Glossary
Opnamestaat, beginstaat, eindopname, proces-verbaal van oplevering: renting in the Netherlands comes with its own vocabulary. Here you can read what each term means, when it is used and how to record it.
Dutch: schaderapport · Also: schademelding
A record of a specific damage item: photos, a description, the date, who takes action and who bears the cost, optionally with a cost estimate. You can create a damage report at any point during the tenancy, so it is clear later when the damage occurred.
Record damage →Dutch: elektronische handtekening · Also: digital signature, digitale handtekening
A signature placed on a screen or digitally instead of on paper. Under Dutch law, an electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten one, provided the method used is sufficiently reliable for its purpose (article 3:15a of the Dutch Civil Code). In an inspection report, the signature records that both parties agree with the described condition.
View all features →Dutch: normale slijtage · Also: normal wear, gebruikssporen
Deterioration caused by normal use and age, such as faded paint, light signs of use on the floor or a worn door handle. Tenants do not have to repair fair wear and tear when they leave. Damage caused by careless use, such as burn marks or holes in a door, does not count as fair wear and tear.
Deposit and damage →Dutch: proces-verbaal van oplevering · Also: pv van oplevering
The formal Dutch name for the record of a handover, often used by housing associations, letting agents and property managers. For rentals it is the same as the move-out report: the condition of the property, the meter readings and the returned keys, signed by both parties. In new-build housing, the handover of a new home by the contractor has the same name.
Create a move-out report →Dutch: inspectierapport · Also: property inspection, woninginspectie
The general name for a report that records the condition of a property at a given moment. At the start of the tenancy it is called the condition report (opnamestaat), at the end the move-out report (opleverrapport). In between you can carry out interim inspections, for example when there is damage or as a pre-move-out inspection.
Create an inspection report →Dutch: tussentijdse inspectie · Also: mid-tenancy inspection, periodic inspection
A check during the tenancy, for example after damage or a leak is reported, as a periodic check or when a co-tenant changes. You record the current condition and any new damage, so it is clear later when something happened.
Record damage →Dutch: sleuteloverdracht · Also: key inventory
An overview of all keys, passes, fobs and codes the tenant receives or returns, with quantities and optionally key numbers. That way it is immediately clear at move-out whether anything is missing.
Dutch: meterstanden bij overdracht · Also: meteropname
The readings of the gas, water, electricity and heat meters on the day the keys are handed over, ideally with a photo and the meter number. They determine from when the tenant pays for consumption and prevent disputes about the final settlement.
View all features →Dutch: kleine herstellingen · Also: klein onderhoud
Small repairs and maintenance that are the tenant's responsibility, such as replacing light bulbs, unblocking drains and keeping the garden tidy. Which repairs count is set out in the Dutch Minor Repairs Decree (Besluit kleine herstellingen, article 7:217 of the Dutch Civil Code). Major maintenance and fixing defects are the landlord's responsibility.
Dutch: opnamestaat · Also: check-in report, beginstaat, intakerapport
A written description of the condition of the rental property at the moment the tenant receives the keys: the condition and cleanliness of each room, existing damage, meter readings and keys handed over, ideally with photos and signed by landlord and tenant. At move-out, the condition report is the point of comparison. Under Dutch law, if no description was made, the tenant is in principle presumed to have received the property in good condition.
Create a condition report →Dutch: opleverrapport · Also: final inspection, check-out report, eindinspectie, eindopname
The report of the condition of the property at the end of the tenancy. By putting it next to the condition report, you see which damage occurred during the tenancy and what counts as fair wear and tear. The move-out report is the basis for the final settlement and the return of the deposit.
Create a move-out report →Dutch: voorinspectie · Also: pre-inspection, vooropname
A walkthrough of the property a few weeks before the tenancy ends. You record what the tenant still needs to repair, clean or remove, so the tenant can take care of it and the handover holds no surprises.
Record a pre-move-out inspection →Dutch: borg · Also: waarborgsom
An amount the tenant pays at the start as security for, for example, rent arrears or damage. For residential tenancies that started on or after 1 July 2023, the deposit in the Netherlands may be at most twice the basic monthly rent. The landlord must return the deposit within 14 days after the tenancy ends, or within 30 days if costs such as damage are deducted.
Deposit and damage →Dutch: huurderswissel · Also: mutatie
The moment one tenant leaves and a new tenant moves in. The move-out report of the departing tenant and the condition report of the new tenant often fall on the same day. Housing associations and property managers call this a mutatie.
Room inspection report →This explanation is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change. If you are unsure about your situation, check government.nl or seek legal advice.
Create the move-in report, move-out report or a damage report with photos and signatures. Your first report is free.
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