Is my rent too high? Check the 2026 maximum rent for your home in the Netherlands
How the points decide your maximum rent, the 2026 limits, the 6-month deadline for your starting rent and what a Huurcommissie case costs. For tenants in social rent, mid-rent and the free sector.
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Rules from the Huurcommissie, Volkshuisvesting Nederland and Rijksoverheid · Checked 25 September 2026
Short answer
Is your rent too high? For most homes up to the mid-rent limit, the woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS) points set a maximum rent: in 2026 €932.93 a month for social rent (up to 143 points) and €1,228.07 for regulated mid-rent (up to 186 points, on leases from 1 July 2024). Check your home with the Huurcommissie’s free Rent Check, which is in English. Within 6 months of the start of your lease, the Huurcommissie can review your starting rent for a €25 fee, refunded if you win, and a lower rent then applies from the date your lease began.
Key facts for 2026
- 143 points or fewer is social rent, with a 2026 maximum of €932.93 a month.
- 186 points is the top of regulated mid-rent on leases from 1 July 2024: €1,228.07 a month in 2026.
- 187 points or more on a lease from 1 July 2024 is the free sector, with no maximum rent.
- 6 months from the start of your lease to file for a review of the starting rent.
- €25 is the tenant’s fee for a Huurcommissie case, refunded if the ruling goes your way.
- 4 months is the legal standard for a Huurcommissie case, from paying the fee to the first ruling.
- 2,050 starting-rent reviews were handled by the Huurcommissie in 2025.
- 4.1% is the 2026 cap on a social rent increase, from 1 July; mid-rent may rise 6.1% and the free sector 4.4%.
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.
Check
Is my rent too high? How do I check it?
In 2026 your home’s WWS points set its legal maximum rent, and the Huurcommissie’s free Rent Check, in English, calculates both. If you pay more than that maximum, your rent can be too high.
“The Rent Check gives the total number of points for a self-contained accommodation or room(s) and the maximum rent that can be charged.”
From the Huurcommissie’s Rent Check page, checked 25 September 2026.
- What earns points: the size and facilities of the home, and since the Affordable Rent Act the WOZ value, outdoor space and energy label count differently; a poor energy label even costs points (Huurcommissie). How the label works is in our service charges and energy label guide.
- Your lease should include the count: since 1 January 2025 landlords must add a points count to every new lease.
- Rooms: a room is always social rent, so the social maximum applies to it.
2026 limits
What is the maximum rent for my home in 2026?
Under the Wet betaalbare huur, from 1 January 2026 social rent ends at 143 points and €932.93 a month, and regulated mid-rent at 186 points and €1,228.07 on leases from 1 July 2024 (Volkshuisvesting Nederland).
| Segment | Points | Maximum rent a month | Can the Huurcommissie lower the rent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social rent | Up to 143 points | €932.93 | Yes |
| Regulated mid-rent | 144 to 186 points, lease from 1 July 2024 | €1,228.07 | Yes |
| Free sector | 187 points or more, lease from 1 July 2024 | No maximum | Only the starting rent, within 6 months |
Limits from 1 January 2026, indexed every year. Sources: Volkshuisvesting Nederland and the Huurcommissie.
- Older leases: a lease signed before 1 July 2024 cannot be mid-rent, so the line is 143 points (Huurcommissie).
- Protection in mid-rent: tenants in regulated mid-rent have a right to rent protection, just as social tenants do.
- Every year: the limits are raised on 1 January in line with inflation.
Deadline
How long do I have to challenge my starting rent?
The Huurcommissie reviews your starting rent if you send its form within 6 months of the date your lease started. What applies after that depends on the segment.
- Social rent and mid-rent, after 6 months: first propose a lower rent to your landlord; if the landlord does not agree, you can then ask the Huurcommissie to assess the rent (Huurcommissie).
- Free sector, lease from 1 July 2024: within the 6 months, the Huurcommissie can only lower the rent if the home’s maximum rent is below the mid-rent limit of 186 points (Huurcommissie).
- Free sector, lease from before 1 July 2024: the line is the social limit of 143 points.
- Free sector, after 6 months on an open-ended lease: no binding ruling on the rent, unless the points show the home is really social rent.
Procedure
How do I start a Huurcommissie case, and what does it cost?
A tenant pays the Huurcommissie a €25 fee in advance, and gets it back if the ruling goes their way. The landlord then pays the costs of the procedure.
- Payment starts it: the case only starts once the fee is paid, and paying late or not at all stops it. On a minimum income you can ask for an exemption.
- How to file: gather your documents, at least the lease, then log in to MijnHuurcommissie with DigiD (Huurcommissie).
