Important to know

The board of HVZ regularly receives inquiries about whether income-dependent rent increases can be reversed, for example when a resident child with an income moves out, causing the household income to decrease.

It indeed appears that this is possible going back up to 3 years. The tenant must submit a request to the housing corporation themselves for this.

More information and explanation can be found on the website of the Rent Commission and on the website of the Woonbond.

You can read some of this information on this page.

 

requesting a rent reduction based on a decrease in income

Have you experienced one or more income-related rent increases in the past three years? And has your income decreased since then? Then you can ask your landlord to lower the rent again. Here is how to do that.

An income-related rent increase is a rent increase based on your income that is higher than the standard rent increase. How much the rent may increase depends on your income and the income of your housemates, if you have any.

When can you request a rent reduction after a decrease in income?
You can request a rent reduction if you meet the following conditions:

• You rent a room or home in the social housing sector.
• You received an income-related rent increase in the past three years because you had a higher income.
• Your income has now decreased, for example because you started earning less, retired, or because someone you lived with moved away.
• Your (joint) income has fallen below the limit applicable to you:
  • living alone
    • You had a middle income, but now have a low income. Your current income is no higher than €59,504.
    • You had a higher middle income, but now have a middle income.
      Your current income is no higher than €70,149.
  • not living alone
    • You had a middle income, but now have a low income.
      Your current joint income is no higher than €68,858.
    • You had a higher middle income, but now have a middle income. Your current joint income is no higher than €93,531.

How much of a rent reduction can you request?
The rent reduction you can request is the difference between the current rent and the new, reasonable rent.
The new, reasonable rent is the maximum amount you would pay now if you had had the same (lower) income over the last three years as you do this year.

This is how you calculate the new, reasonable rent: 

• Is your current (joint) income lower than your middle-income limit? Then you may deduct the portion of the rent increase that was income-dependent in the last 3 years from the current rent.
• Is your current (joint) household income between a middle income and an upper middle income? Then you may deduct the difference between the income-dependent rent increases for both income categories from the new rent price.  

A calculation example:
You had a higher middle income in 2025, so your landlord increases the rent by 100 euros, from 400 euros to 500 euros. In 2026, your income decreases; you now have a middle income. With a middle income, the rent may increase by 50 euros per year. On July 29, 2026, you propose to the landlord to lower the rent effective October 1, 2026.   
Your proposal is to reduce the rent to 450 euros. This is the amount the rent would have been if the rent increase in 2025 had been only 50 euros instead of 100 euros.

What do you need to do to lower the rent?

1. Do you meet the conditions? If so, first ask your landlord in writing to lower the rent.
2. Is your landlord unwilling to lower the rent? Then you can involve the Rent Commission.
   
   

How do I ask my landlord for a rent reduction?
Send an email or write a letter with a proposal. Include in it:

• The basic rent you currently pay, so without the service charges.
• The lower basic rent you want to pay.
• How much you think the rent should be lowered.
• The date on which the rent reduction must take effect. This is only possible 2 months after you send the letter, and the rent reduction must take effect on the 1st of the month. 
  Note: You therefore cannot apply for a rent reduction retroactively.

Please enclose the following documents with your email or letter:

• An extract from the Personal Records Database, showing how many people are registered at your address.
• The income statements (IB60) from the Tax and Customs Administration for all residents. You can find these on the  website of the Tax and Customs Administration .

 

When should you send the email or letter? 
Send your email or letter at least 2 months before the rent reduction is due to take effect.
For example: You want the rent reduction to take effect on July 1st. In that case, ensure that your landlord receives the letter before May 1st.

What happens after you have sent the email or letter? 
Does the landlord agree to your proposal? Then the lower rent takes effect on the date you proposed.
Does the landlord not agree? Or do you hear nothing? Then you can contact the Rent Commission.

Lower income in the current year. 
Has your annual income not yet been determined by the Tax and Customs Administration? Then you cannot yet start proceedings with the Rent Commission. This is because we cannot assess, based on monthly income(s), whether your household income will fall below the income limit this year or not.

Do you want the Rent Commission to issue a binding ruling regarding the amount of a rent increase? If so, you can submit a rent reduction proposal to your landlord at a later date (possibly again). This is possible as soon as the Tax and Customs Administration has determined the household income for the previous calendar year in which the decrease in income occurred. This is usually around the month of April of the following year.
Check the  Tax and Customs Administration website  to see when your income statement is available. 

This is how you involve the Rent Commission

1. First, gather the necessary digital documents.  These are, in any case:
   • the letter(s) from your landlord regarding income-related rent increase(s) from the last 3 years.
   • the letter to your landlord in which you request a lower rent because your income has decreased.
   • the letter or email with your landlord's response.
   • the income statements (IB60) from the Tax and Customs Administration for yourself and all your co-residents.
   • an extract from the Personal Records Database, showing how many people are registered at your address. You can request this from your municipality.
2. Go to the  MijnHuurcommissie website  and log in with DigiD or eHerkenning. 
3. Click on the button ' Start a new procedure '. 
4. Select the form ' Rent reduction due to decrease in income'.
5. Read all information carefully. 
6. Do you meet all the conditions? Then fill out the form completely. 
7. Please include  all  requested documents.  

Are you having trouble filling out the online form? Or are you stuck somewhere? Then call our customer contact center at  088 - 1 600 300. We are happy to help you. You can also fill out the  contact form  . 

We are investigating whether your rent can be lowered. 
We check the data you have submitted and calculate whether the income-related rent increase needs to be reversed. 

What can you expect from a ruling regarding the amount of rent?
Upon completion of our investigation, you and your landlord will receive a ruling. Your landlord must abide by this ruling. 

• Does our ruling state that your landlord must reverse the income-dependent rent increase? Then your rent will decrease. However, the standard annual rent increase will continue to apply. 
• Does our investigation show that you are not entitled to a rent reduction? Then the rent remains the same. 

Requesting a refund yourself in case of a rent reduction 
As long as we have not yet issued a ruling, you must continue to pay the old rent. Does our ruling mean that you have paid too much rent? Then request a refund from your landlord yourself. Is your landlord unwilling to repay the amount? Then contact the  Juridisch Loket . The Rent Commission cannot assist you with this.

Please note: A rent reduction may mean that you receive less housing allowance. For more information, visit the website of the  Tax and Customs Administration .

Source: www.huurcommissie.nl