Service charges Netherlands: what your landlord may charge

Say your room costs €750 per month. But the contract also says "service charges: €120 per month." That suddenly makes €870. And then you wonder: is this right? Do I have to pay this? Can my landlord just ask for this?

Service charges are a grey area in Dutch tenancy law. Many tenants do not know exactly what is included, and some landlords take advantage of that. This article explains how service charges work in the Netherlands in 2026, what is and is not allowed, and what you can do if you pay too much. The rules apply to rented rooms and apartments in the Netherlands, including lodger rooms and student housing. For the bigger picture, see our complete guide to tenant rights in Amsterdam.

What are service charges?

Service charges are costs that come on top of the bare rent (kale huur). They are separate from the rent itself and relate to services or supplies that you as a tenant receive via the landlord.

Typical examples of legitimate service charges:

• Shared energy (gas, electricity, water) for common spaces or, in lodger or shared housing, your share of the total household
• Internet and TV when included in the rental
• Cleaning of common areas (hallway, kitchen if shared, garden maintenance)
• Elevator costs
• Caretaker or building manager (huismeester) if there is one
• Furniture and appliances included in the rental (furnished rentals)

What service charges are not:

• Property tax (onroerendzaakbelasting), water board tax (waterschapsbelasting). These are landlord responsibilities.
• Building insurance (opstalverzekering). Also a landlord cost.
• Major maintenance (groot onderhoud). Replacement of a boiler, repainting the facade, replacing the roof. All landlord costs.
• The rent itself, dressed up as a service charge to circumvent the rent cap.

How much may a landlord charge in service charges?

In principle: the actual cost. Service charges may only reflect what the service actually costs the landlord, possibly with a modest administration fee. A landlord may not earn a profit on service charges.

For shared utilities in a rental room or shared housing, the landlord typically divides the total energy bill across the rooms or tenants. That division can be by room size (m²), by number of inhabitants, or by individual meter where available.

The annual statement (afrekening): what to expect

Dutch law requires your landlord to send you a specified annual statement of service charges within six months after the end of the calendar year. So the 2025 statement must arrive before 1 July 2026.

This statement must show:

• The total actual costs per category (energy, internet, cleaning, etc.)
• How those costs are divided across tenants
• What you have paid in advance during the year (the monthly service-charge instalments)
• The difference: either you pay more, or the landlord refunds the surplus

If your landlord skips the annual statement, send a written reminder first. If that does not help, you can ask the Huurcommissie to rule on your service charges. Our guide to the annual service charge settlement explains how to check the statement line by line.

What if my service charges seem too high?

Step 1: ask the landlord for the specification. By law you have a right to it. If she refuses or stalls, write it down so you have evidence.

Step 2: compare with reality. A high monthly amount for internet alone is not realistic if the house simply has one normal home internet subscription. A large amount for "cleaning common areas" is excessive if there is no caretaker and you clean the hallway yourself. Look at what makes sense.

Step 3: if the numbers do not add up, go to the Huurcommissie (rent tribunal). You can submit a service-charge dispute online. The procedure costs tenants a small fee (around €25, refunded if you win) and usually takes several months. The Huurcommissie determines the legitimate service charges, and the landlord must refund what you overpaid. Our guide to the rent tribunal procedure shows what to expect.

What about service charges in lodger rentals?

For lodger rentals (hospita rooms), the rules are the same as for regular rentals. The lodger landlord may charge for actual shared costs (energy, internet, water) but no more. A substantial flat-rate service charge without a specified breakdown is suspicious and can be challenged.

The lodger landlord must also provide an annual statement. The fact that you live "in someone else's house" does not change this obligation. Read more about the rights of lodger room seekers and lodger landlords.

How does it work in shared student housing in Amsterdam?

Many Amsterdam shared houses (studentenhuizen) of 3 to 6 rooms charge tenants a fixed monthly service charge for shared costs. As a rough indication:

• Energy (gas + electricity): €40 to €90 per tenant per month, depending on home age and insulation
• Water: €10 to €15 per tenant
• Internet (glasvezel): €8 to €15 per tenant in a four-person household
• Cleaning common areas: €0 (you clean yourselves) or €15 to €25 per tenant if a service is hired
• Furniture in shared spaces (couch, dining table): typically not separately charged

Total: roughly €60 to €150 per tenant per month for service charges in a typical Amsterdam shared house, as an indication. Higher than that and the question is whether everything has actually been specified.

What are common landlord mistakes with service charges?

Four recurring mistakes lead to disputes:

One: fixed flat-rate without specification. A fixed amount for "service charges" without a breakdown is a red flag. If the landlord cannot specify the costs, the Huurcommissie can reduce them to what is demonstrable.

Two: charging "maintenance" or "repairs". General maintenance is the landlord's responsibility. Only specific tenant-incurred damage may be deducted from your deposit, and that is separate from monthly service charges.

Three: no annual statement. Required by law. A landlord who never sends one is in violation. Write a formal request and proceed to the Rent Tribunal if needed.

Four: including the rent itself. Some landlords disguise the rent as service charges to circumvent the rent cap (puntensysteem). The Rent Tribunal looks past this and corrects the actual rent. Learn how the rent cap (puntensysteem) works.

What rights do international tenants have?

The rules around service charges apply identically to international tenants. Your nationality, language, or BSN status changes nothing. You have the same right to a specified statement, the same right to go to the Rent Tribunal, and the same right to refuse unspecified charges.

The procedure at the Huurcommissie is largely in Dutch. Some tenants ask a Dutch-speaking friend for help, or consult Het Juridisch Loket (free legal advice) for the procedure itself.

Frequently asked questions

Can my landlord change the service charges during the rental?

Yes, but only with reasonable notice and grounded in actual costs. A sudden doubling of service charges without explanation is suspicious. Ask for the new specification and check whether the underlying costs have actually risen.

What is the maximum the landlord can ask for service charges?

There is no fixed maximum, but service charges must reflect actual costs (plus, at most, a modest administration fee). A landlord who charges far above market for "cleaning" or "energy" is overcharging and can be corrected by the Rent Tribunal.

Do I have to pay service charges if there is no contract specification?

You have to pay what is contractually agreed, even if not specified. But you can demand specification afterwards. If the landlord refuses to specify, you have grounds to take the dispute to the Rent Tribunal.

Can the landlord charge service charges as a fixed amount instead of actual costs?

For some items, such as furniture, a fixed amount is common. For variable costs like energy, internet, water, an annual specification and reconciliation with actual costs is required.

What if I move out mid-year, do I get a refund?

Yes. Service charges are reconciled on actual usage, including for partial-year tenancies. Ask the landlord for a pro-rata statement when you leave. If she does not provide one, this is grounds to go to the Rent Tribunal.

Are service charges different in Amsterdam compared to other cities?

The legal rules are identical nationwide. Actual costs can differ per home, but what is and is not allowed is the same everywhere. Our guide to renting a room in Amsterdam explains the local market context.