- The inspection: an investigator visits and fills in the Rent Check, so you do not have to do it yourself.
- How long: the legal standard is 4 months from paying the fee to the first ruling, and 90 days from a complete file (Huurcommissie annual report 2025).
- How often tenants win: in 2025 the Huurcommissie handled 2,050 starting-rent reviews, and of almost 3,000 points disputes it decided 1,050 in the tenant’s favour.
Money back
Can I get back rent I’ve overpaid?
When the Huurcommissie lowers your starting rent after a review within the 6 months, the new rent applies from the date your lease started. Until the ruling, you keep paying the old rent.
- Collect it yourself: you ask your landlord for the money back; if the landlord will not pay, contact the Juridisch Loket.
- Defects: if the home has serious defects, the Huurcommissie can lower the rent further for a while. Our defects guide covers rent reduction for repairs.
- Rent benefit: a lower rent can mean less huurtoeslag (rent benefit); the 2026 rules are in our rent allowance guide.
Free sector
What if my home is in the free sector?
In the free sector, 187 points or more on a lease from 1 July 2024, there is no maximum rent (Huurcommissie).
- The starting rent: only the 6-month review above can still lower it, and only below the regulated limits.
- Increases are capped: from 1 January 2026 at most 4.4% in the free sector and 6.1% in mid-rent, and from 1 July 2026 at most 4.1% in social rent (Rijksoverheid). See how to challenge a rent increase.
- No reason to fear eviction for asking: your landlord can only end your lease with your consent or through a court, and you may stay until the court decides. See our guide to eviction in the Netherlands.
- After a ruling: either side can take a Huurcommissie ruling to the kantonrechter within 8 weeks (Civil Code, article 7:262); more in our guide to the Huurcommissie.
Landlord refusing to lower the rent, or the 6 months running out? Talk to a tenancy lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch tenancy lawyer. Most clients are introduced to a lawyer within one business day. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Keep reading
Related guides
More for tenants in the Netherlands.
Challenging a rent increase
What to do when the annual increase is too high.
HuurcommissieThe Huurcommissie explained
Its cases, fees and how to challenge a ruling.
ChargesService charges
What a landlord may charge on top of the rent.
EvictionEviction in the Netherlands
When a landlord can end your lease.
DepositGetting your deposit back
The 14-day rule and the deductions a landlord may make.
TenancyTenancy law hub
Every English guide for tenants in the Netherlands.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my rent is above the legal maximum?
Count the WWS points of your home with the Huurcommissie’s free Rent Check, which gives the points and the maximum rent. Up to 143 points the 2026 maximum is €932.93 a month, and up to 186 points on a lease from 1 July 2024 it is €1,228.07. If you pay more than the maximum for your points, the rent can be too high.
Can my landlord refuse a Huurcommissie reduction?
The ruling is binding on both of you. Either side can ask the kantonrechter to decide within 8 weeks of the date the ruling was sent; if neither does, you and your landlord are treated as having agreed to the ruling. While the case runs, you keep paying the old rent.
I signed the contract and agreed the rent. Can I still challenge it?
Yes, within the first 6 months. Send the Huurcommissie form within 6 months of the date your lease started, and the Huurcommissie reviews whether the starting rent is right for the home’s points. After 6 months, in social rent or mid-rent, you first propose a lower rent to your landlord.
Will challenging my rent get me evicted?
Your landlord can only end your lease with your consent, or by asking a court, and the court only agrees if the landlord proves a valid reason. Until the court decides, you may stay in the home. See our guide to eviction in the Netherlands for the grounds a landlord can use.
Does this apply to the free sector?
Partly. There is no maximum rent in the free sector, but within 6 months of the start of your lease the Huurcommissie can still lower the rent if the home’s points put it below the mid-rent limit, or below 143 points on a lease from before 1 July 2024. The annual increase is capped at 4.4% in 2026.
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Official sources, checked 25 September 2026
- Huurcommissie: Rent Check (in English)
- Huurcommissie: the Affordable Rent Act for tenants (in Dutch)
- Volkshuisvesting Nederland: maximum rent limits 2026 (in Dutch)
- Huurcommissie: the rent on a new or temporary contract, social and mid-rent (in Dutch)
- Huurcommissie: the rent on a new or temporary contract, free sector (in Dutch)
- Huurcommissie: what does a procedure cost? (in Dutch)
- Huurcommissie: annual report 2025 (PDF, in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: maximum rent increases for 2026 (in Dutch)
- Burgerlijk Wetboek Book 7, article 7:262 (in Dutch)
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 your rent or your tenancy, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.
FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.