Permitted and Prohibited Service Charge Items in Rijswijk

In Rijswijk, not all costs may be passed on to tenants as service charges, especially not in popular neighbourhoods like Innen or Oud-Rijswijk with many apartment complexes. Permitted items include, among others, cleaning of communal areas such as entrance halls on Laan van Hoornweg, lift maintenance in flats near the station, insurance for VvE-buildings and household waste collection via the municipality. Prohibited remain personal expenses, such as individual internet connections with Ziggo or KPN, replacement of tenant-specific appliances or commercial advertising in local corridors. According to Article 7:257 of the Dutch Civil Code (BW), service charges must be reasonable and market-conform, without profit margin for the landlord – a rule that is strictly enforced in Rijswijk rental properties. Tenants do not bear costs for structural major maintenance, such as roof repairs in older complexes around the Plein, which is entirely at the landlord's expense. Invoices must be demonstrable and traceable to the rented object, with allocation based on consumption or surface area according to the local VvE allocation deed. In Rijswijk VvE's, often managed via the municipality or local administrators, additional rules apply for cost allocation. Unlawful items, such as exaggerated cleaning costs for the Delftselaan-complexes, can be refused and struck off. The Rent Tribunal in the Haaglanden region imposes fines for repeated violations, and the Municipality of Rijswijk offers advice via the Housing Desk. As a tenant in Rijswijk: demand specifications, compare with prices from local suppliers such as for waste management, and check for market conformity. This article helps you in Rijswijk to distinguish between legitimate and unlawful costs, so that you do not pay unnecessarily for your home.