the applicable tenancy regime. In free-sector maintenance disputes its role is advisory, and the parties must have agreed that it may be consulted. An agreement in the contract or a later agreement may be relevant. Advice is not the same as a binding repair order. [Huurcommissie]
The subdistrict court can provide a different route, including a claim to enforce repair where appropriate. Do not withhold rent, set off an alleged claim or arrange repairs at the landlord’s expense without assessing the separate legal conditions. Otherwise a justified maintenance dispute may lead to an additional claim for arrears. [Rechtspraak]
Damage to belongings needs its own evidence
Wet furniture, a damaged floor and temporary accommodation costs are separate items from the defect itself. Record what happened to each item, when you discovered the damage and the expenditure claimed. Keep photographs, purchase information where available, quotations and invoices. Also record reasonable steps taken to limit further damage.
The existence of a defect does not automatically make the landlord liable for every loss. The legal basis, causal connection and possible defences require assessment. Tell us whether an insurer has been approached or has already paid. Different parties should not be asked for the same compensation on inconsistent factual accounts.
Hypothetical example: a leak has been repaired, but the tenant seeks both compensation for an unusable room and payment for damaged furniture. The duration of reduced use and the value of the furniture require different evidence. This is an illustration of analysis, not a statement about a case handled by our office.
Rent increases, points and service charges
A proposed rent increase must be assessed against the agreement and the relevant rental segment. Social housing, middle-rent housing and the free sector do not have identical rules. The procedure for proposing or challenging an increase may also differ. One annual percentage or notice period is therefore not an answer for every tenancy.
Send the complete increase notice, original agreement and previous increases. Separate a rise in basic rent from an increased advance for service charges. For annual service accounts, check the period, advances, underlying invoices and allocation. Whether the Huurcommissie can determine the dispute depends on the subject and applicable rules, including the contract date. [Huurcommissie]
The real issue may concern the rental segment or the property’s points rather than just the amount of an increase. An initial-rent assessment can be subject to a short deadline. Use the appropriate points check as a starting point and have the procedure and dates assessed; an online calculation is not a decision. [Huurcommissie] [Huurcommissie]
Sale or renovation does not answer every termination question
When the landlord gives notice, identify the agreement, the precise request and the legal ground relied on. A statement that the property is being sold or renovated does not by itself establish that you must leave. Do not sign consent to departure without understanding the consequences for your housing and financial claims.
Access for works, the renovation schedule, temporary accommodation and termination of the tenancy are different matters. A proposal may combine them, so establish what you accept and what remains disputed. The available procedure depends on the facts and the applicable protection.
A contract containing an end date also needs examination. Indefinite tenancies became the starting point for new residential contracts on 1 July 2024, subject to exceptions. Older contracts and special regimes need their own assessment. A student, expat or person with a temporary job is not automatically covered by every exception. [Rijksoverheid]
A summons or announced eviction requires a procedural response
Take a court summons seriously even if you believe the landlord’s claim is wrong. Writing letters or making a municipal complaint does not allow you to ignore the hearing or response date. Check whether and how to submit a defence and whether your own claim should be included.
For a threatened eviction, the legal basis, stage of proceedings, previous correspondence and possibilities for a settlement must be reviewed. An urgent application is a provisional procedure and does not guarantee that you can remain. The complete court and bailiff documents are needed to choose the route. [Rechtspraak]
If payment has been made after the summons, check the remaining claims and seek confirmation about the case. If there is already an eviction date, mention it before waiting for a routine appointment. Read our eviction-notice guide and the explanation of rent arrears.
Choose the right route in The Hague
The municipality, Huurcommissie and court have different responsibilities. A report about landlord conduct may support enforcement but does not automatically give you a personal repayment or a stay of eviction. A rent-price procedure does not resolve every dispute about termination. Tell us what you have already requested and what has been decided.
