Dutch renting is not one single market. Your rights depend on the home’s WWS points, the basic rent when the contract starts, the date of the contract and whether the home falls in the social, mid-range or liberalised sector. Since July 2024, permanent rental contracts are again the norm, while the Affordable Rent Act expanded rent protection into the mid-range sector.
The three rental sectors in 2026
| Sector | 2026 position for new contracts | Main consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Social | Up to 143 WWS points; upper rent boundary €932.93 | Maximum basic rent applies and access may be subject to income/allocation rules. |
| Mid-range | 144–186 WWS points; for 2026 starts, basic rent between €932.93 and €1,228.07 | Maximum basic rent applies under the WWS points system. |
| Free sector | 187+ points and a qualifying liberalised starting rent | No WWS maximum basic rent in the same way, but rent increases, deposit, service-cost, discrimination and good-landlord rules still apply. |
Contract date matters. Mid-range regulation only applies to new contracts from 1 July 2024 onward. A home of the same quality may therefore be treated differently under an older contract. Since 1 January 2025, landlords must provide a WWS points calculation with every new rental contract.
Run the Huurprijscheck
The Huurcommissie’s official Huurprijscheck calculates the home’s WWS points. The calculation uses matters such as floor area, energy performance, WOZ value and facilities. Save the result before signing and again if you later dispute the rent.
Permanent contracts are the default
Since 1 July 2024, an indefinite rental contract is the normal starting point. Temporary contracts remain possible only for specified groups and situations, such as certain students, urgent housing cases and several statutory exceptions. Do not assume that a contract called “temporary” is automatically valid just because the landlord wrote an end date into it.
Before you sign
- Confirm the exact kale huur (basic rent), separate from service costs and utilities.
- Ask for the WWS points calculation that must accompany new contracts.
- Check whether the contract is indefinite or relies on a valid temporary-contract exception.
- Check the deposit, inventory, service-cost advance and utility arrangements.
- Photograph the condition of the property and meters on handover.
- Check whether a municipal housing permit or local registration condition applies.
- Never transfer large sums without verifying the landlord/agent, address and contract.
2026 rent increases
The national maximum depends on sector. In 2026, the general ceiling is 4.1% for ordinary social-housing increases from 1 July 2026 (with separate higher-income rules), 6.1% for mid-range housing and 4.4% for free-sector housing. A contract can provide a lower increase, and regulated rent cannot rise above the maximum price belonging to the home’s points.
If something goes wrong
Use the route that fits the dispute: the landlord first, then the Huurcommissie for many rent/service-cost/defect issues, the municipality’s reporting point under the Good Landlordship Act for prohibited landlord conduct, and the kantonrechter where a court decision is needed. Our Legal & Rights section explains the difference.