Service costs are separate from the bare rent increase in the regulated sector, including in Zoetermeer. Landlords such as Woonbedrijf Zoetermeer may index these annually, but exclusively based on documented increases such as higher energy costs or maintenance of local green facilities. You are entitled to a specification per 1 July, including advance payment and final settlement. Refuse to pay in case of unclarity? File a complaint with the Huurcommissie in The Hague, which has jurisdiction for Zoetermeer.
In social rental housing in Zoetermeer, service costs may not exceed 15% of the bare rent. For tendered housing via the municipality of Zoetermeer, a transparency provision applies via tender contracts. In the transitional sector, cost increases are limited to proven inflation, taking into account the local real estate market around Zoetermeer Stadshart. Rent allowance covers service costs in part, which is particularly relevant for tenants in neighborhoods such as Buytenwegh and Seghwaert. In case of dispute, the court rules on reasonableness, with recent cases at the district court in Zoetermeer regarding unreasonable parking costs. Keep invoices and compare with neighbors in your complex. Even during corona, relaxations applied to Zoetermeer's housing associations, but now there is stricter control on usurious rates by the municipality. This way, you prevent unexpected cost increases in this growing city.