Utrecht weighs tougher measures on landlords after lack of fines

Utrecht fined only 1 landlord last year despite receiving almost 200 complaints for breaking rules designed to protect tenants. The city is now considering a tougher approach modelled on Rotterdam, which issued 25 penalties in the second half of the year alone.

The figures were reported by regional broadcaster RTV Utrecht. Rotterdam received 667 complaints in 2025, and its fines ranged from €1,000 to tens of thousands per offence.

The threat of a fine is often enough to resolve a dispute since many renters are too scared to even report illegal or abusive practice for fear of losing their homes amid the housing crisis, but the city showed that when tenants did make reports, rents fell an average of €350 for private tenants.

Under the “good landlord law”, which came into force in 2023, landlords cannot discriminate against or intimidate tenants. Deposits are capped at 2 months’ basic rent, and service charges may only cover actual costs.

Unlike Rotterdam, Utrecht gives landlords a warning before handing down a penalty. It says it wants to avoid having fines overturned in court for being too heavy.

Research published by the Federation of Private-Sector Tenants (FHCS) in December last year found that Utrecht lacked the resources to look for abuses itself and relied entirely on complaints from tenants. Only around half of those complaints were taken further, usually because of a lack of evidence.

Fines are also rare in other big cities. In The Hague, around 600 complaints in two and a half years led to dozens of penalty orders but only 3 fines, which are being contested, according to the FHCS.

Amsterdam’s public list of sanctions showed only 1 fine, for intimidating tenants, which could still be challenged. Last October, the city warned a landlord who would only rent to working Dutch women that he faced a fine of up to €10,000.

Utrecht has not yet decided whether to follow Rotterdam’s lead, but believes fines could deter landlords and prevent repeat offences. It aims to introduce a rental permit in 2028, so that rents can be checked before a home is let.

The city also plans to do more to inform tenants about their rights and its complaints hotline. Every council is required by law to run a hotline for complaints about landlords.