Unlawful Key Money in Rental Contracts in Rijswijk

{"introduction":"Unlawful key money in rental contracts in Rijswijk occurs more frequently than you might think, particularly in popular neighborhoods such as Innenstad or Oud-Rijswijk, where the rental market is tight. As a tenant, you may sometimes pay an amount for the transfer of keys, but this cannot simply be charged as additional rent or deposit. According to Book 7, Title 4 of the Dutch Civil Code, every payment must be transparent and reasonable. In Rijswijk, with its mix of social and private-sector rental properties under the influence of The Hague, this issue is often seen with private landlords.","when_is_key_money_unlawful":{"header":"When is Key Money Unlawful?","text":"Key money is unlawful, for example, if the landlord has already included key costs in the rent or if the amount is disproportionately high relative to the actual costs (a maximum of €100 according to the guidelines of the Rent Assessment Committee)."},"steps_to_recover_key_money":{"header":"Steps to Recover Unlawful Key Money","steps":["Step 1: Review your rental contract for specific mentions, paying attention to clauses that do not comply with local rental regulations in South Holland.","Step 2: Request a cost specification from the landlord.","Step 3: File a complaint with the Rent Assessment Committee if the landlord does not respond within 14 days – the committee handles many cases from the The Hague-Rijswijk region."]},"practical_example":{"header":"Practical Example","text":"A tenant in Rijswijk paid €300 in key money for an apartment on Herenweg but received €220 back after intervention by the Rent Assessment Committee, as only €80 was deemed legitimate for duplicates and administration costs."},"legal_tip":{"header":"Legal Tip","text":"Keep all receipts, emails, and correspondence. In case of non-compliance, you can approach the subdistrict court in The Hague for repayment plus statutory interest. In Rijswijk, you can also seek advice from Woonpunt Rijswijk or the Legal Counter for free support. This way, you effectively protect your rights in this municipality."}}