Rent cancellation for Long Stay

This article only applies for Long Stay. Click here to find more information about the difference between Long Stay and Short Stay housing.

When can I cancel my rent?

Do you have a rental agreement for an indefinite period of time? Then you can cancel your contract any day of the month. Just make sure to keep the 1-month notice in mind; it doesn't matter how many days that month has. For example: if today is 5 March, then 5 April is the earliest possible date to cancel your rental agreement. If you cancel your rent on 5 April, the new tenant will move into your accommodation on 6 April. You can cancel your rent up to four months in advance.

What happens after a rent cancellation?

The steps that follow after cancelling your rent depend on two factors: whether you are renting a room or a self-contained accommodation, and whether your living space will be rented to a new tenant via a viewing or through an introduction night. Unsure about this? Ask your roommates or neighbors, or contact us!

Can I nominate a candidate?

When an accommodation becomes vacant, we will advertise it on our website. Everyone interested is allowed to respond. Those who’ve been registered with the SSH for the longest time will be invited for an introduction night or viewing. The fairest way to do so! This means you can’t nominate a candidate yourself, nor will a possible subtenant get priority.

Can I offer items and inventory for takeover?

Yes, you can indicate which items and inventory you're willing to leave behind and what you'd like to receive for them in return. The new tenant will decide whether he or she is interested in your offer. If the new tenant isn't interested in any takeover, you're obligated to present your accommodation empty (including the floor) and clean in time.

Can I transfer my keys on an earlier date?

If you've been told that you can arrange the key transfer amongst yourselves, you can do so on an earlier date as long as it is in agreement with the new tenant. Keep in mind that you will still be responsible for the accommodation and rent payments until the last day of your rental agreement. If you'd like to settle the rent amongst each other, you will have to arrange this yourself.

How am I to present my accommodation?

We expect you to present your accommodation clean and empty. Did something break? Be sure to submit a repair request through My SSH in time before you move out.

How many keys do I have to return?

Make sure to transfer at least one key of each lock in case of a room, and two keys of each lock in case of a self-contained accommodation. If you have more keys, you are obliged to transfer these as well. If you happen to have fewer, you will have to add the missing key(s) in time. If you would need a key certificate to do so, you’ll be able to find this on My SSH under ‘My accommodation’. If it's not there, please contact is. If you do not return all keys, you'll risk a €50,- fine.

Please present your accommodation clean and empty!

I paid too much rent. When can I expect the refund?

Depending the timing of rent cancellation, you may be charged for the entire calendar month - even if you didn’t rent your accommodation for the full month. Overpaid rent of course will be refunded - you may even already have received it. If you haven’t received it yet, then you can expect the refund within two weeks. Prior to refunding any overpayments, we will settle this before refunding any overpayments. If you have any outstanding rent at the time of departure, you’ll receive a payment reminder. If applicable to you, the service costs included in your rental sum will be settled at the end of the year when we receive the final bills from energy providers and other authorities. Once we have received the bills from our supplier, we will settle these accordingly with you. If you didn’t rent for a full year, we will settle this pro-rata. Depending on usage and advances paid, you may receive a refund or owe additional charges. If applicable, you’ll receive the service charge statement no later than the 1st of July of the following calendar year.

Should I contact the municipality?

If you're moving to another location in the Netherlands, you will register your new address at the relevant municipality. By doing so, you'll automatically be deregistered from your old address. If you're moving abroad, you will have to arrange the deregistration of your current address yourself.

Should I contact the Tax Authorities?

If you're eligible for rental allowance on the new address, you just update the details of your rent with the Tax Authorities. If you're no longer eligible to receive rental allowance, you will have to cancel the receipt of this yourself.

Are there any contracts that I should cancel myself?

If you're paying electricity, water, gas, tv or internet directly to the corresponding organisation, you will have to either cancel these contracts or inform them about your move yourself.

I'll move intern. Do I receive a new rental agreement?

After an internal move, you continue to live at the same address; that's why you won't get a new rental agreement. Of course we do confirm the change from a certain date, for a certain room with a certain rental price. You do not have to notify the municipality about your new room number.

Why do I pay a different rental price after an internal move?

Every time an accommodation gets a new tenant, even if it's an internal move, the rent can change. We base the rental price on our rental policy, which we coordinate annually with our tenant organization BoKS. It could happen that the rental price will increase after a new rental, but the rental price may also remain the same. For example: due to inflation, the government allows us to charge 10% more rent. The annual rent increase at 1 July, has increased the rent by only 1.7%. The difference (which is 8.3% in this example) will still be applied to new rentals. We call this rent harmonization.

How does it work with co-option buildings and/or residential groups?

In Utrecht we have a few students association houses, also known as co-option buildings. We also have different residential groups. The tenants of these houses select their new housemate in a different way; they choose one themselves, regardless of whether that person is registered with us and if so, how much registration time they have. The advertisements of vacant rooms are also not included in our offer. For co-option properties, the condition is that the new tenants do register with the SSH, so that we can create their rental agreement. They'll sign the contract via My SSH and must also provide a proof of enrolment. For residential groups, the contract is in the name of the residential group and we do not keep track of who lives at the address.