A rent increase letter can feel like a formality: the landlord says what the new rent will be and you pay it. But each year a share of increases is higher than the law allows, sometimes by accident and sometimes not. Checking takes ten minutes, and objecting correctly protects you from paying too much for years, because every future increase builds on this year's rent. This guide walks through the check and the objection step by step.
Step 1: read the letter carefully
A proper proposal is in writing and states at least:
- your current basic rent and the proposed new basic rent;
- the percentage or amount of the increase;
- the date from which the new rent applies.
It must arrive at least two months before that date. For social and regulated mid-rent homes, landlords generally use a standard proposal form that also explains how to object. If the letter is late or incomplete, the increase may not be valid for that date.
Step 2: work out the legal maximum
Determine your sector, then apply the 2026 limit to your current basic rent:
- Social rent: 4.1% if the increase takes effect on or after 1 July 2026, 5% if earlier. Exceptions: €25 for rents under €350, and €50 or €100 for higher-income households.
- Regulated mid-rent: 6.1%, and never above the maximum rent for the home's points.
- Free sector: 4.4%.
Step 3: compare with your contract
Look for an indexation clause. If it gives a lower figure, for example inflation only, that lower figure applies. If it promises more, the legal cap still wins.
Worked examples (estimates)
Mid-rent: you pay €1,050 and the landlord proposes €1,125. The maximum is 6.1% of €1,050, or €64.05, so the new rent can be at most €1,114.05. The proposal is €10.95 a month too high. That seems small, but over five years of increases building on it, it adds up to around €700.
Free sector: you pay €1,650 and the landlord proposes €1,740. The maximum is 4.4%, or €72.60, giving €1,722.60. The proposal is €17.40 a month too high, about €209 a year.
Free sector with a contract clause: the same €1,650, but your contract caps increases at 3.5%. Now the maximum is €57.75, giving €1,707.75.
Step 4: object in writing, on time
Send your objection before the date the new rent takes effect. Use email with a read receipt or registered post, and keep a copy. Your letter can be short:
- Your name, address and the date.
- A reference to the proposal letter and its date.
- A clear statement that you do not agree with the proposed increase.
- Your reason: for example, the increase exceeds the legal maximum of 4.4% for 2026, or the income statement is incorrect.
- Optionally, the amount you do accept, such as the legal maximum.
Write in English if that is easier; a Dutch version is helpful but not required for your objection to count. Many municipalities and tenant support organisations have Dutch template letters.
Step 5: keep paying the old rent
This point is crucial for social and mid-rent tenants. If you start paying the new rent, you may be treated as having accepted it, even after objecting. Keep paying your current rent while the objection runs. Do not stop paying altogether: that creates rent arrears, which is a separate and much bigger problem.
In the free sector, the part of an increase above the legal maximum is simply not owed. You can pay the amount the law allows and explain why in writing.
What happens next
Social and regulated mid-rent
If your landlord does not accept your objection, the dispute can go to the Huurcommissie, the independent rent tribunal. In many cases it is the landlord who has to submit the matter if they want to push the increase through. The Huurcommissie then decides what the rent should be. Check the Huurcommissie website for the procedure and deadlines that apply to your case.
Free sector
The Huurcommissie does not rule on free-sector rent increases. If you and the landlord cannot agree, the subdistrict court (kantonrechter) decides. In practice many disputes end once the landlord sees that you know the legal limit.
Objecting to an income-dependent increase
If you rent a social home and the landlord asks for €50 or €100 because of your household income, the proposal is based on an income statement from the Belastingdienst, usually covering an earlier year. Your situation may have changed since. If your income has fallen below the threshold, for example because you lost your job, retired or a member of the household moved out, you can object and include proof of your current income, such as recent payslips or a statement of benefits. Your landlord should then apply the normal percentage instead. If someone in the household has moved out, a change in your BRP registration is the evidence that usually counts.
Practical tips
- Put the effective date in your calendar the day the letter arrives, with a reminder two weeks before.
- Check whether your basic rent is itself too high for the home's points; you may have a stronger case than just the increase.
- Ask a local tenant support service or the Juridisch Loket if you are unsure; their help is free or low-cost.
- Keep every letter and payment record in one folder.
The rent increase checker among the Hypozo calculators tells you the legal maximum and how far a proposal goes over it.
Key takeaways
- A valid proposal is in writing and arrives at least two months before the new rent applies.
- Check the increase against the 2026 limit for your sector and against your contract.
- Object in writing before the effective date and keep proof.
- Keep paying the old rent; paying the new amount can count as accepting it.
- Regulated disputes go to the Huurcommissie, free-sector disputes to the subdistrict court.
All figures in this article are estimates, not financial or legal advice.