Several tenants have been in the apartment for a long time in the clinch with the owner. There is dissatisfaction about the maintenance backlog, both inside and outside the flat, there is dissatisfaction about the poor service that Heimstaden offers, the lack of much-needed renovation and sustainability of the building and all of this in combination with high rents.

One of the steps tenants took was refusing the rent increase. Refusing the rent increase by simply continuing to pay the 'old' rent is seen as an objection to the proposed rent increase. If the landlord fails to follow the correct legal procedures three months after the rent increase takes effect, there is no legal basis for the increase.

One of the tenants who refused the rent increase was Henk. “I have had problems for several years, including a leak due to window frames that need to be replaced. The current frames are made of wood, have been there since the 80s, the paintwork has not been properly maintained, so when it rains, the windowsill here gets soaking wet.”

Refusing the rent increase was nerve-racking, but it paid off, Henk sees. “You get all sorts of emails in the beginning, saying you have rent arrears, and they threaten you with a debt collection agency. But as tenants we supported each other in an app group and at information meetings. That helped. Now we pay tens of euros less rent every month. That saves us as a group of tenants thousands of euros per year. That is a clear signal to Heimstaden, but at a time when everything is getting so expensive, it is also a welcome relief for the wallet.”

Silvester, another member of the Bomenlandflat tenants' association, agrees. "I refused the rent for the first time last year. I don't think they even noticed at the time. I think I didn't get a reminder until February of the following year. This year the landlord was more on top of things because there was a coordinated, collective action campaign from the flat with We Refuse the Rent Increase supported by, among others, the Bond Precaire Woonvormen (BPW) and the SP Den Bosch. Nevertheless, the refusal was successful. That really saves a considerable amount of money every month. If I had not refused the rent increase in recent years, I would now have had to pay 780 euros, now I pay 730 euros. That is a week's groceries per month."

The tenants are therefore concerned about the government's plans to also allow a mega rent increase in 2025, this year we already had the highest rent increase in 30 years. "6 percent on top of that is too crazy for words. Tenants actually pay a whole extra amount of tax via their home on top of all the tax they already pay. They contribute much more to the treasury than people who own a home, who are even subsidized for that. That is too crazy for words. Are we going to refuse that new rent increase again? We will certainly try"….

The action campaign We Refuse the Rent Increase is made possible by the Bond Precaire Woonvormen (BPW). Do you or your tenants' association also want to participate in this collective action? Then register via the website for a step-by-step plan. You can become a BPW member here.

For more information, please contact at denbosch@wijwigeerendehuurverhuur.nl 

Abel Heijkamp BPW Den Bosch: 0647686543