Rental Deposit and Termination Settlement

Upon termination of the lease, the deposit must be refunded within one month after vacating the property, minus any outstanding claims (Art. 7:266 of the Dutch Civil Code). Landlords may not withhold amounts arbitrarily; damage must be proven with invoices. Tenants should review the final settlement and raise objections within a reasonable timeframe. In case of disputes: consult the Rental Committee (Huurcommissie) or the subdistrict court (kantonrechter). Examples include overdue rent or cleaning costs. Draft a joint handover report to prevent disputes. Important in cases of urgent termination grounds: the deposit remains protected. This prevents financial negligence post-termination.