Rental scams in the Netherlands (2026): red flags, illegal fees and what to do if you paid
Searching for a home from abroad, or in a hurry, is exactly when scammers strike. This guide lists the red flags, the checks to do before paying, the fees you never owe and what to do if you have already paid.
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Advice from the Fraudehelpdesk, ACM ConsuWijzer and Rijksoverheid · Checked 15 September 2026
Short answer
Rental scams in the Netherlands usually follow one pattern: an attractive home or room at a low rent, advertised online, and a request to pay a deposit, agency fee or a few months’ rent up front. Once you pay, the “landlord” disappears. Separately, some fees are never allowed: an agent working for the landlord may not charge you, key money is not allowed, and on a lease signed from 1 July 2023 a deposit is capped at 2 months’ basic rent.
Key facts for 2026
- 2 months of basic rent is the maximum deposit on a lease signed from 1 July 2023.
- 14 days after the lease ends is when you get the deposit back, or the rest within 30 days if costs are deducted.
- €0 is what you owe an agent who works for the landlord, whatever the fee is called.
- 5 years is usually how long you have to reclaim agency fees you should not have paid.
- 14 days is the cooling-off period to cancel a paid subscription to a rental search website.
- 3 rental agents were fined by ACM in April 2021 for charging tenants €150 to over €400.
- 1 January 2024 is the date every municipality had to have a report desk, including for unlawful agency fees.
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.
The scam
How rental scams in the Netherlands work
Scammers offer a home or room online, ask for a deposit, agency fee or a few months’ rent up front, and you hear nothing more once you have paid (Fraudehelpdesk).
- No home, or not for rent. Rental fraud means paying for a home that does not exist, or that is not for rent at all (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Where they advertise. Forged websites, online marketplaces, social media and copies of real listings, usually with beautiful photos, a low rent and a popular location.
- A viewing is no guarantee. Scammers sometimes rent a place for a week or a weekend, or borrow one from a friend, then ask you to sign and pay a deposit straight away; very occasionally they even hand you a key (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Your ID. Scammers sometimes ask for a copy of your identity document; if you sent one, contact the Fraudehelpdesk for advice (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Fake WoningNet emails asking for renewal costs were reported in June and July 2026 (Fraudehelpdesk).
Red flags
Red flags that a rental listing is a scam
No single sign proves fraud, but each of these is a reason to stop and check before any money leaves your account (Fraudehelpdesk).
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A low rent for the size and location | An offer that looks too good to be true may be fraud |
| The landlord is abroad and only talks online | You cannot view the home first |
| Payment to a foreign bank account | For the rent, the deposit or agency fees |
| Pressure to sign and pay right after a viewing | The key is promised for when the home is supposedly free |
| A website that has existed only a short time | Scammers often use temporary websites |
| The same photos on other websites | Scammers copy photos from existing listings |
| A request for a copy of your ID | Get advice from the Fraudehelpdesk if you already sent one |
| A fee for drawing up the lease | A landlord may not charge for that |
Sources: Fraudehelpdesk and Rijksoverheid, checked 15 September 2026.
Checks
Check the landlord and the home before you pay
Pay nothing until you have checked that the landlord is reliable and the home matches the advertisement.
- Search the landlord Search the landlord’s name, website or the address with “review”, “klacht” or “oplichting” (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Check the address and photos Look up the address in Google Street View, and search the photos with Google Images or Yandex to see whether they appear on other sites (Fraudehelpdesk).
- View it, and go back No way at all to view the home? Do not deal with this landlord. If you can view it, go back at another time of day and try to talk to the person living there now (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Pay traceably Transfer through your bank or ask for proof of payment, so you can later prove what you paid (Rijksoverheid).
- Start early so you are not rushed into a decision, check on whois.com how long the landlord’s website has existed, and ask the police whether anything is known about the landlord (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Get it in writing. For leases from 1 July 2023 a landlord must confirm verbal agreements in writing (Volkshuisvesting Nederland).
- A real listing can still be overpriced: check the points with our is my rent too high? guide.
Fees
Fees you never have to pay, and the ones that are capped
A landlord may only charge extra costs for something you receive, and some charges are not allowed whatever they are called (Rijksoverheid).
| Charge | The rule |
|---|---|
| Agency fee when the agent works for the landlord | Not allowed, also when called contract, administration or registration costs |
| Key money, sleutelgeld | Not allowed; if you paid, keep proof and reclaim it through the court |
| A fee for drawing up the lease | Not allowed: it is a standard part of letting the home |
| Landlord costs, such as a name plate or a permit application | Only for something you actually receive |
| Deposit | At most 2 months’ basic rent on leases from 1 July 2023, 3 on older leases |
| Items left by the previous tenant | Only if you choose to take them over |
| Extra services from an agent, such as utilities or internet | Optional, and saying no may not affect your chance of the home |
Sources: Rijksoverheid, ACM ConsuWijzer and Volkshuisvesting Nederland.
- Agency fees are banned by the Civil Code for rooms and self-contained homes when the agent works for the landlord (Volkshuisvesting Nederland); the landlord pays them (Government.nl).
- Your deposit comes back within 14 days, or the rest within 30 days if the landlord deducts costs such as unpaid rent or damage (Rijksoverheid). See our rental deposit guide.
- Report it. Since 1 January 2024 every municipality has a report desk; for unlawful agency fees it can warn, impose an order and fine (Volkshuisvesting Nederland).
Agents
Rental agents and rental websites: who may charge you
A website that only collects listings is not an agent: you may pay for a subscription you agree to, but the site may not mislead you (ACM ConsuWijzer).
