Tenancy · Updated 15 Sep 2026 · ~10 min read

Renting in Amersfoort in 2026: finding a home, the local rules, and getting your deposit back

Amersfoort is where many people look when Utrecht is full, and its waiting lists and room rules are its own. This guide covers the rent bands, the local permits, your lease and deposit, and where tenants get free help.

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Deposit not back? Free checkThe Amersfoort rules

Rules from the City of Amersfoort, Rijksoverheid, the Huurcommissie and the Civil Code · Checked 15 September 2026

Short answer

Renting in Amersfoort mostly means registering with DĀK regio Eemvallei for a corporation home or searching the private market for mid-rent and free-sector homes, and Pararius found rents in the city virtually stable early in 2026. Homes with a rent up to €932.93 need a free housing permit, which the corporation arranges. Your deposit may be at most 2 months of basic rent and is due back within 14 days, and the city runs a free, anonymous report desk for problems with private landlords.

Key facts for 2026

  • 8 municipalities share the DĀK regio Eemvallei waiting list, with priority for people tied to Amersfoort or Eemnes.
  • €932.93 a month is the rent up to which an Amersfoort home needs a housing permit in 2026.
  • €418,100 is the WOZ limit for buyout protection from 1 April 2026.
  • 5 ordinary houses must stand between two room-rental houses in zone 2, and 3 in zone 1.
  • €5.53 per person per night is the Amersfoort tourist tax in 2026.
  • 2 months of basic rent is the highest deposit a private landlord may ask.
  • 14 033 is the city’s number for questions about its report desk.

This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.

Rent

Renting in Amersfoort: rent bands, waiting lists and price trends

Amersfoort splits its rental market into three bands, and which one a home falls into decides how you apply and what the landlord may ask.

BandMonthly rent, 2026 pricesHow you get one
Social rentUp to €932.93Through DĀK regio Eemvallei; income up to €51,537 alone or €56,910 together
Mid-rent€932.93 to €1,228.07Corporations and private landlords; landlords set their income rules
Free sectorFrom €1,228.07Mostly private landlords and agents

Rent bands and income limits as published by the City of Amersfoort for 2026.

  • The bands. Social housing is for incomes up to €51,537 for one person or €56,910 for a larger household; mid-rent sits between €932.93 and €1,228.07 a month and the free sector starts at €1,228.07, where landlords set their own rules and income conditions (City of Amersfoort).
  • Price trend. Pararius found that rents in Amersfoort stayed virtually stable in the first quarter of 2026 (Pararius); across the province of Utrecht new tenants paid €19.84 per m² in the second quarter (Pararius).
  • Your chances. Each home on DĀK shows your chance, from very high to very low, and with little waiting time the lottery homes are worth a try (City of Amersfoort). If a rent looks high for what you get, see is my rent too high?

Left an Amersfoort rental?

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Local rules

Amersfoort rules: housing permit, buyout protection, room zones, tourist tax

Four local rules shape what Amersfoort landlords may let, and they explain why some homes never reach the rental market.

  • The housing permit (huisvestingsvergunning). A home with a rent up to €932.93 needs one; it is free and the corporation arranges it when the home meets the conditions (City of Amersfoort).
  • Buyout protection. A home up to the WOZ limit may not be bought to let out for four years after the transfer; the limit rose from €404,895 to €418,100 on 1 April 2026 and follows inflation every April. The owner can ask for a rental permit, for example to let for up to 12 months after living there for 12 months, which costs €269 and is decided within 8 weeks (City of Amersfoort).
  • Room zones. Room rental is always allowed in houses in the city centre. In zone 1, around the centre, at least 3 ordinary houses must separate two room houses, and in zone 2, the rest of Amersfoort, at least 5. A landlord letting 5 or more rooms must file a fire safety notice (City of Amersfoort).
  • Tourist tax. Guests staying overnight in Amersfoort pay €5.53 per person per night in 2026 (City of Amersfoort). Before letting your own home to tourists, read our subletting and Airbnb guide.

Finding a home

Finding a place in Amersfoort

Register with DĀK regio Eemvallei as soon as you can, because waiting time is what wins most corporation homes.

  • The corporations. De Alliantie, Portaal and Omnia Wonen offer their social homes through DĀK regio Eemvallei, which covers Amersfoort, Baarn, Bunschoten, Eemnes, Leusden, Nijkerk, Soest and Woudenberg; people with an economic or social tie to Amersfoort or Eemnes get priority (City of Amersfoort).
  • Age limits. You can register as a home seeker from 18, and for student housing already from 16 (City of Amersfoort).
  • A room in a corporation home. Under the Samen Thuis pilot, run with de Alliantie, Kwintes and De Rustplek, de Alliantie tenants with a spare room may let it for up to a year to someone who urgently needs a roof (City of Amersfoort).
  • Agency fees. An agent working for the landlord may not charge you, whatever the fee is called (Rijksoverheid).
  • Registering from abroad. Amersfoort residents can register at the Utrecht International Center (Utrecht International Center) without its registration fee (Utrecht International Center); our IND and registration in Utrecht guide explains that visit and our BSN guide the rest.

Your lease

Your lease in Amersfoort: open-ended, protected, and temporary only by exception

Most new leases have no end date, and a landlord who gives notice cannot make you leave without a court.

