Dutch rental glossary

Short, quotable definitions of terms you will see in Dutch rental contracts and listings.

• Huurcommissie

  The Huurcommissie is the Dutch rent tribunal that can formally assess disputes about rent levels and service costs.

• WWS-punten

  WWS-punten are points under the Dutch woningwaarderingsstelsel (housing valuation system) used to determine the maximum rent for regulated homes.

• Indexatieclausule

  An indexatieclausule is a contract clause that allows the rent to be increased periodically, often by reference to an inflation index.

• Opzegtermijn

  Opzegtermijn is the notice period required to end a rental agreement, for the tenant and sometimes with different rules for the landlord.

• Borg (waarborgsom)

  Borg (waarborgsom) is the rental deposit paid at the start of a tenancy as security against damage or unpaid rent, normally returned minus documented deductions.

• Inschrijving / BRP

  Inschrijving in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen) is municipal registration recording that you live at a specific address in the Netherlands.

• Tijdelijk huurcontract

  A tijdelijk huurcontract is a fixed-term or temporary rental agreement with an agreed end date or limited duration.

• Bemiddelingskosten

  Bemiddelingskosten (courtage) are mediation or agency fees charged for arranging a rental.

• Servicekosten

  Servicekosten are charges on top of base rent for services such as cleaning of common areas, utilities for shared spaces, or other agreed services.

• Kale huur

  Kale huur is the base rent for the dwelling itself, excluding service costs and utilities that may be billed separately.

• All-in huur

  All-in huur is a single rent figure that bundles base rent and other costs without a clear split.

• BSN

  A BSN (burgerservicenummer) is the Dutch citizen service number used in dealings with government, employers and many institutions.