Hospitaverhuur: renting a room in the landlord’s home

1. Check whether the landlord really lives in the same home

Registration, possession of a key or occasional overnight visits do not give the full picture. Consider where the landlord actually lives, sleeps and conducts daily life. Describe the layout and shared facilities. If you occupy a separate self-contained dwelling, the legal assessment may differ.

The official hospitaverhuur guidance concerns residence in the same home without a common household. Keep the agreement and messages about intended occupation. Have the position reassessed if the landlord subsequently moves out.

2. Ask whether the landlord owns or rents the property

An owner can let a room, but a tenant may also sublet part of their home subject to conditions. In that case, a main tenancy exists above your room agreement. Ask about necessary consent and relevant contractual restrictions.

Mortgage lender, housing association and municipal permissions are separate issues. Problems can create practical risks without automatically proving no tenancy exists. A room subtenant does not have the same continuation protection against the owner when the main tenancy ends as a subtenant of self-contained accommodation. Read subletting.

3. Understand the nine-month trial period

Under the existing statutory hospitaverhuur regime, the first nine months are a trial period. During it, the landlord can give notice without the ordinary statutory termination ground, using a three-month notice period. An argument does not allow them simply to require departure that evening.

Check the commencement date and actual receipt of notice. Notice shortly before the trial period ends can mean continued occupation after the ninth month. That does not establish a fresh trial period. Have earlier occupation or a disputed commencement date assessed.

4. Termination is assessed differently after the trial period

Once the trial period passes without appropriate termination, the ordinary protection relevant to this tenancy applies. The landlord cannot simply restart a trial period annually. A special statutory ground does allow their interest in ending the arrangement to be weighed against your interest in remaining.

Invoking that balance is not a decision the landlord makes unilaterally. A court may be needed if disputed. Identify the specific circumstances and explain your interests, such as study, health and alternatives. The Rijksoverheid discusses the rules.

5. Distinguish proposed legislation from applicable rules

A proposal to expand hospitaverhuur was sent to the Tweede Kamer in July 2026. A news announcement does not establish that a proposed contract duration can already be applied to your tenancy. Check actual commencement and transitional provisions.

Ask a landlord invoking future rules to identify the current statutory basis. Assess an existing dispute using the applicable rules and agreement date. This guide therefore does not treat the proposal as permission for a new five-year fixed-term hospitaverhuur contract.

6. Agree privacy and access arrangements

Identify the private room and arrangements for the kitchen, bathroom, washing machine and garden. Discuss visitors, noise, cleaning and locked doors. Living nearby does not make your private room freely accessible to everyone. Agree specific appointments for inspection and maintenance.

Describe any infringement factually and retain the response. A key arrangement or emergency access differs from unlimited unannounced visits. Intimidation or exclusion may require municipal reporting alongside legal help. Read replacement of locks if access is lost.

7. Check the room price and additional costs

Basic rent and additional charges should be clear here too. Use the non-self-contained accommodation points system and identify shared facilities. A friendly atmosphere does not automatically justify excessive rent. Valuation rules can address particular features of the accommodation.

Ask how energy and services are settled and which advances you pay. Record meter information and the allocation method. One unseparated total may raise an all-in rent issue. Keep ordinary shared-household arrangements distinct from commercial service charges.

8. Report maintenance clearly despite the personal setting

Formal complaints can feel awkward in a small shared home. A factual written confirmation still helps: identify the defect, reporting date and requested repair. Take photographs and offer a suitable inspection appointment. This prevents conflicting recollections of a kitchen-table conversation.

The special trial regime can affect the legal route for certain remedies. Have the tenancy type considered before arranging repairs yourself or recovering costs. Withholding rent or commissioning work without discussion can create an additional dispute.

9. Prepare departure carefully

If you choose to leave or termination is legally established, arrange inspection and key handover. Confirm which accommodation the notice covers and the final amount payable. Record shared damage and deposit settlement separately. Obtain written confirmation of the final rental day and retain evidence even after an amicable departure.

• Actual residence and shared facilities documented
• Ownership or main tenancy checked
• Start, trial period and receipt of notice recorded
• Privacy, visitors and costs agreed in writing
• Proposed legislation distinguished from current rules