Maintenance Obligations of Housing Associations for Social Rental Housing in Rotterdam
What to do in case of inadequate maintenance by Rotterdam housing associations such as Woonbron or Havensteder? Enforced rent reduction and local rights explained.
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Arslan AdvocatenLegal Editorial
1 min leestijd
In Rotterdam, housing associations such as Woonbron, Havensteder, and TRTL are required to maintain their social rental properties in good condition, aligning with the city's ambition to provide affordable and high-quality housing in neighborhoods like Charlois, Feijenoord, and Rotterdam-Zuid. Minor repairs (up to €250) are the responsibility of the tenant, but housing associations are accountable for major maintenance, including roofs, piping, painting, and façades—critical in Rotterdam's damp climate with many older complexes from the 1960s and 1970s.
Always report defects in writing via the digital reporting system of your housing association or the Rotterdam Tenants' Line (010-2440440); the statutory response time is a maximum of 14 days, though Rotterdam housing associations aim for faster action due to the pressure on the housing market.
In cases of non-compliance, you can enforce rent reduction through the Rent Commission in Rotterdam, up to 100% in cases of uninhabitability. The Good Landlordship Act obligates housing associations to carry out systematic maintenance, with additional focus on energy-efficient renovations through Rotterdam's sustainability programs. Gather evidence with photographs, tenant inspections, and reports from the Municipality of Rotterdam. This aligns perfectly with appropriate allocation, as defects render a property unsuitable for Rotterdam families in the social sector.