  • Rent protection. If the landlord ends the lease and you do not agree, the lease stays valid and you can stay; only a judge can decide that you must go (City of Amersfoort).
  • Temporary leases. New tenants get an open-ended lease, and a temporary one is only allowed in set cases, such as a student renting for studies in another municipality (Rijksoverheid).
  • Vacancy Act lets. A home let under a Vacancy Act permit gives you no rent protection: the lease ends when the permit expires and runs between 6 months and 5 years (City of Amersfoort).
  • Checking the rent. Within the first 6 months of your lease the Huurcommissie can review the starting rent (Huurcommissie).

Deposit

Your deposit in Amersfoort: how much, how fast, and the free check

A private landlord in Amersfoort may ask at most 2 months of basic rent as a deposit.

  • The cap. The city lists it among the rules every private landlord must follow since 1 July 2023 (City of Amersfoort); on leases signed before that date the limit was 3 months (Rijksoverheid).
  • The deadline. Repayment is due within 14 days after the lease ends, or within 30 days when damage or unpaid rent is deducted, with a full written specification (Civil Code, article 7:261b).
  • Information in writing. The landlord must tell you how high the deposit is and when you get it back (City of Amersfoort).
  • Tools. The deposit calculator works out the maximum and the due date; the deposit recovery guide covers the procedure.

Important — read before you worry about cost

The €188 is not paid upfront

For eligible lowest-bracket legal aid (toevoeging), the lawyer contribution is usually not due before your case starts. If your case succeeds, it can be paid from the money you recover — not from your own pocket upfront.

  • €0 now — free eligibility check (opens checker directly)
  • €49 later only if FindLawyer can help after review (refunded if we cannot connect you to the lawyer)
  • €188 lawyer/legal-aid share — after recovery if you win, lawyer confirms eligibility

Is your Amersfoort landlord keeping the deposit?

Start with the free eligibility check: in English, about 2 minutes, nothing to pay.

Do your free eligibility check

Help

Free help for tenants in Amersfoort

Amersfoort gives private tenants a free report desk, advice by e-mail and, as a last step, a court location in the city itself.

  • The report desk. If you rent from a private landlord or agent, look for such a home, or are a foreign worker with a combined work and housing contract, you can report unwanted landlord behaviour anonymously and for free (City of Amersfoort). Report online with DigiD or anonymously; for questions call 14 033 or send a WhatsApp message to 06 57 50 53 02 (City of Amersfoort).
  • Advice from the city. E-mail wonen@amersfoort.nl describing the problem and the city gives advice; this route is not anonymous (City of Amersfoort).
  • Corporation tenants. Go to the corporation’s complaints committee first, and to the Huurcommissie if that does not help (City of Amersfoort).
  • The court. Rechtbank Midden-Nederland has a location at Stationsstraat 81, open from 8.30 to 17.00 (Rechtspraak.nl), in a region that includes Amersfoort, where its sub-district judges hear rent and employment cases (Rechtspraak.nl). See our legal aid guide for the costs.

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Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for renting in and around Amersfoort.

Service

Free deposit check

Landlord kept your deposit? Check your case.

 Tool

Deposit calculator

The legal maximum and the repayment date.

 Rent

Is my rent too high?

The points check for your rent.

 Nearby

Renting in Utrecht

Rents and room rules 15 minutes away.

 Arriving

IND and registration in Utrecht

Where Amersfoort residents can register.

 Rules

Subletting and Airbnb

National rules for letting your home.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What should I know about renting in Amersfoort in 2026?

Corporation homes go through DĀK regio Eemvallei, which you can join from age 18, and your income must stay within €51,537 alone or €56,910 as a household. Mid-rent runs from €932.93 to €1,228.07 a month and the free sector starts above that. Pararius reported that Amersfoort rents stayed virtually stable in the first quarter of 2026.

Is Amersfoort cheaper than Utrecht?

Pararius does not publish an Amersfoort price per m² for 2026. It did report that Amersfoort rents hardly moved in the first quarter, while the province of Utrecht averaged €19.84 per m² in the second quarter. Compare listings for the same size and energy label, and check the rent with the Huurcommissie within 6 months of moving in.

Do I need a housing permit to rent in Amersfoort?

Only for a home with a rent up to €932.93 a month at 2026 prices. The permit is free and the housing corporation arranges it when the home and your situation meet the conditions. Mid-rent and free-sector homes need no permit, and their landlords set their own income requirements.

Can a landlord turn an Amersfoort house into rooms?

In the city centre room rental is always allowed. Around it, in zone 1, at least 3 ordinary houses must stand between two room houses; in zone 2, the rest of the city, at least 5. Letting 5 or more rooms needs a fire safety notice, and a host living in the house may let up to 2 rooms without a permit.

How much deposit can an Amersfoort landlord ask?

A private landlord may ask at most 2 months of basic rent. The landlord repays it within 14 days of the lease ending, or within 30 days when damage or unpaid rent has to be settled, with a written breakdown of the costs. A deposit that is too high can be reported to the city, anonymously and free of charge.

Where can Amersfoort tenants get free help?

Private tenants can report discrimination, intimidation, a rent that is too high or unfair service charges to the city, anonymously and free. You can also e-mail wonen@amersfoort.nl for advice, which is not anonymous. Corporation tenants go to their corporation’s complaints committee first and then to the Huurcommissie.

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Official sources, checked 15 September 2026

Final notes and legal disclaimer

  • This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
  • It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
  • Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
  • No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
  • No rights can be derived from this article.
  • For decisions about renting in Amersfoort, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

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