Netherlands advances new rental contract legislation

The Dutch legislature is advancing new measures regarding rental contracts. A draft bill for ‘appropriate rental contracts’ has entered internet consultation, aiming to limit short-stay rentals to a maximum of 30 nights. To prevent tenants from circumventing long-term rental protections by moving between units in the same building, the proposal stipulates that stays exceeding 30 nights will be classified as indefinite tenancies.

Additionally, a bill regarding host rental (hospitaverhuur) has reached the House of Representatives. The legislation also seeks to expand regulations for target group housing, specifically addressing service residences where employers may claim urgent personal use if an employee leaves the company.

In a separate legal development, the Rotterdam District Court ruled on director liability in a rent arrears dispute. The court held an indirect director personally liable for damages after they dissolved a tenant company shortly after a collection summons was served, while significant rent claims remained outstanding. The court found the director committed a ‘serious personal reproach’ by failing to properly account for assets and continuing activities elsewhere without adequate compensation for the dissolved entity.