Termination of a short-term lease agreement
For a short-term lease agreement, the agreement often ends automatically on the agreed end date, as referred to in article 7:232 DCC. However, if the tenant wishes to terminate before the end date, this must be done in writing, observing the notice period under article 7:271 paragraph 1 DCC, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Landlords may not unilaterally terminate without judicial review.
Procedure for automatic termination
The landlord must inform the tenant in writing at least one month before expiry about the termination. If this does not happen, the tenant may claim continuation of the tenancy under normal conditions. In practice, disputes about this often lead to Rent Tribunal procedures.
Rights in case of unlawful termination
If the landlord attempts to evict the property before the end date without a valid reason, this violates article 7:231 DCC. Tenants can then claim damages or involve the Rent Tribunal. Important: always check whether the temporary letting complies with the statutory conditions, otherwise full rent protection applies.
Case law examples show that courts declare contracts invalid in cases of abuse, with retroactive effect to regular tenancy.