Netherlands · Deposit deductions

Can my landlord deduct cleaning costs from my deposit? (Netherlands)

You must leave a Dutch rental clean (schoon opleveren). If you did, there's nothing to deduct. If you didn't, the landlord can deduct the real cost of cleaning, explained in writing within 30 days.

Your duty

Leave the home clean and do the everyday upkeep (dagelijks onderhoud).

Not deductible

Normal wear and tear, and damage from the landlord's poor maintenance.

Deadline

For tenancies from 1 July 2023: deposit back within 14 days; with deductions, the rest within 30 days with a written explanation.

Your evidence

The opnamestaat (move-in report) and dated photos from both ends of the tenancy.

What the rules say

The Juridisch Loket's guidance is short: you must leave the home clean and have done the everyday maintenance. Keeping the living space clean is also one of the tenant's small repairs and upkeep tasks in the Besluit kleine herstellingen, along with washing windows and frames.

Nothing in that guidance requires you to hire a cleaning company. If your contract says you must, ask the Juridisch Loket before you pay for one.

When a deduction is fair

• The home was clearly left dirty, and the landlord paid for the cleaning that was needed.
• The amount is the real cost, and it's listed in the written explanation (article 7:261b; within 30 days for tenancies from 1 July 2023).
• A fixed "cleaning fee" that's taken no matter how clean you left it is hard to justify. Ask what was cleaned and what it cost.

What helps you

• Clean, then photograph every room, the kitchen, the bathroom and the appliances before you hand over the keys.
• Ask for the end inspection (eindinspectie) and be there. Ask for a copy of what's written down.
• If the home wasn't clean when you moved in, check that the opnamestaat says so.

A letter you can send

Copy this, fill in the brackets and send it by email so you have a dated record.

Dear [name],

You have deducted [amount] from my deposit for cleaning [address]. The tenancy ended on [date].

I left the home clean, as the law requires. My photos from [move-out date] show every room, the kitchen and the bathroom after cleaning.

Please send a written explanation of the cleaning that was needed, with the invoice, as article 7:261b of the Civil Code requires. If you can't show that cleaning was needed, please return the full deposit by [date].

Kind regards,
[name]
[IBAN]

If your landlord won't move

For tenancies that started on or after 1 July 2023, a landlord who deducts costs must pay back the rest within 30 days of the end of the tenancy and explain each deduction in writing (article 7:261b); with no deductions, the deadline is 14 days. Ask the Juridisch Loket for free advice; the last step is the kantonrechter (sub-district court). See the Netherlands deposit guide.

Other common deductions in Netherlands

• Repainting
• Nail holes
• Carpet and flooring
• Oven and kitchen cleaning

Also useful: wear and tear or damage? · deposit deadline calculator · move-in photo checklist

Sources: Juridisch Loket: huurwoning opleveren · Besluit kleine herstellingen · Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:261b (14/30-day return). General information, not legal advice.