Vulnerable tenants more likely to be the victims of landlord intimidation

Vulnerable tenants are increasingly experiencing intimidation by landlords who want to chase the tenants out of their homes. Internationals in particular, as well as young people and migrant workers, are more often targeted by homeowners who want to sell their homes empty.

Due to various government interventions, renting out homes has become less attractive for small private landlords in recent years, reports De Volkskrant.

Especially among this group of landlords, who own a small number of homes, the enthusiasm for renting out homes has decreased. The benefits often no longer outweigh the costs they have to incur. And so, they want to get rid of their investment objects.

An empty house

The problem for these landlords is that a house with tenants yields much less than an empty house. And so, some landlords use dubious practices, which seem to affect vulnerable groups the most. Because many internationals and labor migrants are not well informed about the Dutch legal system.

They receive letters in which the landlord uses all kinds of vague legal tricks to put pressure on the tenants, unlawfully increases the rent and threatens to send bailiffs. Sometimes the landlord even replaces locks.

Resurgence in harassment practices

Various interest groups that stand up for tenants have noticed a resurgence of harassment practices, as a result of stricter legislation and the new rent law that came into effect on 1 July. The transition period will cause more unrest, but it is expected that after a while the harassment practices will decrease.

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