About your deposit, and how to get it back

About your deposit,
and how to get it back
What
is a deposit?
W hen renting out
living accommodation landlords can ask for
a deposit. The amount is
usually one months’ basic
rent (“kale huur”: the
rental costs without additional charges like utitilities). This deposit is only
meant to cover the repairs
of any damage done to the
apartment during the rental
period. It cannot be used to
cover any other money still
owed by the tenant (such
as back rent, or outstanding
utility bills) unless this has
been agreed in advance, in
writing, by both landlord
and tenant.
What
damage?
R egular wear and tear
is not considered
damage. Tenants are responsible for indoor painting
and small and inexpensive
maintenance (like replacing a broken showerhead),
landlords have to take care of
any other (more specialist,
more costly) maintenance.
The cost of this maintenance
is already included in the
rent. Tenants should notify
their landlord, preferably in
writing, if there are any maintenance problems during
their stay. Alterations to the
apartment are only allowed
if the landlord gave written
permission in advance.
Assistance
I Moving out
W Moving in
W hen renting an
apartment tenants
should receive a written record of the condition the apartment is in
(“opnamestaat”). This
record is only binding if it is
signed by both the landlord
and the tenants. Without
such a written record the
apartment will be assumed
to be in good condition. If
the lease dates from before
August 2003 tenants have
to prove they left the the
apartment in the same state
as when they moved in. If
the lease was signed after
August 2003 the burden of
proof is the landlords’.
If the apartment is furnished tenants should
receive an itemised inventory list. If no such list is
provided, they should ask
for one. If they still don’t
receive a list we advise
tenants to make their own,
preferably with pictures,
and send a copy to the
landlord.
hen tenants give
notice they should
request a pre-inspection
of the apartment. This
pre-inspection preferably
takes place a few weeks
before the tenants move
out, giving them time to do
repairs if necessary. During this pre-inspection the
landlord and the tenants
check the condition of
the apartment using the
previously made written
record (“opnamestaat”)
and the itemised inventory list (if the apartment
was furnished). A written
record is made and signed
by both landlord and tenants, listing any repairs
for which the tenants are
responsible. This includes
cleaning the apartment.
At the end of the renting
period, usually on the day
the tenants vacate and
hand over the keys, tenants
and landlord have a final
inspection. They check if
the issues mentioned in the
pre-inspection report have
been taken care of. Both
sign the written final report.
If during this inspection
any of the maintenance
problems listed in the
pre-inspection report still
remain, and are legally the
tenants’ responsibility, the
cost of these repairs can be
deducted from the deposit.
Any repairs for which the
landlord is legally responsible should still be paid
for by the landlord. If no
maintenance problems
remain the deposit should
be returned in full.
f tenants are experiencing difficulties getting
their deposit back the
Wijksteunpunt Wonen (a
government funded tenant
support agency) offers
professional assistance, free
of charge.
District
Centrum
E-mail
centrum@wswonen.nl
Nieuw-West
Noord
Oost
West
Zuid
Zuidoost
nieuwwest@wswonen.nl
noord@wswonen.nl
oost@wswonen.nl
west@wswonen.nl
zuid@wswonen.nl
zuidoost@wswonen.nl
Street
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 55
Elandsgracht 70
Kleine Wittenburgerstraat 201
Groenpad 4
J. Drijverweg 5
Wijttenbachstraat 34 hs
Eerste Helmersstraat 106d
Gerard Doustraat 133
Bijlmerdreef 1289
for all addresses and opening times please check www.wswonen.nl
Telephone
020 412 48 68
020 625 85 69
020 622 76 98
020 619 09 74
020 494 04 46
020 462 03 30
020 618 24 44
020 664 53 83
020 579 79 20