The Hague’s Huurteam provides a local route for questions about rent, service charges and maintenance. Municipal reporting of unwanted landlord behaviour is another route. In Transvaalkwartier Midden and Zuid and Laakkwartier Oost and West, private landlords are subject to the local letting-permit requirement described by the municipality. The national explanation of the Good Landlordship Act excludes housing corporations from this permit requirement. Check the rules for the particular property and landlord. [Municipality of The Hague] [Volkshuisvesting Nederland]
Housing tenancy cases in this area are handled within the subdistrict jurisdiction of the district court of The Hague. The court has different hearing locations and allocation rules. Follow your summons for the correct venue and time. The office where you consult your lawyer does not determine jurisdiction.
Deposits and leaving on clear terms
If you leave the property, agree how inspection, keys and the final account will be handled. Check whether a termination agreement also releases other claims. A full-and-final settlement clause can cover more than the departure date, including unresolved repair or repayment issues.
For a withheld deposit, we examine the payment, initial and final condition, alleged damage and itemised costs. The general repayment rules distinguish ordinary repayment within fourteen days from allowed deductions followed by repayment of the remainder within thirty days. Request the complete written specification. A general statement that you were a good tenant does not replace evidence about the individual deduction. [Rijksoverheid]
Keep your own copies of photographs, reports and correspondence. If you disagree with an inspection entry, record your objection clearly instead of signing to end an uncomfortable conversation. See deposit deductions and inspection reports.
Costs, commercial premises and your first appointment
The introductory consultation is free and without obligation. Before further work, we agree the engagement and costs. Subsidised legal aid or legal-expenses insurance may be considered where relevant. A legal-aid certificate depends on the applicable conditions; a personal contribution and other expenses can remain. A costs order does not necessarily reimburse every euro actually spent. [Raad voor Rechtsbijstand]
Landlords and entrepreneurs may also contact us. Specify whether the premises are a home, shop, catering business, office or another type of property. The legal framework for a business lease is not interchangeable with residential tenancy law. We check possible conflicts of interest before accepting the case.
For an appointment at our The Hague office, bring the contract, relevant accounts and correspondence, a timeline and your objective. The office at Paletplein 80 can be reached on 070 450 03 00. Give us any urgent date immediately; a message or appointment request does not itself mean the case has been accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Can I seek repairs if my landlord ignores my reports?
Possibly, depending on the defect and responsibility for repair. We assess your reports, the problem and access for inspection or repair. Keep the complete correspondence. Urgent situations may need a different approach from routine maintenance.
Is a rent reduction the same as compensation for damaged furniture?
No. Reduced enjoyment of the property and damage to belongings are separate claims. Collect evidence for each item rather than combining them into one unsupported amount.
Can the Huurcommissie force every landlord to repair?
Its powers depend on the subject and tenancy regime. Temporary rent reduction is different from enforcing repairs. For free-sector defects its role is advisory under the relevant agreement. The appropriate route must be identified.
Must I always wait before asking for help with a defect?
No. Seriousness and safety matter. A procedural repair period is not general advice to wait when there is danger. Report the problem promptly and explain the urgency.
Does one maximum rent-increase percentage apply to everyone?
No. The rental segment, agreement and year matter. Basic rent must also be distinguished from service charges. Bring the notice and contract for assessment.
Do I have to leave because the property is being sold?
A sale notice alone does not settle that question. The agreement, termination ground and any procedure need examination. Do not agree to leave before understanding the consequences.
What happens if I ignore a summons?
Ignoring a court deadline can harm your position even if you have substantive arguments. A complaint or ongoing correspondence does not automatically replace the defence required in the proceedings.
Will a municipal complaint recover money for me?
Not necessarily. Public supervision and a personal civil claim have different functions. More than one route may be needed, with a clear objective and deadline for each.
Can a landlord also make an appointment?
Yes. State the type of premises, parties and issue. We first check conflicts of interest and then discuss whether we can accept the engagement and what work is needed.
What should I bring to the first consultation?
The contract and annexes, main correspondence, payment records and any summons or judgment. For defects, include photographs and reports. State your desired result and all urgent dates.
Discuss your tenancy problem
Arslan Advocaten · The Hague
Paletplein 80, 2526 GZ Den Haag
070 450 03 00
Request an appointment · Office information
Tell us about any hearing, eviction or response deadline immediately. Sending a message does not itself create an engagement or extend a deadline.
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