Mold and excessive rent: Amsterdam landlord must repay over 15,000 euros
An Amsterdam landlord has been ordered to refund over 15,000 euros to tenants after a court found they were significantly overcharged and provided a property with maintenance defects like mold. The court rejected the landlord's attempt to justify the high rent through energy efficiency claims, confirming the maximum allowable rate was much lower than the amount paid.
Tenants in an Amsterdam property have been awarded a refund of over 15,000 euros after a court ruled their landlord overcharged them significantly. While the landlord initially charged 1,300 euros per month, the Rent Tribunal determined the maximum legal rent was only 504.17 euros. The court rejected the landlord's appeal to increase this price based on energy efficiency claims, noting that no valid energy label was registered when the contract began. In total, the tenants overpaid by more than 15,000 euros over seventeen months.
Beyond the rent dispute, the property suffered from significant maintenance issues, including a broken boiler and persistent mold in the kitchen. The landlord argued the mold resulted from poor ventilation and furniture placement, but the court upheld the Rent Tribunal's decision to grant rent reductions for these defects. Although the court declined to impose a daily fine, it expects the financial impact of the rent reductions to encourage the landlord to finally resolve the outstanding structural problems.
Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
