Dutch Affordable Rent Act: what it means for hospita rooms

Many hospitas assume that a room in their own home is a free market: ask what the market will bear. That has never been the case. A room with a shared kitchen or bathroom (non-self-contained living space) always falls under rent regulation, and the maximum rent follows from the points system. The Affordable Rent Act of 1 July 2024 mainly changed the rules for self-contained homes, but it also made it more important than before to actually stick to the maximum, because municipalities can now act too.

In this article we walk through the rules as they stand now, how the points system for your room works, what the Huurcommissie (the Dutch rent tribunal) can do if your rent is above the maximum, and what is specific about hospita rental.

What is the Dutch Affordable Rent Act and when does it apply to my hospita room?

The Dutch Affordable Rent Act came into force on 1 July 2024. Its main effect: rent regulation through the points system (officially the Woningwaarderingsstelsel or WWS) was extended to mid-priced self-contained homes.

What matters for you as a hospita is the type of living space you rent out:

• A room (non-self-contained): your tenant shares the kitchen, bathroom or toilet with you. A room always falls under the rent rules, whatever the number of points. The maximum base rent follows from the points system for rooms. The WOZ value of your home does not count.
• A self-contained space (own front door, own kitchen, own bathroom): then the points system for self-contained homes applies. In 2026: up to and including 143 points is social rent (maximum €932.93 base rent per month), 144 up to and including 186 points is mid-rent (maximum €1,228.07 per month), from 187 points the free sector.

Almost all hospita situations are about a room, so the first rule applies. With every new tenant, the rules as they stand at that moment apply.

How do I calculate the point count for my hospita room?

The points system for non-self-contained housing (rooms) has its own table. It differs from the points system for self-contained homes, so don't use a calculator for apartments for your room. The Huurcommissie offers its own rent check for rooms on its website, and our English guide to the housing points system explains how the calculation works.

The main categories:

1. Surface area of the room The room earns points per square metre. Only count the habitable part of the room, not a dormer with insufficient height or a nook you cannot use.

2. Share in shared spaces The kitchen, living room, bathroom and hallway you share with your housemates earn points, divided by the number of residents who share them.

3. Amenities Own washbasin in the room, own toilet, own shower, heating: amenities earn extra points according to fixed rules.

4. Energy label The energy performance of the home also affects the point count. A good label adds points; a poor label adds few.

What does not count: the WOZ value. For self-contained homes the WOZ value (the official property value) earns points, but for a room it plays no role. If a calculator asks for the WOZ value, you are probably using a tool for self-contained homes.

For a step-by-step approach from the landlord's side, see how to count points as a landlord and our guide to calculating a fair rent for your hospita room.

How do I translate my point count into a maximum rental price?

For rooms, different amounts apply than for self-contained homes. Every year the government sets a table that links each points total for rooms to a maximum base rent. Look up your total in the current table via the Huurcommissie's rent check, so you are sure you use the right year.

Important nuance: these are maximum rents, not required rents. You may always charge less. We recommend staying a notch below the maximum: that gives your housemate a better feeling, reduces the risk of a rent reduction request at the Huurcommissie and makes your room more attractive in the selection phase.

Service costs come on top of the base rent and are assessed separately. Pass on reasonable costs for things like energy, water and internet, specify them, and do not make a profit on them. Service costs that cannot be justified can be reviewed by the Huurcommissie.

What happens if I charge too much rent?

Suppose you charge 250 euros a month more than the points system allows for your room. What are the scenarios?

Scenario 1: nobody notices As long as your tenant doesn't take action, nothing happens. Hospitas who don't check their point count beforehand are often unintentionally over the limit and don't even know it themselves. But that is a vulnerable position: your tenant can have the starting rent assessed within 6 months of the start date, and the lower rent then applies from the start of the tenancy.

Scenario 2: tenant goes to the Huurcommissie Your housemate requests a rent assessment and supplies the basic information: contract, room dimensions, amenities, energy label. The Huurcommissie calculates the point count and with it the maximum permitted rent. Does your rent exceed it? Then the Huurcommissie sets the rent at the correct maximum, and you have to repay what you charged too much over that period.

Scenario 3: municipal enforcement Since the Affordable Rent Act, municipalities can also act on rents that are too high, not only after a tenant complaint. An excessive rent can lead to:

• A warning and required adjustment of the rent
• A fine, especially for repeated breaches
• Having to repay what tenants paid too much

For a hospita renting out one room, the main risk is the combination of repaying past rent and a lower rent going forward, which can cut significantly into your finances.

