Your rights
Netherlands rent rules 2026: the caps, the increases and your rights
Last updated: 24 July 2026
For 2026 the Dutch rent rules come down to a handful of verified numbers: the maximum annual rent increase is 4.4% in the free sector and 6.1% in the middle segment (both from 1 January 2026), and 4.1% in the social sector from 1 July 2026 — according to the Rijksoverheid, which sets these ceilings from inflation each year. Underneath them sits the Affordable Rent Act (Wet betaalbare huur, in force since 1 July 2024): homes scoring up to 186 points under the points system now have a legal maximum rent, and only homes above that are genuinely free-sector. Add the two-month deposit cap and the ban on tenant-side mediation fees, and you have the 2026 rulebook this page walks through — what each number means for your contract, and how to check yours.
- Regulated≤ 143 points: regulated rent, you can challenge the price
- Free sector
WWS points (puntentelling)
Key takeaways
- Maximum increase in 2026: 4.4% free sector and 6.1% middle segment (from 1 January), 4.1% social sector (from 1 July).
- Points decide your sector: up to 143 is social, 144–186 is the regulated middle segment (new contracts), 187 and up is free sector.
- The euro thresholds are re-indexed every 1 January — check the Huurprijscheck for today's amounts rather than trusting an old screenshot.
- Year-independent rules still apply: deposit at most two months' bare rent, and no mediation fees for tenants.
On this page
What are the maximum rent increases in 2026?
Three ceilings, three start dates — and none of them is optional for a landlord:
| Sector | Max increase 2026 | From |
|---|---|---|
| Free sector (187+ points) | 4.4% | 1 January 2026 — and only if your contract contains an increase clause |
| Middle segment (144–186 points, new contracts) | 6.1% | 1 January 2026 |
| Social sector (up to 143 points) | 4.1% | 1 July 2026 (until that date the 2025 ceiling of 5% still applied) |
| Rooms, woonwagen, standplaats | 4.1% | 1 July 2026 — with no income-dependent increase allowed |
Which sector is your home in — and why do points decide?
Since the Affordable Rent Act came into force on 1 July 2024, the woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS) — the points system scoring size, energy label, kitchen, bathroom and more — is what sorts every rental into a sector. Up to 143 points is social; 144 to 186 points is the regulated middle segment for contracts signed since 1 July 2024; 187 points and more is the free sector. According to the Huurcommissie, the euro amounts attached to those boundaries are re-indexed every 1 January — at the 2025 indexation they stood at €900.07 and €1,184.82 — so treat the point counts as the stable frame and look up the current euro figures when you check.
The practical consequence: a home that scores 186 points or fewer has a legal maximum rent, whatever the listing asks. You can count the points yourself with the Huurcommissie's free Huurprijscheck, and our WWS points guide walks through the scoring.
- Regulated≤ 143 points: regulated rent, you can challenge the price
- Free sector
WWS points (puntentelling)
What does 2026 mean for your contract type?
The date you signed matters as much as the points. Contracts signed on or after 1 July 2024 fall under the new regime in full: a 144–186-point home is middle segment with a legal maximum, and the Huurcommissie can test the rent. Older contracts keep more of the old rules: an existing free-sector contract for a home scoring above 143 points keeps its agreed rent, while existing contracts for homes at 143 points or fewer gained the right to a maximum-price test in mid-2025.
Since 1 July 2024 the permanent contract is also the norm again — new temporary contracts are allowed only in narrow exception cases. If your 2026 offer is a fixed two-year contract with no exception ground, that is worth questioning before you sign; our contract types guide covers each form.
Which rules don't change with the year?
The annual percentages move; the structure underneath does not. These held in 2026 exactly as before:
- Deposit: at most two months' bare rent for standard contracts (Good Landlord Act, since 1 July 2023), stated in the contract — see the deposit rules.
- Service costs: only for actual services, itemised, with an annual settlement — a round 'all-in' rent is a red flag, not a convenience.
- Mediation fees: an agency acting for the landlord may not charge you anything, whatever the invoice calls it — and you can reclaim what you paid for up to 5 years.
- Enforcement: since 1 January 2025 municipalities can act against landlords who charge above the legal maximum, on top of your own route to the Huurcommissie.
How do you check and enforce your 2026 rent?
Start with the Huurprijscheck to count your points and see the legal maximum for your home. If the asked rent is above it — or a proposed increase exceeds the 2026 ceilings above — object in writing to the landlord first, then take it to the Huurcommissie; middle-segment and social tenants can have both the starting rent and the increase tested. Keep the contract, the increase letter and the point count together as your file.
Checking a new listing rather than an increase? Run it through the free check first — it reads the asked rent against the local market, and a price far above the realistic level for the size is one of the flags it raises before you ever get to the points math.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum rent increase in the free sector in 2026?
What is middenhuur and does it apply to my home?
My landlord wants to raise the rent by more than the maximum. What now?
The asked rent is above the points maximum. Can I do something after signing?
Where do I check the points and euro limits that apply right now?
Check the rent before the rules have to save you
Paste any listing into the free check — it reads the asked rent against the local market and flags the pressure patterns in about 60 seconds, before you're the one citing ceilings at a landlord.
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.
Sources
Related guides
- The Dutch points system (WWS) explained: is your rent even legal?
- Dutch rental contract types in 2026: fixed is the norm again
- Rental deposit rules in the Netherlands: the legal cap and when to pay
- Agency fees in the Netherlands: mostly illegal — and reclaimable for 5 years