Different legal regime
Anti-squat (antikraak) in the Netherlands: cheap housing, different rules
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.
- Normal rental
- Rent protection
- Deposit rules
- Anti-squat (antikraak)
- A loan agreement
- 2–4 weeks notice
- No rent protection
Key takeaways
- Antikraak is legal and real, but it is not renting: you sign a bruikleenovereenkomst (loan agreement), not a tenancy.
- You get no rent protection and no rent-cap protection, and the agreement can end on two to four weeks' notice.
- The fee is genuinely low, which is the trade-off — it suits people who can move fast, not people who need security.
- Scammers borrow the word to explain away a missing contract or a demanded deposit; a real antikraak provider is a registered company you can look up in the KVK register.
On this page
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. There is no rent protection — none of the three normal Dutch contract types applies. Notice is short, typically 2 to 4 weeks, and no reason is required. House rules cover guests and absence. And there is 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, and with it the right to have the price tested by the Huurcommissie against the WWS points the building actually scores. Which is exactly why legitimate operators keep the fees low, and why a 'antikraak' offer at near-market price is a contradiction in terms — and a demand for a full rental deposit is a second one.
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 and a contract of at least 6 months. According to Volkshuisvesting Nederland the protection is reduced but defined, and the landlord is 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.
- IndefiniteThe norm since July 2024
- Fixed, 2 years maxExceptions only
- Room rentalHospita
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, and you can still register at the address in the BRP.
- 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 and 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?
How fast can antikraak end?
Can I register (BRP) at an antikraak address?
How much should antikraak cost?
Someone on Facebook offers 'antikraak', wants a deposit today, no company involved. Legit?
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.