Purchase protection in The Hague, apply for permit

A property falls under purchase protection if:

• The property changes ownership on or after 1 March 2022. Note: this is the date of registration in the public registers (Kadaster).
• The property was rented out for less than 6 months in the period before it was registered in the public registers (Kadaster). If the property was not rented out in the 6 months before it was registered in the public registers (Kadaster), then purchase protection applies.
• The residential property has an official listed value (WOZ) of € 405,000 or less.
• The applicable property value is the value the residential property has on the date of registration in the public registers (Kadaster). You can find the property value on the website wozwaardeloket.nl(External link).

To get a permit to rent out your apartment or house the following conditions apply:

• You are renting out a property to a first or second degree family member. This includes parents, children, brothers and sisters.
• After your property is registered in the public registers, you live in your new home for at least 1 year. After that you are allowed to rent out the property for a maximum of 1 year. 
• The property is inseparably linked to a shop, office or business.

The permit applies only to you and only to the address in the permit application.

Only the owner of the property can apply for a permit. The applications are in Dutch.

Fill in the correct permit application form, print it and sign it. You can send the form by email to huisvesting@denhaag.nl. The municipality will then process your application.

There are exceptions to the ban on renting out a newly purchased property without a permit. Under certain conditions you can apply for official permission to rent out a newly purchased property without a permit. This is called an exemption.

The municipality will grant an exemption in these 4 cases:

• The newly purchased accommodation is owned or managed by a housing association.
• The newly purchased accommodation is owned or managed by the Centrale Vastgoedorganisatie Den Haag.
• The living space will be rented out as housing for older and/or vulnerable people and for status holders. This applies to living space which will be rented out in the social housing segment, below the rental price limit.
• There is a cluster of at least 10 accommodations in 1 housing complex. The cluster of at least 10 accommodations will be transferred at the same time from 1 owner to 1 subsequent (new) owner.

• Would you like to rent out an accommodation as part of the Housing plan for older and/or vulnerable people and status holders? Apply for an exemption by email to: info.doorbraakplan@denhaag.nl. The municipality will then process your application.
• Would you like to rent out an accommodation in a housing complex? Download the application form ‘Ontheffing voor het verhuren van een cluster van minimaal 10 woonruimten in 1 wooncomplex’ below. Fill in the form, print it and sign it. You can send the form by email to: huisvesting@denhaag.nl. The municipality will then process your application.

€ 319.90. You must pay this amount even if you do not get the permit.

Your application can take 8 weeks for processing. This processing time can be extended 1 time by 6 weeks. This period starts when the municipality receives your complete application. You may only rent out the residential property once the permit is granted.

The Hague Housing Inspection Bureau (Haagse Pandbrigade) enforces the purchase protection rules. It checks whether owners, tenants and landlords of buildings and properties are complying with the regulations. If you would like to report illegal housing or use of a building, you can do this through The Hague Housing Inspection Bureau.

• Is your property part of a homeowners association (Vereniging van Eigenaren, VvE)? Then first check whether you are allowed to rent out your property. Sometimes the VvE has to give permission for this.
• Make sure that your address is recorded correctly in the Personal Records Database (BRP). You can check this in MijnDenHaag. Have you moved or is your current address not registered at the municipality? Notify the municipality before you submit the application via the page Report your move.
• Are you planning to rent a property? Then you sometimes need an affordable housing permit. Read more about applying for an affordable housing permit.
• Would you like to convert (change) a property into room rentals? Then you need a permit for this from the municipality. Read more about applying for a permit to convert a property into room rentals.

The purchase protection measure falls under the Housing Act(External link). More extensive information can be found in the Nota voorraadbeleid Den Haag 2021 (RIS311091)(External link).

Do you have any questions? Send an email to huisvesting@denhaag.nl.