Rent Reduction After Completion of Renovation Works in Westland

After completion of a complex-wide renovation under the 70% scheme in Westland, tenants have the right to rent reduction if the works lead to loss of value or defects, as often seen in greenhouse neighbourhood areas such as 's-Gravenzande or Naaldwijk. Article 7:243 BW provides that judicial review of the quality improvement may result in adjustment of the rent price. In Westland, where many homes are located in glasshouse horticulture areas, a renovation does not always meet promised energy savings, for example due to insufficient EPC improvement in older greenhouses or terraced houses. Tenants can then demand reduction up to 40% of the investment costs. The Rent Tribunal calculates this on the basis of the 'housing valuation table', taking into account local factors such as Westland soil conditions that cause insulation problems. Practical examples from Westland show that post-renovation leaks in Poeldijk or inferior insulation in Monster lead to successful claims resulting in 10-25% reductions. Tenants must submit measurements from local energy advisors and proceed with the Rent Tribunal in The Hague within a reasonable period. Landlords risk fines for non-compliance, reinforced by the Good Landlordship Act. In Westland, tenants often combine this with reports to the municipality to exert additional pressure on horticulture-related landlords. (218 words)