Different legal regime
Anti-squat (antikraak) in the Netherlands: cheap housing, different rules
By Dormetrics — DoArt (sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak)), KVK 58598464 · Last updated: 18 July 2026
Antikraak (anti-squat) is real and legal: property managers place residents in vacant buildings — offices, schools, homes awaiting redevelopment — to keep squatters out, at a fraction of market cost. But it is not renting. According to the Woonbond, antikraak runs on a bruikleenovereenkomst (loan agreement): you pay at most a modest fee, you get no rent protection, and the agreement can end on weeks of notice. That trade-off suits some situations well — and its vocabulary is also borrowed by scammers who use 'antikraak' to explain away missing contracts and demanded deposits. This guide covers both: how the legitimate model works, and how to vet an offer.
What is antikraak, legally?
In the legitimate model, a vacancy-management company (leegstandbeheerder) contracts with a building owner and places residents as guardians under a loan-for-use agreement. According to the Woonbond, the essence of bruikleen is that the space is provided essentially free of charge: you may be asked a contribution for administration or service costs, but not a real rent.
That legal shape has hard consequences: no rent protection, termination on short notice (typically 2 to 4 weeks) without a reason required, house rules about guests and absence, and no right to replacement housing when the building's vacancy ends.
Dutch courts look at substance over labels: when the monthly payment starts to look like rent, a judge can requalify the arrangement as a tenancy — with full rent protection. Which is exactly why legitimate operators keep the fees low, and why a 'antikraak' offer at near-market price is a contradiction in terms.
Is antikraak the same as temporary rental?
No — and the difference matters when something goes wrong. Temporary rental of vacant property exists too, under the Leegstandwet: that is a real tenancy with a municipal permit, a contract of at least 6 months, and — according to Volkshuisvesting Nederland — reduced but defined protection, with the landlord bound to a notice period of 3 months.
Antikraak sits a step further out: no tenancy at all. If you're offered 'temporary housing', ask which of the two regimes applies and get the answer in writing — a bruikleen agreement, a Leegstandwet rental with permit, or a normal tenancy. Each has different rules on notice, price and protection.
Who does antikraak actually suit?
Honest fit assessment — antikraak can be a good deal when:
- You need cheap space fast and can tolerate moving on short notice.
- You have a fallback (friends, family, savings) if the building empties next month.
- You can live with guardian house rules: limits on guests, pets, absence weeks.
- You register (BRP) at the address — living somewhere means registering there, antikraak included; an operator blocking registration is a red flag, not a custom.
- It does NOT suit: your first months in the Netherlands with no network, a fixed study year needing certainty, or anyone who cannot absorb a forced move.
How do you vet an antikraak offer?
The checks mirror rental checks, adjusted for the regime:
- Verify the operator: a real vacancy-management company has a KVK registration, an office, a track record — look the company up in the KVK register before signing.
- Read what you sign: it should say bruikleen, name the building and the notice period, and the monthly amount should be modest — a near-market 'fee' contradicts the model.
- A large 'deposit' on a loan agreement is unusual: question anything beyond a small, documented amount.
- Confirm BRP registration at the address from day one.
- 'Antikraak' from a private individual in a Facebook group — no company, no KVK, payment up front — is the rental-scam script wearing a different word. Run the listing through a red-flag check like any other.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have rent protection in antikraak housing?
- No. A bruikleenovereenkomst is not a tenancy, so statutory rent protection doesn't apply — that's the legal core of the model, per the Woonbond. If the payment resembles real rent, a court may requalify it as a tenancy.
- How fast can antikraak end?
- On short notice — commonly a few weeks, without a reason required. Never move into antikraak without a fallback plan.
- Can I register (BRP) at an antikraak address?
- Yes — you live there, so you register there. An operator who blocks registration is breaking the basic rule every resident of the Netherlands is held to, and that is a red flag.
- How much should antikraak cost?
- A modest monthly contribution — administration and service costs, not market rent. The low price IS the model; an 'antikraak' offer near market price is either requalifiable as rent or a scam.
- Someone on Facebook offers 'antikraak', wants a deposit today, no company involved. Legit?
- Treat it as a rental scam until proven otherwise: verify the company in the KVK register, demand the written bruikleen agreement, and never pay before you've seen the space and signed. The word 'antikraak' changes none of the checks.
Check the offer, whatever it's called
Rental, temporary, antikraak — the free check reads the listing for scam signals either way, and the owner check confirms who's actually behind the address.
Dormetrics is a risk signal, not a guarantee. We show you which red flags fired and whether the person taking your deposit legally owns the property. Always view in person, pay by SEPA to a Dutch IBAN, and insist you can register at the address (BRP). The final decision is yours.