Rent Team

Free Legal Support for Tenants

A Huurteam (Rent Team) is a local, often municipally-funded or non-profit organization dedicated to providing free legal advice and practical support to tenants. They are a valuable, low-threshold resource for renters who believe their rights are being violated but are unsure how to proceed or cannot afford a lawyer. While their services can be broad, Huurteams are particularly specialized in assessing whether a tenant is being overcharged and in helping them formally challenge their landlord. Their services are a crucial part of the tenant protection ecosystem in many Dutch cities.

Core Services of a Huurteam

While each Huurteam may have a slightly different focus, their core activities typically include:

• Rent Level Assessment (Huurprijscheck): Their most common service. A Huurteam will visit a tenant's property, measure it, and assess its quality against the official woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS) or points system. If the current rent is higher than the legally permitted maximum based on the points, they will help the tenant initiate a procedure at the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) to have the rent permanently lowered.
• Service Charge Review: They will analyze a landlord's annual service charge settlement (jaarafrekening) to check for inaccuracies or unlawful charges, and assist the tenant in disputing it.
• Maintenance Dispute Support: They can advise tenants on how to formally compel a landlord to carry out necessary repairs.
• Mediation and Advice: They provide general advice on rental law and can help tenants draft formal letters to their landlords.

For any tenant in a regulated property who suspects their rent is too high, contacting the local Huurteam is the most effective first step.