The new Good Landlord Act allows the municipality to introduce a rental permit. Alderman Zita Pels believes that even without a permit system, Amsterdam is perfectly capable of protecting tenants from bad rental behavior. After all, the general rules from the new law can be properly enforced as well as enforcement on the already legally required housing quality.
Barring landlords with bad reputations
The rental permit was included in the new Good Landlord Act at the request of a number of large cities. Starting July 1, municipalities can make a rental permit mandatory in certain neighborhoods; in this way, certain landlords with a bad reputation can be barred. However, municipalities must be able to justify why such a permit requirement is necessary and appropriate to maintain the livability of those areas. Corporations are excluded from any licensing system. According to Pels, that permit adds little to existing instruments.
