Which rental contract is right for your property? (Types A, B & C)

Choosing the right rental contract is the most important decision you make as a Dutch landlord. Get it wrong and your tenant can accrue tenancy rights, which means the right to stay even when you want the property back for your own use or to sell it. Get it right and you keep control while still offering a fair deal.

2024 reshaped this area of tenancy law. The Fixed Rental Contracts Act came into force on 1 July 2024 and severely restricts temporary renting, which mostly affects contract type B below. Indefinite contracts are the standard once more.

Contract type A — indefinite period

Since 1 July 2024, the rental agreement for an indefinite period is the standard again. As the landlord you cannot cancel this contract. To balance that, we build an initial period into the contract (for example one or two years) during which the tenant cannot terminate either. That gives you certainty: guaranteed rental income for the full initial period, and no need to search for a new tenant until it ends.

A diplomatic clause for the tenant is usually included. It lets the tenant end the rent during the initial period if they start working more than 50 kilometres from the property. After the initial period, the tenant can cancel with one calendar month's notice.

The trade-off is real: type A gives you no way to end the contract as the landlord, which is a problem if you later need the home back or want to sell. If you do not want to be tied to a tenant indefinitely, renting to internationals is a practical answer. They typically stay in the Netherlands for a limited number of years, so your home is likely to come free again within a foreseeable timeframe.

Contract type B — definite (temporary) period

Since 1 July 2024, renting out for a limited period has been severely restricted. A fixed-term agreement is now permitted only in the specific cases listed below. If type B still fits your situation, here is what to know.

Type B runs for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 24 months. You cannot cancel it during the rental period, but the tenant can always leave early, observing the agreed notice period. You must remind the tenant of the end date between 1 and 3 months before it falls. Miss that window and the contract automatically converts to a type A, at which point the tenant has accrued tenancy rights.

A type B contract also cannot be extended as a type B. Any extension converts it to a type A (indefinite). The same applies if a first and second contract together run longer than 24 months. If you want to avoid the tenant accruing rights, your only option is to find a new tenant.

When is contract type B still allowed?

A temporary contract is permitted only for these specific groups of tenants:

• Students who rent temporarily for their studies in a place other than where they live.
• People who live elsewhere temporarily because of work on, or renovation of, their own home.
• People who can demonstrate that they come from a social shelter or are in a social emergency.
• People given a second or last chance after a previous rental contract was terminated, for example due to nuisance.
• People aged between 16 and 27 who take over the rental agreement from a deceased parent or guardian who rented the property.
• People who are divorcing, demonstrably no longer live with their partner, and rent temporarily to live close to their child or children.
• People who work temporarily on one of the Wadden Islands but normally live on the mainland.
• Status holders who come directly from a COA shelter and are waiting for permanent housing.

For a fuller breakdown of who qualifies and how these rules work in practice, see our guide to temporary rental rules.

Contract type C — definite period, intermediate rental

Going abroad for a set time to work, study or travel, and certain you want to move back into your home when you return? An intermediate rental could suit you well. Its big advantage: the 24-month maximum does not apply, and the contract can be extended with the same tenant without the tenant building up tenancy rights.

During the initial contract, neither side can terminate early. As an exception, a diplomatic clause can be added for the tenant, covering the case where work forces them to leave before the end date.

After a possible extension, the tenant has a notice period of one calendar month. As the landlord, you return to your home after the agreed period through the included diplomatic clause. If the contract is extended, your own notice period is at least 3 and at most 6 months, depending on how many years the tenant has lived in the property. In every case, you must tell the tenant in time if you intend to return at the end of the (extended) contract.

Advantages and disadvantages of type C

The strengths of the intermediate contract are flexibility in duration and the option to extend, possibly several times, which is ideal when you are not yet sure how long you will be away. The condition that matters most: you must genuinely intend to return to the property. If you do not move back in, the diplomatic clause does not apply, and the tenant could in theory contest the termination.

So which rental contract is best for you?

The right contract depends entirely on your situation. Many landlords would prefer type B, but it is now allowed only for the very specific groups above. A simple way to narrow it down:

• You do not want to be tied to a tenant for a long time — renting to internationals on a type A often works best.
• You are going abroad temporarily and plan to return — type C is a strong option.
• You do not plan to use the home again, and you are not planning to sell — type A can suit you well.

If you want the wider picture on what 2024 changed across Dutch tenancy law, read our overview of the 2024 rental rules.