When you hand back your rented home, you mostly want one thing: your deposit back and no bill afterwards. The best way to get there is to know what the landlord expects and to start in good time. Below you can read how handing back a rented home usually works, from giving notice to the final inspection.
Start with your tenancy agreement and the check-in report
First, get out your tenancy agreement and, if you have it, the report or photos from when you moved in. The basic rule in Dutch law is that you return the home in the condition you received it. You do not have to fix normal wear and tear: a floor that has become a bit duller after ten years or faded paintwork next to a window falls under that. Damage you caused yourself does not.
Didn't get a description of the home when you moved in? Then the law assumes you received it in good condition. That makes it all the more important to take your own photos when you leave.
Give notice in good time
Give notice in writing and ask for confirmation. For tenants of residential property, the notice period is the same as the payment period, usually one month, and never longer than three months. Your contract states what applies to you. After you give notice, the landlord or housing association (woningcorporatie) will contact you to schedule a pre-inspection.
The pre-inspection: your to-do list
At the pre-inspection, someone from the landlord walks through the home with you a few weeks before the end date. You will hear what you need to repair or remove, and what can stay. Ask for this on paper or by email, so you do not face any surprises at the final inspection.
During the pre-inspection, also ask whether the new tenant wants to take over any items, such as carpets, curtains or a wardrobe you installed yourself. Some landlords arrange this with a takeover form. Without the landlord's approval, you usually have to remove it anyway.
What you often need to do
The rules vary by landlord, but these points come up almost every time:
- Undo your own changes. If you put up a wall, replaced a kitchen or laid laminate without agreeing that it could stay, the landlord will often expect you to remove it.
- Wallpaper. Many housing associations want wallpaper removed, or at least wallpaper in bright colours, vinyl or fibreglass. Others accept neat, light-coloured walls. Check with them.
- Painting. You often have to repaint dark or striking colours in a light, neutral colour. Use enough coats so the old colour does not show through.
- Holes in walls. Take out the wall plugs, fill the holes neatly with filler, sand them smooth and touch up. Some landlords accept a normal number of plug holes, others do not.
- Floor coverings. Your own carpet or flooring usually has to come out, including glue residue and tape strips.
- Cleaning. Kitchen, bathroom and toilet, windows, frames and the floor. Don't forget the cooker hood, the filter of the mechanical ventilation and the storage room.
- Garden and balcony. Weeds pulled, grass mowed, and only leave your own sheds or paving if that has been agreed.
Plan the jobs around your move
The mistake many people make: they move first and only then think about handing back the old place. Then you end up painting an empty house while your new home is full of boxes. If it works for you, plan a few days between moving day and the end date. Empty rooms are much easier to paint and clean. Get rid of things you are not taking with you before the move, see also decluttering before you move.
The final inspection and handing over the keys
At the final inspection, the landlord checks whether everything agreed at the pre-inspection has been done. If so, you sign the handover report together and return all the keys, including those for the storage room, letterbox and any key cards.
- Read the report carefully before you sign. If you disagree with anything, have it written down.
- Take your own dated photos of every room.
- Write down the gas, water and electricity meter readings and take a photo of them.
- Ask when you will get your deposit back and whether any costs will be deducted.
If money is withheld, the landlord must be able to show what it is for. If you cannot agree, the Juridisch Loket (free legal advice service) and the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) have information about your rights.
Help with the move itself
If your belongings are out of the old home in good time, your hands are free for the handover. Use the free moving check to find out how GD Verhuisbedrijf can handle your move. You can also use the moving checklist to put giving notice and the inspections in your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always have to paint my rented home white when I leave?
Not always. Many landlords ask for light, neutral colours, but not necessarily white. You will hear what applies to you at the pre-inspection, or you can read it in the handover conditions.
What happens if I am not at the pre-inspection?
Then you miss the chance to hear what needs to be done. At the final inspection, the landlord can still ask for repairs or charge you the costs. So schedule the appointment for a time when you can be there.
Can the landlord charge for normal wear and tear?
No, normal wear and tear from ordinary use is the landlord's responsibility. Damage you caused yourself and your own changes that you have not undone can be charged to you.
