Environmental Hazard Remediation

Your Right to a Healthy Home

This is a critical area where a tenant's rights are very strong. Issues like asbestos, mold, and lead paint are not things you are expected to fix with a "grant." They are serious health and safety defects (ernstige gebreken) that your landlord is legally obligated to resolve at their own expense.

Asbestos (Asbest)

If you discover or suspect the presence of damaged, friable asbestos in your rental home (common in buildings from before 1994), you must inform your landlord immediately. The landlord is responsible for hiring a certified company to safely investigate and, if necessary, perform the asbestos removal (asbestsanering). There used to be a national subsidy for this, but the responsibility now lies fully with the property owner.

Mold (Schimmel)

Severe mold growth is often a sign of a structural problem like a leak, poor insulation, or a ventilation defect. If this is the case, the landlord is responsible for fixing the underlying cause and repairing the damage. If the mold is due to your own behavior (e.g., never opening a window to ventilate the bathroom), you could be held responsible. However, for structural issues, it is the landlord's duty to provide a healthy living environment.

Lead Paint (Loodhoudende verf)

In older homes (built before 1978), interior paint could contain lead. If the paint is peeling or chipping, it poses a health risk, especially to children. Similar to asbestos, the landlord is responsible for the safe removal or sealing (sanering) of lead-based paint hazards.

You do not need to look for a grant for these issues. You need to formally notify your landlord of the defect in writing. If they fail to act, you can start a procedure with the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal), which can force the landlord to fix the problem and may grant you a temporary rent reduction until it's resolved.