The 'Puntentelling': Calculating the True Price of Your Rent
The Woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS), known colloquially and almost universally as the puntentelling (points count), is the legal foundation of the Dutch regulated rental sector (sociale huur). It is a detailed, objective system that assigns a point value to nearly every aspect of a self-contained rental property. The total number of points corresponds directly to a maximum legal basic rent (maximale huurprijs) that a landlord is permitted to charge. This system is a tenant's most powerful weapon against being overcharged, transforming the question of 'fair rent' from a matter of opinion into a matter of verifiable calculation.
How Points are Awarded
An official assessor, or a tenant using an online calculator, will evaluate the property based on a wide range of state-regulated criteria. The main components that generate points are:
- Surface Area (
Oppervlakte): Points are awarded for the square meterage of all rooms, including living areas, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Official Property Value (
WOZ-waarde): A significant number of points are derived from the property's official value as determined by the municipality. This component links the rent to the desirability and market value of the location.
- Energy Performance (
Energielabel): A property's energy efficiency has a major impact. A highly efficient A-label property receives a large number of points, while a drafty G-label property receives far fewer, or even negative points.
- Kitchen and Bathroom Quality: Points are given for the length of the kitchen countertop, the quality of sanitary facilities, and other amenities.
- Outdoor Space: The presence and size of a balcony, garden, or terrace also contribute to the total score.
From Points to Price: The Tenant's Power
Once the total point value is calculated, it is cross-referenced with an official table, published annually by the government, which links the number of points to a specific maximum monthly basic rent. A landlord renting out a property in the regulated sector is legally forbidden from charging a basic rent higher than this amount. The crucial, skeptical insight is that many private landlords either are ignorant of the puntentelling or deliberately ignore it, charging free-market prices for properties that should be regulated. Any tenant can use the official Huurprijscheck calculator on the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) website to perform their own points count. If their current rent is too high, they can start a formal procedure to have it permanently reduced to the legal maximum.
