It is January, your CV-ketel (central-heating boiler) has died, and the flat is freezing. Before you panic or pay for a repair yourself, know this: a broken boiler is almost always the landlord’s problem to fix, and Dutch law backs you up. Here are the phrases and the rights that get it sorted.
The boiler is the landlord’s responsibility
This is the key fact. A failed CV-ketel is major maintenance, which is the verhuurder’s (landlord’s) duty, not yours, provided you did not cause the breakdown. As GMW lawyers explain on rental maintenance and tenant-rights guidance confirms, tenants cover only small everyday upkeep, replacing a broken heating boiler is explicitly the landlord’s job. So you report it; they arrange and pay.
Report it right, in writing
How you report matters. As iamexpat advises on dealing with house defects, put it in writing (email or registered letter), describe the problem, attach photos, and state a clear deadline. A documented timeline is your leverage if it drags on.
| Step | Dutch | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Report in writing | Reparatieverzoek | Creates a paper trail |
| Mark it urgent | Spoed: geen verwarming | Heating is high-priority |
| Set a deadline | binnen X dagen | Forces a timeframe |
| If ignored | huurverlaging / Huurcommissie | Rent cut, then tribunal |
Your rights if the landlord stalls
If the landlord does not act within a reasonable time, and for heating that is short, you can claim a rent reduction (huurverlaging) from the date you reported the fault until it is fixed, and escalate to the Huurcommissie (rent tribunal). In a genuine emergency where they are unreachable and hardship mounts, you may arrange an emergency repair, but notify them first and keep every receipt and message.
The phrases your landlord cannot ignore
De CV-ketel is kapot (the boiler is broken), we hebben geen verwarming en geen warm water (we have no heating and no hot water), dit is een spoedgeval (this is urgent), ik verzoek u dit binnen [X] dagen te repareren (I request you repair this within X days), anders schakel ik de Huurcommissie in (otherwise I will involve the rent tribunal). This sits with the rest of home-emergency Dutch: an urgent plumber for a leak, the repair duties in your rental contract, the energy and heating setup, and the same firm tone you use when chasing a withheld deposit.
The bottom line
A broken CV-ketel is the landlord’s to fix, fast, especially in winter. Report it in writing as spoed, attach photos, set a deadline, and if they stall, claim a huurverlaging and go to the Huurcommissie. Say “de CV-ketel is kapot en we hebben geen verwarming” and know the law is on your side, so you are negotiating from strength, not pleading.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the housing and repair Dutch you need under pressure, the words for the boiler, breakdowns, and repair requests, by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can report a fault firmly and get your landlord to act.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays to fix a broken boiler in a Dutch rental?
The landlord. A broken central-heating boiler (CV-ketel) is major maintenance, which is the verhuurder’s (landlord’s) responsibility, not the tenant’s, as long as you did not cause the damage. You report it; they arrange and pay for the repair. Tenants are only responsible for small everyday upkeep, not a failed heating system.
What do I do if my landlord ignores a broken boiler?
Report it in writing (email or registered letter) with photos and a clear deadline. If the landlord does not act within a reasonable time, especially urgent for heating, you can claim a rent reduction from the date you reported it, and escalate to the Huurcommissie (rent tribunal). Keep every message; a documented timeline is your strongest tool.
Is no heating an emergency in a Dutch rental?
It is treated as a high-priority defect, especially in winter, so the landlord must act swiftly. No heating or hot water is not the same as a dripping tap; report it as urgent (spoed), and if the landlord is unreachable while damage or hardship mounts, you may arrange an emergency repair, but document everything and notify them first.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for landlord and repair issues?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the housing and repair Dutch you need under pressure, the words for the boiler, breakdowns, and repair requests, by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can report a fault firmly and get your landlord to act.
