The Three “Appendices” Hiding in Every Dutch Lease—And Why They Matter
Most tenants skim to the rent amount, sign, and miss the final pages stapled to the back of the contract. Yet those attachments—General Rental Conditions, the Decree on Minor Repairs, and the Good Landlordship Act notice—quietly decide who pays for what, how fast you get your deposit back, and even whether your landlord can enter the flat.
Below is the cheat-sheet you wish you’d had before signing.
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1. General Rental Conditions (Algemene Huurvoorwaarden)
Think of this as the landlord’s “house rules” playbook. Headlines you shouldn’t ignore:
- Use it or lose it. The dwelling must remain your principal residence; treat it as a pied-à-terre for long enough and daily penalties of €30 kick in—capped at €6 000 .
- Permission for hard flooring. Wood or laminate without sound-proof underlay? That can cost €20 per day up to €4 000 until you rip it out .
- Landlord access for works. Refuse an agreed inspection or repair visit, and you risk €25 per day up to €5 000.
2. Decree on Minor Repairs (Besluit Kleine Herstellingen)
This national list explains why Dutch landlords won’t send a handyman to fix a dripping tap. By law, anything deemed a “minor repair” is your job and expense, for example: bleeding radiators, replacing loose door handles, unblocking internal drains, or even mowing the front lawn .
Fail to do it and Article 6 of the General Conditions lets the landlord hire a contractor and send you the bill—no prior consent needed if the job is urgent .
3. Good Landlordship Act & Regulations (Wet/Regeling Goed Verhuurderschap)
Since July 2023 every private landlord must provide a tenant-friendly factsheet covering:
- Your core rights—rent control eligibility, protection against arbitrary eviction, and the right to peaceful enjoyment .
- Deposit rules. Unless damage or arrears exist, the deposit must be returned within one month of move-out; deductions require proof and a 30-day deadline .
- Complaint channels. The lease now lists the municipal contact point for reporting abusive practices .
Municipalities can fine owners up to €22 500 for violating these standards, but only if tenants know to file a report.
Why Skipping Them Costs More Than Reading Them
| Attachment | Hidden Cost if Ignored | Typical Tenant Shock |
|---|---|---|
| General Conditions | Daily penalties, forced removal of flooring, surprise access visits | “€25 per day because I was on holiday during their inspection?” |
| Minor Repairs Decree | Contractor invoices deducted from deposit | “€180 to tighten a loose mixer tap?” |
| Good Landlordship Act | Lost chance to claw back deposit or report abuse | “Didn’t know I could complain when he kept €500 for ‘cleaning’!” |
Relocify’s Contract Draft Review is baked into every relocation plan—and available as a stand-alone service if you only need legal eyes on the paperwork. Even though, these three documents are obligatory for everyone, we check if the drafted contract is definitely in accordance to those or not!
Sign once, sleep easy. Ready for a rental contract you actually understand? Book a draft review with Relocify —bundled in all plans or à-la-carte when that surprise PDF lands in your inbox.
