Getting your deposit back

The rules

• Maximum deposit: 2 months' basic rent (since July 2023).
• Must be returned within 14 days after the contract ends, or 30 days if the landlord is deducting something.
• Deductions must be itemised and for real damage beyond normal wear. Paint faded, small nail holes, worn carpet: normal wear, not deductible.

Move-in day

Photograph everything, time-stamped. Walls, floors, appliances, the inside of the oven, the shower drain. Ask for a check-in report (opleveringsrapport) and note every scratch. Without this, the landlord can claim you caused damage that was already there.

Move-out day

Clean properly. Not "I wiped the counter" clean, but oven, fridge, bathroom grout, windows clean. A big chunk of deposit disputes are about cleaning. If you don't want to do it yourself, book a final clean and you'll get a receipt you can show the landlord.

If they don't pay

Send a written reminder (email is fine) giving them 14 days. If nothing, Juridisch Loket gives free legal advice, and the Huurcommissie or the kantonrechter (small claims judge) handles the rest. Most landlords pay when they see you know the rules.