{"id":6679,"date":"2015-09-23T10:23:08","date_gmt":"2015-09-23T08:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/2015\/09\/23\/als-ik-ontevreden-was-moest-ik-mijn-huur-maar-opzeggen-en-wegwezen\/?lang=en"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:22","slug":"als-ik-ontevreden-was-moest-ik-mijn-huur-maar-opzeggen-en-wegwezen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2015\/09\/23\/als-ik-ontevreden-was-moest-ik-mijn-huur-maar-opzeggen-en-wegwezen\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018If I didn\u2019t like the rent, I should leave\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLevien Willemse<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Over a quarter of the students in Rotterdam are not satisfied with their landlord. Master student Pepijn pays 200 euros too much rent and called in the Rent Assessment Committee (Huurcommissie).<\/p>\n

Pepijn (25), master student in Financial Economics, was initially delighted with his room in Rotterdam. \u201cIt\u2019s in a lovely position, in the heart of Kralingen and the room is fairly big. I first studied in Amsterdam and it\u2019s very hard to find a room there.\u201d He felt that the rent of 595 euros \u2013 including gas, water and electricity \u2013 was \u2018fair\u2019 for his room rented from a private landlord, particularly considering the prices in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n\t

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This summer EM <\/em>joined up with Yournalism<\/em>, a platform for research journalism, and ten other higher education media to conduct a survey into the student lodging market. The whole dossier is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

It was only when he heard from a friend that many students pay a maximum of 400 euros to rent a room in Rotterdam that Pepijn began to wonder whether he was paying too much. So he decided to investigate his \u2018excessive rent\u2019 and check with the Rent Assessment Committee. After he had added up all the points, the conclusion was that he was paying far too much. \u201cAccording to this point system, my landlord should only have been asking a maximum of 300 euros for my room. So that\u2019s more than 200 euros too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Give notice and leave<\/h3>

His landlord was less impressed with the result of the Rent Assessment Committee\u2019s point system. \u201cHe accused me of not filling it in correctly and said that if I didn\u2019t like the rent, I should give notice and leave.\u201d He also appointed a lawyer. He would hold me liable for lost earnings if I paid a lower rent. A lot of threatening language was used, which made it quite intimidating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing<\/h3>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Rent Assessment Committee drew up a report about Pepijn\u2019s rent and invited the student and his landlord to a hearing to discuss the room price. \u201cMy landlord then asked for a deferment because he didn\u2019t feel he\u2019d had enough time to prepare for the hearing. It\u2019s now four months later. But I\u2019m expecting him to request another deferment in September, because he wants to delay the judgement for as long as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The student of Financial Economics is amazed that it\u2019s taking so long. \u201cBut his tactics have paid off: I\u2019ve nearly finished my degree and all that time I\u2019ve been paying that high rent. Perhaps by the time I win my case I\u2019m already living in another apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Pepijn didn\u2019t want his photo taken because the case against his landlord is still pending.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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