Dutch WWS points table: what counts for your max rent?

Many international tenants in the Netherlands hear they can "count points" to check their rent, but get stuck when they actually try to do it. The WWS table is scattered across multiple annexes of the Dutch housing rent act, which makes it hard to look up. We summarised the current 2026 table per element, so you can walk through your home in half an hour and see exactly how many points each part is worth.

Which elements count in the Dutch WWS table?

The Dutch points-based rent system (woningwaarderingsstelsel, WWS) evaluates five main categories of your home. Each part contributes a fixed number of points, and the quality of the implementation (basic versus luxury, small versus large, present or absent) determines how many. The five categories are:

1. Floor area, living room plus bedrooms plus optional study and attic
2. Heating and energy label, how is your home heated and how energy-efficient
3. Kitchen, type of countertop, dimensions and presence of appliances
4. Sanitary, shower, bath, toilet and washbasin
5. WOZ value, only for self-contained homes, not for shared rooms

How many points does my floor area give?

Floor area is the first and largest line in your points tally. The rule is simple: you get 1 point per m² of living area. For a non-self-contained room there is a maximum of 35 m². For a self-contained home there is no maximum, but above 50 m² counting can be weighted slightly differently.

For floor area, only rooms count that you can stand in (ceiling height at least 1.50 m), that are enclosed and that functionally belong to the home. Not counted are:

• Storage rooms and cellars outside the home
• Stairwells and corridors narrower than 0.7 m
• Unheated spaces that cannot be used as living area

For non-self-contained rooms, shared spaces (kitchen, living room, bathroom) do not count 100% but are divided by the number of tenants. If you have 3 housemates and the shared kitchen is 12 m², you count 12 / 4 = 3 m² for your own tally.

How many points does my energy label give?

Since the points-system reform in 2024 the energy label has become one of the biggest items in the table. For self-contained homes, the difference between label G and label A++++ can be up to 44 points, worth hundreds of euros of max rent per month.

Points per energy label for self-contained homes:

Energy label	Points self-contained
A++++	44
A+++	40
A++	36
A+	32
A	28
B	24
C	20
D	16
E	12
F	6
G	0
Unknown	-5 (penalty points)

For non-self-contained rooms (such as student rooms and lodger rooms), labels weigh less, with a maximum tally of around 12 points. Still, the difference between E and B is worth about 6 points.

The energy label can be looked up for free via EP-Online by typing in the address. No label, or an expired label? Your landlord gets penalty points and you legally pay less.

How many points does my kitchen give?

The kitchen yields up to 9 points for a self-contained home. The points depend on countertop length and the completeness of the kitchen equipment:

• Countertop ≥ 2 metres, with built-in appliances: 9 points
• Countertop 1.5 to 2 metres, basic facilities: 6 points
• Countertop < 1.5 metres or pantry-style: 3 points
• No private kitchen (cooking facility in hallway or room): 0 points

Basic facilities include a worktop, sink, mixer tap, sufficient power sockets and space for a cooktop. Built-in appliances (oven, microwave, dishwasher, induction hob) yield extra points, but only if they are included in the rent, not if you bought them yourself.

In a lodger room you often use the hospita's shared kitchen, so you apply the shared-kitchen points formula.

How many points does my sanitary give?

Sanitary adds up from shower, bath, washbasin and toilet presence and quality:

• Private bathroom with shower and washbasin: 6 points
• Private bathroom with shower, washbasin and bath: 8 points
• Luxury bathroom (rain shower, double washbasin, floor-to-ceiling tiling): 10 to 12 points
• Private toilet (separate from bathroom): 3 extra points
• Shared facilities: points divided by number of tenants

For shared sanitary rooms (for example a student house with 4 tenants and 1 shared bathroom), you count 6 / 4 = 1.5 points for yourself for the shower. Same for the toilet.

How many WOZ points does my self-contained home give?

For self-contained homes, part of the points is set by the WOZ value of the property (the municipal tax assessment). Since 2024 this part is capped at 33 percent of the total tally, to prevent expensive city-centre homes from automatically attracting high max rents.

WOZ points are computed as follows:

• WOZ value per m² divided by 100 = WOZ points per m²
• Then corrected for region (Amsterdam WOZ weighs more heavily than Groningen WOZ)
• Maximum 33 percent of the total points

For a 50 m² Amsterdam home with a WOZ value of 350,000 euro, you get about 35 to 40 WOZ points. For non-self-contained rooms, so most student rooms and lodger rooms, WOZ does not count at all. There it is purely about floor area, facilities and energy.

What is the legal max rent at my total points?

Once you have added up all points, you look up your total in the current Huurcommissie points table. For 2026, roughly:

• 40 points: about 250 euro per month max
• 60 points: about 380 euro per month max
• 100 points: about 700 euro per month max
• 143 points: boundary of free-sector self-contained homes, around 880 euro per month
• 187 points: upper limit of mid-rent under the Affordable Rent Act 2024, around 1,157 euro per month
• 187+ points: free sector, no legal maximum

For non-self-contained rooms the line is lower. At 100 non-self-contained points you often end up around 440 euro per month. For a detailed example per home type, read our WWS points calculation examples, where we work through 3 typical situations.

Frequently asked questions

Are the 2023 and 2024 tables still valid?

No, the WWS table was changed on 1 July 2024 by the Affordable Rent Act (Wet betaalbare huur), and since that moment the old tables are not valid for new contracts or rent-reduction requests. For ongoing contracts from before 1 July 2024 the old table can still be relevant if rent was set then. When in doubt: always use the 2026 table for your check.

How do I find out the energy label of my home?

Ask your landlord. They are legally required to show you the label before you sign a rental contract. Already signed and do not know the label? Look it up yourself via EP-Online by entering your address. If the home has no registered label, your landlord receives penalty points from 2024 onward and rent legally drops.

Can my landlord use their own surface measurement?

Yes, initially, but in a dispute only measurement according to NEN 2580 (the Dutch home measurement standard) counts. If you suspect the m² is incorrect, you can measure yourself or ask an independent surveyor. The Huurcommissie accepts your own drawing with dimensions as basis for a review request.

What if my home has no energy label?

Since 2024 the absence of a label is punishable for the landlord. You then receive penalty points in the tally instead: -5 or more points deducted. This lowers your legal maximum. A home without a label is almost always one for which you should pay less under the current WWS table.

Does the WWS table apply to lodger rooms too?

Yes, in a softer form. For non-self-contained rooms (most lodger rooms) different counts apply, particularly lower energy-label points and no WOZ points. But basic floor area, kitchen share and sanitary share do count. Our Dutch lodger rules explained covers how rent protection for lodger rooms works exactly.

Done counting? See our complete Amsterdam room-renting guide or count on Huismaatje for your next room or tenant. We provide clear pricing and fair matches.