Scenario 4: you offer to adjust yourself The best: do it yourself before anyone complains. Calculate your points beforehand, charge a fair price at or below the maximum, and document it cleanly. That costs you an hour of arithmetic but prevents most problems.

Which exceptions apply specifically to hospitas?

There is one major difference between hospitas and other landlords: under the hospita scheme of article 7:232 paragraph 3 of the Dutch Civil Code, your tenant has only limited rent protection during the first nine months. That is no reason to bypass the rent rules, which apply in full from day one. But it does mean that in the first nine months you can end the tenancy more easily, observing the notice period, if living together does not work. After that, ending the contract becomes harder. Read all the rules in our hospita regulation explained.

Beyond that there is another important nuance for hospitas:

Live-in test, to qualify as a hospita you must yourself be the main resident of the home and actually live in the same property. Renting out a room in a home where you don't live? Then it is not hospita rental but regular room rental, with full tenant protection from day one.

Permission from the head landlord, if you are yourself a tenant and want to sublet as a hospita, you need permission from your head landlord. Read about this in Landlord permission for subletting in the Netherlands: how to do it.

Tax declaration, as a hospita your rental income up to €6,633 per year (2026) is tax-free under the room-rental exemption (kamerverhuurvrijstelling), provided you meet its conditions. Go above that and the rental income becomes taxable in box 1. This is tax law rather than the Affordable Rent Act, but it is closely linked because the rent you charge directly determines whether you stay under the threshold. See the room rental tax exemption explained.

How do I record my points statement in the contract?

It is good practice to record the point count and the resulting maximum rent in writing and give your tenant a copy when signing the contract. It shows you have checked the rent and prevents discussion later.

In the contract you can include a clause like this:

You can base the annex on the result of the Huurcommissie's rent check. Also keep the specification digitally for at least five years.

For everything else that belongs in a hospita arrangement, see our complete guide to renting out a room as a hospita. And if you're also planning a solid deposit clause, everything you need to know is in Security deposit rules for hospita landlords.

What if the Huurcommissie has already assessed my room?

Imagine: a previous tenant requested a rent assessment and the Huurcommissie set your point count and maximum rent. Does that ruling also apply to your next tenant? The answer is nuanced:

As to the point count: yes, if nothing has changed about the room (no renovation, no new energy label, no new amenities), then the points statement stands. Renovate the room or install a private bathroom? Then you must recount and possibly request a new points decision.

As to the maximum rent: the maximum rents in the points table are adjusted annually, and you may raise the rent once a year within the maximum increase the government sets for regulated rents.

In both cases a new tenant is not automatically bound by the previous Huurcommissie ruling. They can request an assessment themselves if they think the rent is too high. So it remains wise to keep every rent close to but below the maximum, even if your previous tenant complained and the ruling went your way.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Dutch Affordable Rent Act also apply if I rent my room temporarily, for example for half a year?

Yes. The rent rules and the points system apply to every room you rent out, regardless of how long the tenancy lasts. A short tenancy must meet the same maximum as a long one. The nine-month period with limited rent protection is a separate matter.

Can I use service costs to add up to a higher total rent?

No. Service costs may only cover the actual costs of things like gas, water, electricity, internet, cleaning and shared amenities. You must specify them and you may not make a profit on them. A landlord who hides extra rent in an "all-in" price can be forced via the Huurcommissie to lower the rent and refund the difference.

What if my room physically does not meet the requirements for "non-self-contained housing"?

A room that meets the requirements of self-contained housing (own kitchen, own bathroom, own access) automatically falls under the points system for self-contained homes, even if you rent it out under a hospita contract. The point count and maximum rent are then calculated on a different table. In doubt about classification? The Huurcommissie can establish a formal classification at the request of either party.

Can I adjust the rent for inflation when renewing the contract?

Yes, provided within the legal margins. For regulated rents, which includes every room, the government publishes a maximum annual increase percentage. You must announce the increase in writing at least two months in advance, with justification of the percentage. A higher increase than that maximum is not permitted, and the new rent may never exceed the maximum from the points system.

What do I do if I currently charge too much rent and nobody has complained?

The honest answer: adjust it yourself. Recalculate the point count, propose a reduced rent to your current tenant starting next month, and keep the correspondence. A tenant who sees you correct their rent on your own initiative is far less likely to go to the Huurcommissie. A tenant who hears from a third party that their rent is too high often does.

Want to get this right in five minutes?

The Affordable Rent Act sounds complicated, but for a hospita room it comes down to three things: know your point count, charge at or below the maximum and record the count with the contract. Ready to rent out your room as a hospita? On Huismaatje you list your room for free, plan a viewing night with time slots and pick your housemate at your own pace. List your room →