A Grant for Owners to Improve Energy Efficiency
An attic insulation grant is a very real and important subsidy in the Netherlands, but it is exclusively available to property owners, not tenants. The primary scheme is the Investeringssubsidie duurzame energie en energiebesparing (ISDE), a national grant program designed to stimulate energy-saving measures in homes. A landlord or a Vereniging van Eigenaars (VvE) can apply for this subsidy after they have invested in insulating the attic or roof (dakisolatie) of their property. The goal is to reduce natural gas consumption, lower CO2 emissions, and improve the home's energy label (energielabel).
The ISDE Scheme Explained
The ISDE subsidy provides a fixed amount per square meter of insulation installed, provided the work is done by a professional company and meets certain minimum insulation values (R-values). The owner must first pay for the entire insulation project and then submit the invoices to the government agency (RVO) to receive the subsidy as a rebate. This grant significantly lowers the financial barrier for landlords to make their properties more energy-efficient. A tenant cannot apply for this grant, as they do not own the property and are not the party making the investment.
How This Affects a Tenant
While a tenant cannot get the grant, a poorly insulated attic directly affects them through higher heating bills and reduced comfort. A tenant's leverage lies in the energielabel and the woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS) or points system. A poor energy label (e.g., E, F, or G) indicates poor insulation. For tenants in the regulated (social) sector, a poor energy label results in fewer points for the property, which means a lower maximum legal rent. This gives the tenant a tool to go to the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) and can incentivize a landlord to insulate in order to justify a higher rent. For tenants in the free sector, the high energy bills and the existence of subsidies like the ISDE can be used as arguments to persuade a landlord to make these valuable improvements.
