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Lease Agreement Review

Many rental contracts in the Netherlands contain unfair or unlawful clauses. Have your lease reviewed and know exactly where you stand.

Why should you have your lease reviewed?

Many tenants sign their contract without knowing that certain clauses are invalid. Landlords regularly include terms that violate the law, such as key money (sleutelgeld), excessive penalties, or mandatory cleaning fees. As a tenant, you are not bound by these clauses.

80%

contain unfair clauses

Void

unfair clauses are legally void

3 days

comprehensive report ready

"Elk beding in verband met de totstandkoming van een huurovereenkomst betreffende woonruimte, voorzover daarbij ten behoeve van een der partijen een niet redelijk voordeel wordt overeengekomen, is nietig."

— Article 7:264 paragraph 1 Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek)

"Een beding dat in strijd is met een dwingende wetsbepaling is nietig, tenzij de bepaling uitsluitend strekt ter bescherming van een der partijen. In dat geval is het beding vernietigbaar."

— Article 3:40 paragraph 2 Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek)

Common unfair clauses

Key money / contract fees (sleutelgeld)

Invalid

Under Article 7:264 of the Dutch Civil Code, the landlord may not charge one-off fees that do not correspond to an actual service provided.

Mandatory professional cleaning on departure

Often invalid

A clause requiring the tenant to have the property professionally cleaned upon departure is generally considered unreasonably burdensome.

Subletting prohibition

Partly valid

A complete ban on subletting is customary, but in some cases the tenant has a legal right to sublet part of the property.

Penalty clauses (boeteclausule)

Often invalid

Contractual penalties that are disproportionate to the violation can be reduced or declared void by the court.

Annual rent increase above legal maximum

Invalid

For regulated rentals, the increase may not exceed the legal maximum, even if the contract states a higher percentage.

What do we check?

Our lawyers review your complete lease agreement on the following points:

Rent price and annual increase
Service charges and specification
Security deposit (max 2 months, waarborgsom)
Notice period and tenancy protection
Maintenance responsibilities
Key money / contract fees
Penalty clauses
Subletting provisions
Pet clause
Condition upon departure

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Which clauses in a rental contract are considered unfair?+
Common unfair clauses include: excessive administration fees, mandatory cleaning costs upon departure, pet bans without reasonable grounds, contractual penalties, and service charges for services not actually provided. Under Article 7:264 of the Dutch Civil Code, clauses that provide an unreasonable advantage to the landlord are void (nietig).
What happens if my contract contains an unfair clause?+
An unfair clause under Article 7:264 of the Dutch Civil Code is void (nietig) — meaning it legally never existed. You do not have to comply with it. If you have already paid based on such a clause, you can reclaim the amount.
Is my landlord allowed to charge key money or administration fees?+
No. Key money (sleutelgeld), contract fees, administration fees and similar one-off charges are not permitted under Article 7:264 of the Dutch Civil Code. The landlord may only charge the base rent price (kale huur), service charges for services actually provided, and a security deposit (waarborgsom).
How long does a lease review take?+
A complete lease review by our lawyer is typically ready within 3 business days. You receive a detailed report with an assessment per clause: valid, questionable or invalid. Plus concrete advice on how to take action.
Do you also check service charges?+
Yes. We assess all service charges in your contract for fairness and legality. Landlords may only charge for services actually provided. Costs for major maintenance, insurance or property tax (onroerende zaakbelasting) may not be passed on as service charges.

Have your lease reviewed

Not sure if your contract is fair? Contact us for a professional assessment.

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