Urgent Personal Use as Grounds for Termination by Landlords

In Westland, landlords may request tenants to vacate the premises with a three-month notice period for urgent personal use (Article 7:274 of the Dutch Civil Code). Urgent reasons include personal occupancy of greenhouse properties or residential homes in areas such as Naaldwijk, Monster, or Kwintsheul, family reunification for growers' families, or renovation into personal housing following greenhouse horticulture expansion. Evidence is essential: speculative behavior, such as the rapid resale of Westland properties, is not permitted. Tenants in this region are granted a six-month consideration period and may claim compensation of €6,000 in cases of unreasonableness, particularly relevant given the scarcity of housing for seasonal workers. If the request is denied, the Rent Tribunal or the subdistrict court in The Hague will decide. Case law requires concrete evidence, such as family expansion due to the return of relatives from Poland or the renovation of an old greenhouse. After two years, the landlord must actually occupy the property, for example in Poeldijk, or risk incurring a penalty. Tenants with urgent needs, such as chronically ill individuals in cold Westland greenhouses, have veto rights. Statistics show that 25% of terminations in South Holland fail due to lack of evidence, often involving horticultural businesses. Tip: Tenants in Westland should demand written justification with local construction plans; landlords should prepare a dossier including municipal permits. Alternative: Voluntary vacating with a bonus for quick relocation to surrounding villages.