Netherlands · Deposit deductions

Can my landlord charge for nail holes? (Netherlands)

You may hang things without permission, as long as it's easy to undo. Whether you must fill the holes depends on the move-in report: if it says walls without holes, fill them. Filling small holes yourself doesn't need permission.

Hanging things

Allowed without permission if it can be undone at the end without significant cost (article 7:215).

With an opnamestaat

If it records walls without holes, return them without holes.

Without one

For contracts from 1 August 2003 you may leave the home as it is, unless the landlord proves you changed it for the worse.

Cheapest fix

Fill and sand small holes yourself before the end inspection.

What the rules say

Article 7:215 lets you make small changes without your landlord's permission if they can be undone at the end of the tenancy without significant cost. The Juridisch Loket's examples include fixing a lamp to the wall and hanging a curtain rail.

At the end, the move-in report decides. The Juridisch Loket: if the opnamestaat says white walls without holes, you leave white walls without holes. If there's no opnamestaat and your contract is from 1 August 2003 or later, you may leave the home as it is, unless the landlord proves you changed something and the home got worse.

When a deduction is fair

• The opnamestaat records walls without holes, and you left holes unfilled.
• The amount is the real cost of filling and touching up, not repainting every room.
• It's explained in writing, within 30 days of the end of the tenancy for tenancies from 1 July 2023 (article 7:261b).

Before the end inspection

• Remove nails, screws and plugs. Fill the holes, let it dry, sand it flat.
• Photograph each wall afterwards in daylight.
• Holes that were there at move-in aren't yours. Check they're in the opnamestaat or your move-in photos.

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] for holes in the walls at [address].

[The opnamestaat does not record the walls as free of holes / no opnamestaat was made / I filled the holes before the end inspection.] My photos from [move-out date] show the walls when I left.

Hanging items in a way that can be undone without significant cost is allowed under article 7:215 of the Civil Code. Any charge must be the real cost of the repair and explained in writing (article 7:261b).

Please return the deducted amount by [date], or send the opnamestaat, the end inspection report and the invoice.

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

• End-of-tenancy cleaning
• Repainting
• Carpet and flooring
• Oven and kitchen cleaning

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

Sources: Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:215, 7:216, 7:218 and 7:224 · Juridisch Loket: huurwoning opleveren · Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:261b (14/30-day return). General information, not legal advice.