You’ve handed back the keys, scrubbed the flat, and now your verhuurder (landlord) has gone quiet about your borg (deposit), often a month’s rent or more. Dutch law is actually clear here. Here is what your landlord may and may not keep, the timeline, and how to ask for it back firmly.
The deadline: usually 14 days
As the government explains the rental deposit, the waarborgsom must normally be returned within 14 days of the tenancy ending, if you leave the place as agreed. As guidance on the waarborgsom adds, if there are damage claims, an extra period may apply (up to about 30 days total). Sitting on it indefinitely is not allowed.
What they can (and can’t) deduct
Here’s where you hold the cards. A landlord may deduct only for:
- real damage you caused (beyond normal use), and
- unpaid rent or service costs.
A landlord may not deduct for:
- normal slijtage (wear and tear), or
- damage from their own overdue maintenance.
Crucially, as tenant guidance on reclaiming the borg explains, the burden of proof for damage is on the landlord: they must show the damage wasn’t there when you moved in, ideally via an opnamestaat (entry inspection report).
The email to send
If it doesn’t come back, write a clear, dated demand. A usable structure:
“Geachte heer/mevrouw, de huur van [adres] is op [datum] beëindigd. Ik verzoek u vriendelijk de waarborgsom van EUR [bedrag] binnen 14 dagen terug te storten op [IBAN]. Mocht u kosten willen inhouden, dan ontvang ik graag een onderbouwing met bewijs.”
Keep your evidence (photos, the opnamestaat, bank details). If they still refuse, you escalate to the rechter (court), the Huurcommissie does not handle deposit disputes.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de waarborgsom / borg | the deposit |
| terugbetalen / terugstorten | to repay |
| de slijtage | wear and tear |
| de opnamestaat | inspection report |
| de onderbouwing | substantiation / proof |
| de verhuurder | the landlord |
Where it connects
Reclaiming your deposit is part of the tenant-rights Dutch worth knowing, alongside bedwantsen and who pays for pest control, your rights before the Huurcommissie, subletting and registration terms, and the address registration at the gemeente that started your tenancy.
The bottom line
Your Dutch borg must come back, usually within 14 days (up to ~30 with damage claims), and a landlord may deduct only for genuine damage or unpaid rent, never for normal slijtage or their own neglected maintenance, with the burden of proof on them. If they stall, send a written demand with an IBAN and deadline, then go to the rechter. Learn waarborgsom, slijtage and opnamestaat, and you’ll get your money back instead of writing it off.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the tenancy Dutch a deposit dispute needs, waarborgsom, borg, slijtage, terugbetalen by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can email your landlord from a position of knowledge instead of hoping they’ll be fair.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return my deposit in the Netherlands?
Normally within 14 days of the end of the tenancy, if you leave the property as agreed and undamaged. If the landlord has genuine damage claims to settle, an extra period (often another 14 days, so up to about 30 days total) may apply. Sitting on the deposit indefinitely is not allowed, and if they don’t return it, you can formally demand it back in writing.
What can a landlord deduct from the borg?
Only genuine items: real damage you caused (beyond normal use), unpaid rent, service costs or an energy-performance fee. A landlord may NOT deduct for normal slijtage (wear and tear) or for damage caused by their own poor or overdue maintenance. Crucially, the burden of proof for damage is on the landlord, they must show the damage wasn’t there when you moved in, ideally via an entry inspection report.
What if my landlord refuses to return my deposit?
First send a written demand (a clear, dated email or letter) stating the amount, the deadline they’ve missed, and that you expect repayment within a set term. Keep evidence (photos, the opnamestaat/inspection report, your bank details). If they still refuse, you can reclaim it through the court, the Huurcommissie does not handle deposit disputes, but the rechter (or sometimes the gemeente) can.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for renting and landlords?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the tenancy Dutch a deposit dispute needs, waarborgsom, borg, slijtage, terugbetalen, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can email your landlord from a position of knowledge instead of hoping they’ll be fair.
