‘Leiden student shot by landlord’

Leiden student Max Dijkstra tried to enforce rent reduction through the Huurcommissie (tenancy committee, who supports tenants in their rights) and advised his housemates to do the same. When his landlord discovered he was trying to do this, a serious conflict arose. Dijkstra was shot in his leg at night through the window of his bedroom. He suspects his landlord, who has to appear in court next year, RTL Nieuws reports.

More powers

Together with the LSVb, which has been insisting on tougher measures against a rogue landlords for years, he proposes to give municipalities more powers. A tenant can now only ask his landlord to comply with the rules through the tenancy committee. The most severe sanction that a landlord can encounter is that he has to lower the rent and return the overpaid amount of money. With a next tenant, he can start all over again.

Active intervention

Therefore, the LSVb wants municipalities to have the power to actively intervene. They must be able to check randomly or after a tip from the tenancy committee whether a rogue landlord still charges too much rent and then impose a penalty or fine.

Last month, twelve aldermen of university cities have sent a similar request to Minister Kajsa of Ollongren. And last week, the Woonbond (Housing union) has pleaded for the tackling of rogue landlords via a new municipal ‘rental police’.