Extra work in construction. Forewarned is forearmed!
Alert duty Additional work means extra work for a contractor and therefore more costs. That makes sense. But the question is who pays for those costs. The contractor or the client? Under the law, the contractor has a duty to warn. He must inform the client in a timely manner that additional work will result […]
Amendment to Housing Act: more owner-occupied housing for own residents
The housing shortage and high home prices are forcing people to look beyond their own street. Not only their own municipality, but also the municipalities around them qualify as potential residential locations. So it is common for homes to be bought or rented by people from outside the community. This makes it more difficult for […]
Bill Notification regulation simplifies placement of charging stations
With the rising popularity of electric cars also comes an immediate problem: a shortage of charging stations. Especially in underground parking garages, many VvE boards do not allow placement of a charging station. HOAs are wary of electric cars in a parking garage because electric cars sometimes spontaneously catch fire. That fire is often difficult […]
Rising inflation and rents: conflicting interests of landlord and tenant
It doesn’t pass anyone by: inflation has risen sharply. The Central Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) averaged 11.6% in 2022, down from 2.7% in 2021. Inflation also affects rents. Rents tend to rise along with inflation by indexing. Landlords, given the increased costs, naturally maintain indexation. Tenants therefore face a (steep) rent increase […]
No extension of temporary letting options after all
First: proposal widening options for temporary letting adopted In the first half of 2021, a bill was passed, which included broadening the possibilities for temporary letting of living space. This legislative amendment was the result of a motion passed in the House of Representatives. The amendment includes: Extension of the maximum rental period from two […]
Profiting from someone else’s default in rent law
Sale does not break a lease In rental law, if the owner sells a leased property, the lease remains in place. The tenant’s rights then remain unchanged. The main rule “buy does not break a lease” articulates this system. This rule may be unattractive to a buyer of a leased property. After all, the latter […]
Legal cooling-off period when buying your home; when to buy, when not to buy?
What about the reflection period when buying a home? You have managed to get your hands on a property. The ink on the purchase agreement is not yet dry, or you regret it. What if the technical condition of the house is not what you expected? Or what if, on second thoughts, you think you […]
Real estate development and climate: between dream and deed
In practice, initiators of real estate development have to deal with municipalities that impose all kinds of requirements on buildings. Such as in the area of energy efficiency (BENG) and safety (police certification). It is often not considered that the law does not always allow for such agreements. This is because the Housing Act (Section […]
From EPC to BENG: builders be prepared!
It has already been officially known since Dec. 13, 2019, that the 2012 Building Code will set higher requirements for the energy performance of new buildings. Currently, new buildings must comply with an Energy Performance Coefficient (EPC). In all likelihood, the announced change to the Building Code will take effect on January 1, 2021. This […]
New legislation should make housing market more accessible
The cabinet plans to make the housing market more accessible to first-time buyers and middle-income earners. To this end, Minister Kajsa Ollongren (of the Interior) is preparing new laws and regulations. One of the spearheads is that the annual rent increase for the free “liberalized” sector will be restricted. The minister is also coming up […]