Terrible tenants are already a nightmare, but what if it turns out you can't do anything about it...

It started so simply

A man had nicely renovated a small apartment and wanted to rent it out without too much hassle. A real estate agent would take care of that for him. And soon enough, the apartment was rented out, albeit at a slightly lower rate.

Until...

A few years later, the tenants want to move out. The landlord comes to inspect and finds a completely trashed property. Everything was dirty and broken. Apparently, for all those years, a complete family of ten had been living in the one-bedroom apartment, almost barbecuing in the bathroom. The landlord was desperate because it would cost him a lot of money and time to replace and renovate everything. And the real estate agent who had helped him 'quickly' back then had naturally disappeared without a trace.

That was the moment when the man contacted HouseScout. Could there be something I could do for him? And after hearing his story, I asked him for the lease contract, documentation of the tenants, and the check-in report. Standard paperwork to properly manage rental affairs. But there was nothing of the sort. The so-called real estate agent had put nothing on paper. In fact, he had officially asked for a low rent for an apartment that should have been rented for much more, so that the tenants could apply for housing allowance. Then he had them pay him the difference under the table. The tenant in question had not only been deceived by getting back a completely destroyed apartment but also by receiving much lower rent for years. And due to the lack of documentation, he had no leg to stand on.

It happens too often

Unfortunately, it happens all too often that HouseScout clients are referred to us who have come into conflict with tenants due to a lack of proper agreements and a clear contract. And not only in a situation like the one I described above.

More often than I'd like, I hear from landlords who, out of the goodness of their hearts, lend their apartment (which happened to be vacant) to that one friend or family member who needs housing. A beautiful gesture, but without a contract, it's not only bad for your income but also for the friendship or family bond. Because what if you feel it's been long enough and you want to start generating income again by renting out your apartment? What if that friend/family member disagrees? Without clear agreements, you won't easily get your apartment back because tenants are well protected in the Netherlands. So it's always important to document all agreements in writing.

Not just an online form

It's clear that a contract and check-in report are important to protect your interests and your property. Please don't use one of those online documents for this purpose. Even in these documents, you still need to make the right choices and agreements, and without legal knowledge and experience, mistakes can be made quickly. And a poorly drafted contract won't give you the right protection.

HouseScout offers tailored services to landlords and tenants. This can involve mediating when things go wrong. But I say, 'better safe than sorry,' so I'm just as happy to help you find suitable tenants, draft a contract, prepare a check-in report, or even more worry-free: handle the entire management. Check here for the possibilities.