Termination of Rental Agreement by Landlord in Amsterdam: Conditions and Procedure
In Amsterdam, where the rental market is extremely tight with waiting times of years for social housing, landlords may not terminate a rental agreement just like that. Strict rules from Book 7 of the Dutch Civil Code apply, reinforced by local policy rules of the municipality. This article explains when and how you as a landlord in the capital can terminate, with examples from Amsterdam case law.
The most important grounds remain urgent own use (Article 7:274 DCC), rent arrears, nuisance or serious defects caused by the tenant. In Amsterdam, the district court judge often requires additional evidence due to the high pressure on the housing market. Send a notice of termination with a minimum notice period of three months and a concrete reason, ideally tested against local standards such as the Housing Allocation Ordinance. If the tenant objects – common in neighborhoods like the Jordaan or Oost – a procedure follows at the Amsterdam District Court.
Procedure in Amsterdam: 1. Draft a formal notice of termination with end date, mentioning if applicable the vacancy compensation protection for housing association properties. 2. Wait for response; tenant organizations such as Huurteam Amsterdam often provide assistance. 3. Claim termination at the district court judge with solid evidence, such as collection overviews for non-payment or neighbor statements for nuisance. For urgent own use, you must offer an alternative home in Amsterdam or the surrounding region, or pay compensation of at least three months' rent. Judges in Amsterdam approve only 20-30% of termination requests without an ironclad file, partly due to pressure from the Housing Crisis taskforce. Avoid informal pressure or mediation via shady real estate agents; this leads to fines from the municipality. Consult an Amsterdam rental law attorney for local customization and avoid claims for unlawful eviction.