Grants for energy conservation also for rental properties

Making homes more sustainable is a good idea. But it also costs money. That is why the government provides subsidies for making homes more sustainable. You can get a subsidy for just one energy-saving measure. Previously, you had to take at least two energy-saving measures. Good news for homeowners but also for tenants.

Saving energy is also good for the tenant

For a home improvement, the rent may go up a bit but the landlord’s investment is (partly) compensated by the government, and the landlord may not pass that subsidy on to you. Try to think with the landlord about which measures are appropriate for your rental property. Common improvements include installing double Hr++ glass, floor insulation or an energy-efficient boiler.

Subsidy Scheme for Sustainability and Maintenance of Rental Housing (SVOH)

The Subsidy Scheme for Sustainability and Maintenance of Rental Housing (SVOH) is intended for owners/lessors. They can apply for the contribution. The more different measures the landlord undertakes the higher the eligible amount becomes.

Last year, the Rent Commission received 3,571 objections from tenants against a rent increase. Compared to 2020, this is an increase of 4 percent.

Tenants are proven right in 40 percent of cases

12,000 cases were submitted to the Rent Commission last year. The cases concerned rent that was too high, service costs that were rising or defects in the property. In more than 40Tenants more likely to object to rent increase and dispute over service charges% of the cases, the Rent Commission ruled in favor of the tenant. For the tenant, this often means a rent reduction.

The Good Landlord Act

To better protect tenants against abuses, a new law has been passed, the Good Landlord Act, which will take effect July 1. This gives municipalities more opportunities to intervene and impose additional requirements on landlords.

The cabinet is threatening to cut the rent allowance starting in 2025. The cut is needed to finance implementation costs of two new laws. One of those laws is the Affordable Rent Act. The Woonbond, the interest group for tenants, and the umbrella organization of housing associations Aedes are furious with the cabinet. The HNA also finds this very strange. It is precisely the intention that tenants with low incomes keep an affordable rent.

Increase in rent allowance may be reversed

According to the Woonbond it concerns a few euros to tens per month. Especially for this group of people, this is a lot of money. The austerity measure is in the Spring Memorandum and should take effect from 2025. Earlier this year, the cabinet increased the rent allowance, which they want to reverse in steps from 2025.

Intervention by Lower House still possible

Like Aedes and the Woonbond, the HNA believes that tenants should not have to pay for the implementation costs of laws that are made precisely for people with low incomes. The Lower House has yet to look at the plan contained in the Spring Memorandum. Perhaps the House of Representatives can still intervene.

If you have a higher income and you rent socially, you can get an income-related rent increase. This is a fixed amount, of maximum 50 or maximum 100 euros, with which the landlord may increase the rent each year.

With an annual increase, the rent can rise considerably. It can even exceed the rent allowance limit (2023) of 806 euros and 6 cents. This is not prohibited, but the landlord may not charge more rent than allowed by the point system. All social housing is covered by the point system.

Check the maximum rent

On the website of the Rent Commission you can calculate how many points your house scores. The Rent Commission can help with the ‘check your price’ tool to calculate whether the bare rent of the house is correct. The result is a point total. This point total determines the maximum rent for an independent social rental property. The landlord may not ask for a higher rent, but he may ask for a lower rent. The Woonbond has made a handy overview of reasons to object to rent increases. So it is smart to check the maximum rent with the tool of De Huurcommissie.

If it were up to the cabinet, the tax on natural gas above a consumption of 800 cubic meters would go up. The idea is that homeowners will be encouraged to make their homes more sustainable and use less energy. But how does this work out for renters?

Tenants in poorly insulated homes burn more
According to the Woonbond, most tenants use less than 800 cubic meters of gas per year. So this measure does not have a major financial impact. For vulnerable people or families, however, it is a challenge to stay under that 800 cubic meters of gas. Also, unfortunately there are still many rental properties that have little to no insulation. There, tenants heat a lot more to be comfortable in their homes. The HNA believes that houses that still run on natural gas should remain affordable for tenants. We are keeping a close eye on this plan of the government and will stand up for the interests of tenants if they risk becoming the victims of this proposal.

Image credit: Makhlai via Unsplash

You are getting older and would like to continue living independently. But can you still live comfortably and safely in your home? Sometimes this is possible with a few measures in your home or extra help from outside. Sometimes, unfortunately, this is not feasible and moving is a better solution. The municipality, Buurtteam, housing corporations and IWOON have made a housing guide. The housing guide gives tips on how elderly people can live appropriately. The video can be viewed here.

There will be a ban on temporary leases. But there will be some exceptions to that ban. For tenants, temporary leases have many negative consequences. Often tenants are evicted after two years and have difficulty finding a new place to live. Landlords can raise the rent every time they change. In recent years, they have had a financial incentive to keep offering temporary leases. That now seems to be coming to an end. But exceptions remain -happily- possible.

Exceptions

Under pressure from the CDA and VVD, there will be a number of exceptions.

• For example, a house may be rented out temporarily if the landlord later wishes to rent the house to one of his or her children. This must be stipulated in advance in the rental contract.
• There will also be an exception for people who live together or get married. When one of them moves in with the other, the remaining house may be rented out temporarily.
• In addition, temporary leases remain possible for students, for people who urgently need temporary housing (such as the homeless) or when someone is going to live elsewhere temporarily for work and does not want to leave their home empty.

A little more housing security for tenants

The HNA is not in favor of all these exceptions. This leaves the back door open for temporary leases. But it is a good start for more housing security for tenants. There are other housing forms, such as anti-squatting or youth contracts, that require attention because they create uncertainty for tenants. We will continue to monitor developments in this regard.

This year, the City of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam housing corporations will come up with a joint approach to moisture and mold in Amsterdam homes. The city council has agreed with the housing corporations to adopt a unified approach to reports of mold complaints. This approach will be laid down in performance agreements 2024-2027.

Report immediately

Moisture and mold in the home is unhealthy. Therefore, it is smart to report it to the landlord as soon as possible. The landlord can take action to remove and prevent mold. If you can’t work it out together, as a tenant you can contact Amsterdam’s Housing Maintenance Hotline.

Check how to prevent moisture and mold

Ventilation is important all year round, but especially in winter. The air in your home gets damp when everything is closed up. Read useful tips to prevent moisture and mold problems here.

Rabobank research shows that more and more Amsterdam residents are leaving the city because of rising housing prices and the declining coziness of neighborhoods. Many residents complain about the crowds, tourists and lack of social cohesion. There are also concerns about the quality of education and safety. Families with children and young people in particular feel they are outgrowing the city. The HNA also sees these problems. With our spearheads we want to contribute to a pleasant living climate for tenants in Amsterdam. Also join us with your residents’ committee or rental association. Together we stand strong!

 

The vote on a law banning temporary leases has been postponed as two amendments by the CDA and VVD cause disagreement. These amendments give landlords more rights, which would allow private landlords with up to one rental property to evict their tenants if they want to sell the house or provide shelter to a family member.

Back in debate

The initiators, Henk Nijboer (PvdA) and Pieter Grinwis (CU), of the bill believe that these amendments undermine rent protection and advise the Lower House not to vote for the amendments. “A fundamental change that is totally at odds with the purpose of the law,” Nijboer said. “The landlord can at any time sell the house or threaten with it if you do not accept the rent increase.” A debate on this will probably take place after the May recess.