DUWO Student housing

How do you determine the rental price?
What should I know regarding taxes?
Should I draft a rental agreement?
Is temporary rental also possible?
How much does DUWO charge for its services?
Are there consequences for rent allowance or income support?
Who is responsible for collecting the rent?

How do you determine the rental price?
As the letter, you determine the rental price – although DUWO can offer you professional advice should you require it. The maximum reasonable rental price, however, is fixed by law. When you are determining the rental price, a DUWO employee can visit the room to provide you with assistance. The rental price is determined using a points system. You should remember that DUWO is, of course, also acting in the interests of the students who are house hunting and is therefore committed to ensuring a reasonable price/quality ratio. This is also in your interest, as a good price/quality ratio helps to ensure a good relationship between you and the tenant. More information can be found on the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment website.

What should I know regarding taxes?
Income gained from renting out rooms is tax free up to an annual limit of € 4,010 (limit as at 2007), but only when the letter and tenant are both registered at the same address. If your income from renting exceeds this limit, tax will be payable for the entire amount. Any costs incurred related to renting out the room are tax deductible.

Should I draft a rental agreement?
It is beneficial for all parties concerned if the agreements that have been made are recorded on paper – it provides clarity for you, for the tenant as well as for the Tax Office. We thoroughly recommend that you take the time to draft a rental agreement and DUWO even has a standard rental agreement that you can use. So most of the hard work is already done for you.

Is temporary rental also possible?
It is also possible to rent out a room on a temporary basis via DUWO. We would be pleased to act as intermediary. Temporary accommodation is especially well received in September as it helps to accommodate the new students arriving at the university. These rooms are perfect as a ‘springboard’ for students who live too far away from Delft to be able to travel back and forth on a daily basis. In this case, you can make an agreement with a student regarding the length of the period the room will be available. This is also an ideal way of checking to see whether renting out a room is something that you are interested in doing in the longer term.

How much does DUWO charge for its services?
The primary services offered by DUWO are completely free of charge. You will only have to pay a monthly fee if you would like us to collect the rent for you.

Are there consequences for rent allowance or income support?
Renting out a room can have consequences for the amount of rent allowance or income support you receive. It is possible that you will receive less, or that you will no longer be entitled to any allowance or support. The Dutch Tax Office provides more information regarding rent and health allowance at: www.toeslagen.nl. We recommend that people who are receiving benefits contact the institution concerned.

Who is responsible for collecting the rent?
DUWO only helps in matching the room letter and future tenant. You have to collect the rent yourself.