Jeroen, a 22-year-old student at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, was like any other student in Utrecht searching for a room and was thrilled when he found one in a great location in the city. He said, “The location is really great, and the house is fine.” However, the rent for his room, which was just under 15 square meters, was high at €675 per month.
A tip from another student led him to the Huur Team a while ago. Jeroen said, “I thought, why not give it a try, maybe it will result in something.” Employee Tom from the Huur Team later inspected the room. He measured the shed, the rooftop terrace, and the kitchen. Then, he calculated, using a point-based system, what the maximum rent should be.
What price did Tom arrive at? Jeroen said, “I was shocked. Tom came up with a rent of €270.” In addition, Jeroen’s rental contract required him to cover the costs of gas, water, and electricity on top of the rent. Jeroen is expecting a decision from the Renting Commission in the case that was filed soon. He said, “It might take a while, but I hope and expect to get back the overpaid rent retroactively.”
“Tom helped me well. I would recommend it to every student. It takes half an hour of your time, it’s free, and if you can’t resolve it with your landlord yourself, they mediate for you. I see no reason not to do it.”
Did you know that the landlord can terminate a temporary lease contract at least 1 and up to 3 months before the end date?
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