Lodger renting: the rules for a room in your own home

Updated: 7 October 2026

Renting out a room in your own home, or renting a room from someone who lives there: lodger renting has its own rules. This article walks through the points that raise the most questions.

1. What is lodger renting?

Lodger renting means renting non-self-contained living space that is part of a home in which the landlord has their main residence. You then share facilities such as the toilet or kitchen. If you rent out a room in a house where you do not live yourself, it is ordinary room rental.

2. Termination in the initial period

For lodger renting the Dutch Civil Code has a deviating rule: during an initial period of the lease the protection against termination is less extensive than for ordinary residential leases. How long that period lasts, under which conditions it applies and which provisions then do not apply, you can read in the current text of Book 7 of the Civil Code on wetten.overheid.nl. We do not quote those details here from memory, because the rule can change. After the initial period the ordinary protection rules apply. How and with what notice you terminate exactly depends on your contract and the law. Have your contract checked on this.

3. The rent and rent increases

Non-self-contained living space always falls in the social sector. You therefore always have rent protection, however high the agreed rent is (Huurcommissie, policy handbook on the valuation of non-self-contained living space). The maximum rent follows from the number of points under the valuation system for non-self-contained living space, and the maximum rents are indexed every year on 1 January. A landlord may therefore not ask just any price.

For lodger renting that system has its own deduction of 4 points: if the landlord has their main residence in the home and the room, or the sanitary facilities you have access to, can only be reached through a living room or bedroom of the landlord.

The annual rent increase is capped too. For a non-self-contained home the maximum from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027 is 4.1%, and there is no income-related increase. The proposal must be made in writing at least two months before the effective date (Huurcommissie, policy handbook on rent increases and rent reductions). If you as a tenant ask the Huurcommissie to assess the rent, bear in mind this can affect the relationship in the house. Discuss it first if needed.

4. A tenant who wants to sublet a room?

Do you rent a self-contained home yourself and want to let a room to someone else? Under art. 7:244 Dutch Civil Code the tenant of a self-contained home in which they have their main residence may let part of it, unless the contract says otherwise. A subletting ban in your contract is in principle valid. So read your contract first.

5. What are the tax consequences?

Renting out a room can have tax consequences. For the rules and the current amounts, such as any exemption for room rental, see belastingdienst.nl. We deliberately quote no amount here, because it changes.

6. Tips for living together well

1. Make clear house rules: who cleans what, how do you handle visitors and noise? Put it on paper.
2. Split the costs: in the contract, distinguish between the basic rent and the service charges, so a statement is clear.
3. Respect each other's privacy: your own room is your own domain, even in someone else's home.

Sources: Huurcommissie, policy handbook on the valuation of non-self-contained living space (version of 1 July 2026), chapter 1 and the rubrics; Huurcommissie, policy handbook on rent increases and rent reductions (version of 1 July 2026), chapter 2; art. 7:244 Dutch Civil Code.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. In doubt? Ask a lawyer, the Juridisch Loket or the Huurcommissie (Dutch Rent Tribunal).