- Search websites must say clearly that they only offer a search service, how they get their listings, whether a home is still available and how to contact the letting agent (ACM ConsuWijzer).
- Misled? Claims of plenty of listings that are not there, or homes that are not available or do not exist, count as misleading. You have 14 days to cancel a subscription without a reason, and after that you can sometimes annul it (ACM ConsuWijzer).
- Go to the agent directly. Letting agents usually show their own listings for free; after many complaints in 2021, ACM shared information about some rental websites with the national internet fraud desk, LMIO (ACM ConsuWijzer).
- Who may charge. An agent working for you and the landlord may not charge you; one that finds you a home outside its own listings may (ACM ConsuWijzer). In April 2021 ACM fined 3 agents €5,000 to €100,000 for charging tenants €150 to over €400 (ACM ConsuWijzer).
After paying
Already paid? What to do now
Report it to the police with as much information as you can, including screenshots and chat messages: you have the right to report a crime and the police must take your report (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Call the Fraudehelpdesk, the first point of contact for fraud, on 088 – 7867372 (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Getting money back. If a suspect is caught and prosecuted, you may join the criminal case, but the money has to come from the suspect (Fraudehelpdesk).
- Fees from a real agent or landlord. Reclaim them with a registered letter, usually within 5 years of paying and after you have signed the lease; then De Geschillencommissie if the agent is a member, or the court (Juridisch Loket). ACM has a model letter.
- Report the agent or website to ACM ConsuWijzer (ACM ConsuWijzer). For problems after you have moved in, see our guides on a temporary lease and on eviction.
Paid fees you did not owe, or lost a deposit to a landlord? Talk to a tenancy lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch tenancy lawyer. Free 15-minute matching call first. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Keep reading
Related guides
More of our guides for tenants in the Netherlands.
Rental deposit rules
The cap and when you get it back.
DepositMaximum security deposit
How much a landlord may ask for.
RentIs my rent too high?
Check the points before you sign.
LeasesTemporary rental contracts
Who can still be offered one.
EvictionEviction in the Netherlands
Only a court can make you leave.
SublettingSubletting and Airbnb rules
When a sublet is allowed.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do rental scams in the Netherlands work?
A scammer advertises a home or room online, often with good photos, a low rent and a popular location, and asks for a deposit, agency fee or a few months’ rent before you move in. After you pay, you hear nothing more. Sometimes the home does not exist, or it is not for rent at all, even if you were shown around.
Is it a scam if the landlord is abroad and I cannot view the home?
It is one of the main warning signs. The Fraudehelpdesk advises not to deal with a landlord if there is no way to view the home first, and to be wary of paying into a foreign bank account. A viewing alone is no proof, though: scammers sometimes rent a place for a week or a weekend to show it.
Can a rental agent charge me fees?
Not if the agent works for the landlord, for example when you respond to a home on the agent’s own website. That applies whatever the fee is called, such as contract, administration or registration costs. An agent may charge you only if you hired them to find a home outside their own listings, or for optional extra services you choose.
How much deposit can a landlord ask?
On a lease signed from 1 July 2023, at most 2 months’ basic rent; on older leases at most 3 months. You get it back within 14 days after the lease ends, or the rest within 30 days if the landlord deducts costs such as unpaid rent or damage. Pay traceably, by bank transfer or against proof of payment.
Is key money legal in the Netherlands?
No. A landlord may not ask you for key money, sleutelgeld, and you should not pay it. If you did, make sure you have proof of payment, because you can get the money back through the court. A landlord may not charge you for drawing up the lease either.
I paid for a subscription to a rental website. Can I get my money back?
Within 14 days of signing up you can cancel without giving a reason and get your money back. After that, if the site misled you, for example with listings that were not available or did not exist, you can sometimes annul the subscription. You can also report the website to ACM ConsuWijzer.
I have been scammed. What should I do?
Contact the Fraudehelpdesk on 088 – 7867372 and report it to the police with as much information as possible, such as screenshots and chat messages; the police must take your report. If a suspect is prosecuted you may join the criminal case to claim your money, but it has to come from the suspect. Sent a copy of your ID? Ask the Fraudehelpdesk for advice.
How long do I have to reclaim agency fees?
Usually 5 years from the date you paid them. Wait until you have signed the lease, so the landlord does not choose someone else. Send the agent a registered letter; if there is no response and the agent is a member of De Geschillencommissie, complain there, otherwise you can go to court. You can also report it to your municipality.
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Official sources, checked 15 September 2026
- Fraudehelpdesk: found a place to live? Check before you rent (in Dutch)
- Fraudehelpdesk: I rented something (in Dutch)
- Fraudehelpdesk: fake emails in the name of WoningNet (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: which extra costs may a landlord charge? (in Dutch)
- Volkshuisvesting Nederland: national rules for good landlordship (in Dutch)
- Volkshuisvesting Nederland: rules on agency fees (in Dutch)
- Government.nl: step-by-step plan for tenants
- ACM ConsuWijzer: costs when looking for a rental home (in Dutch)
- ACM ConsuWijzer: rental websites that only offer a search service (in Dutch)
- ACM ConsuWijzer: ACM investigates rental websites, 6 July 2021 (in Dutch)
- ACM ConsuWijzer: fines for 3 rental agents that still charged fees, 6 April 2021 (in Dutch)
- Fraudehelpdesk: reporting a crime to the police (in Dutch)
- Het Juridisch Loket: do I have to pay agency fees for a home or room? (in Dutch)
- ACM ConsuWijzer: model letter to refuse or reclaim agency fees (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 rental scams and illegal fees in the Netherlands, 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.