5 signs you should say ‘no’ to a rental property

2 months ago

6 minutes reading time

Woman inspecting a damaged rental property with mold and poor maintenance, highlighting a major rental red flag

5 rental red flags in the Netherlands: When to say 'no' to a property

Say ‘no’ to a rental property? In the Netherlands?

If that sounds crazy, you’d be right…most of the time. Finding a rental property can be seriously time consuming and difficult. If you’ve spent months searching, and been knocked back multiple times, you’re going to jump at the chance to finally secure a home.

The pressure is even stronger if you’re starting a new job or university course. If you need somewhere to live by the time you start, you’re more likely to accept the first contract you’re offered, just to put an end to the stress.

But sometimes, that’s a huge mistake, leading to far more stress weeks or months down the line.

Rental red flags – the things you shouldn’t ignore

1. The landlord tells you not to register your address

When you move into a new property, you need to register your address with the municipality, or risk serious consequences like the cancellation of your social security and health insurance.

This has absolutely nothing to do with your landlord, so if they tell you not to register at your new rental address, there’s a problem. Chances are, the landlord is letting the property illegally, which could mean:

They’re subletting without permission
It’s been illegally converted or subdivided
For shared properties, they’re letting to too many people

The landlord can’t actually prevent you from registering, but the fact they’ve asked you not to is a very clear sign that they’re doing something they don’t want the authorities to know about.

2. You’re asked to pay before you view the property or sign a contract

This is a common scam, and perhaps it sounds so obvious that you believe you’d never be taken in by it.

But beware: many scammers come up with very convincing stories that even savvy renters can fall for.

Sometimes, you’ll be asked to pay a deposit before viewing. You might be told that you need to do this to ‘demonstrate your commitment’ or something similar. But the property doesn’t exist, and you’ll never get to see it.

Other times, you might be shown a property, and be asked to pay a holding fee to reserve it before signing a contract. This can be legitimate, but not always. Only agree to pay a holding fee if:

You’re dealing with a recognised agent, rather rather than an individual landlord.
You have seen the contract and are happy with the terms, even if you haven’t signed it yet.
You have a written assurance that the fee will be taken off your first month’s rent or security deposit, and that you’ll be refunded if the rental doesn’t go ahead.

3. The contract is unfair or unclear

Before you sign the contract, read it carefully (and if you’re not fluent in Dutch, it’s worth getting someone who is to help you with this).

Things to look out for include:

A security deposit of more than 3 months’ rent. This is the legal maximum, so if your landlord wants you to pay more, they’re breaking the law.
Unfair or unclear responsibility for maintenance and repairs. Anything other than very minor repairs should be the landlord’s responsibility.
Vague language around rent increases. Annual increases are capped at 4.4% for luxury properties, and 6.1% for midrange – anything more is unenforceable.
Anything you don’t understand or that doesn’t make sense.

A good landlord will be happy to talk through anything you’re worried about, and will give you the time you need to consider the contract fully. If they’re impatient or unwilling to discuss it, that’s a sign they know they’re on shaky legal ground.

4. The property is in a poor state of repair

Any property being let should be in good condition. If it’s obvious that it needs basic repairs, or there is obvious mould or damage – beware.

Many landlords will promise to fix problems before you move in, but if they’ve allowed it to get into a poor state while their current tenants are there, this could be a sign that they’re likely to drag their feet.

5. The landlord or agent acts unprofessionally

Sometimes, there’s nothing specific that you can put your finger on – but you just get a strong feeling that the landlord isn’t someone you want to deal with.

This might include:

Being evasive when you ask questions.
Taking a long time to respond to emails and calls.
Putting pressure on you to move quickly or hand over a deposit before you’re ready.

All of these things could be put down to the landlord having a stressful day or a busy week – they're not absolute red flags. But it’s worth remembering that if your working relationship starts off badly, it’s rare for it to get better.

When and how to say no (even when you’re worried this is your last chance…)

If you think your prospective landlord is letting their property illegally, using an unfair contract or trying to scam you – these are clear red flags.

You need to walk away, even if you’re struggling to find anything else. If you don’t, you’re likely to end either without a home, or without a significant chunk of your money (or both) pretty quickly.

If you’re concerned about maintenance or an unprofessional landlord, things probably don’t feel so clear. If the property feels perfect other than a few minor outstanding repairs or a landlord who takes a few days to respond to emails – you might well be inclined to take it and hope for the best.

Occasionally, that might work out. But most of the time, you’ll end up wanting to leave within a few months, and being right back where you started. If your instincts are that this won’t work, you’re probably right.

How to increase your chances of finding a home that’s free of red flags

Here’s the thing – there are homes out there that would be perfect for you, let by good, fair, responsive landlords.

It might feel as if you need to compromise by renting from a landlord who never does repairs, or put up with illegal rent rises.

But with Rentbird, you’ll get new home listings and be able to arrange viewings immediately. When your home search becomes easy and quick, you no longer have to compromise or risk renting from a bad landlord.

Start your search

Stef van Vliet

CEO