The Hague has made significant progress in tackling malpractice in the rental sector. Two and a half years after the Good Landlordship Act came into force, giving the municipality stronger powers to protect tenants, dozens of landlords have already been reprimanded. “It is crucial that this law remains in place.”
On 1 July 2023, the Good Landlordship Act came into force. The municipality has now evaluated how the law has worked in practice in The Hague during its first two and a half years. The act gives municipalities tools to better protect tenants and address undesirable behaviour by landlords.
At the same time as the law was introduced, The Hague launched its Reporting Point for Undesirable Landlord Behaviour. Through this reporting point, tenants can report problems in the rental sector. Since its launch on 1 July 2023, the reporting point has received 606 reports. Some of these concerned intimidation by landlords, accounting for 166 reports, while 98 reports related to excessive rent.
The Hague Housing Brigade
Enforcement of the law in The Hague is handled by the Hague Housing Brigade. It investigates reports submitted through the reporting point and can also take action based on signals identified during its daily work. Most of the brigade’s enforcement actions follow suspicions of malpractice uncovered through its own investigations.
When malpractice is confirmed, the municipality can take various measures. A landlord may receive a formal warning, or a penalty payment order or administrative fine may be imposed. Since the law came into force, the Municipality of The Hague has issued 86 formal warnings and imposed 57 penalty payment orders or administrative fines.
When a landlord is warned or fined, it can help dozens or even hundreds of tenants at a time, because landlords often rent out many properties.
Deterrent effect
Alderman Co Engberts, responsible for Housing, Welfare, Districts and South West, is positive about the law’s impact in The Hague: “The Good Landlordship Act gives us the opportunity to put tenants first by taking action against landlords who do not follow the rules. Thanks to the reporting point and the work of the Hague Housing Brigade, we have a clearer picture of what is happening on The Hague’s rental market. This means we can intervene when tenants are paying too much rent or are otherwise being treated unfairly. We hope this also has a deterrent effect, because landlords know they cannot get away with breaking the rules in The Hague. The figures show that tenants know how to find the reporting point and that, as a municipality, we are genuinely able to enforce the law.”
New cabinet
At the same time, Alderman Engberts has a message for national politics: “It is crucial that this law remains in place. I hope the new cabinet leaves the Good Landlordship Act unchanged, so that municipalities can continue to act effectively against malpractice in the rental sector in the future and tenants remain better protected.”
Text: Gemeente Den Haag
Translation: The Hague Online