How to Reclaim an Illegal Agency Fee in Amsterdam (2026)
If you rented a place in Amsterdam and an agent charged you a "bemiddelingskosten" or agency fee, there's a good chance you can get that money back. Often a month's rent or more. Most people never claim it, simply because nobody told them they could.
This is the step by step. By the end you'll know whether your fee was legal, how to demand it back, and where to go if the agency stalls. There's also a free tool that writes the letter for you.
Short on time? Use the free reclaim-letter tool, answer four questions and it generates a ready-to-send letter in English or Dutch.
Table of contents
- The rule in one sentence
- Was your fee actually illegal?
- How much money are we talking about?
- Step by step: how to reclaim it
- What to do if they refuse
- FAQ
The rule in one sentence
If the rental agent was working for the landlord, they are not allowed to also charge you, the tenant, a mediation fee for the same home.
That's the whole thing. It's the "you can't serve two masters" principle in article 7:417 of the Dutch Civil Code, and it's reinforced by the Wet goed verhuurderschap (the Good Landlord Act), in force since 1 July 2023. The agent is already paid by the landlord. Billing you on top is not legal.
The catch is that almost every agent attached to a listing on the big listings sites was hired by the landlord. So in the large majority of cases, the fee charged to the tenant should never have been charged.
Was your fee actually illegal?
Ask one question: who hired the agent?
- The agent advertised the landlord's apartment and you responded to that listing. The fee is almost certainly not legal.
- You personally hired an agent to go search for you. Then the fee can be legal, because you're their client.
The fee hides under a lot of names, and renaming it changes nothing. All of these are the same fee in a different outfit: bemiddelingskosten, agency or mediation fee, contractkosten, administratiekosten, courtage, "eenmalige kosten huurder", intake fee.
If you paid any of these to an agent who worked for the landlord, keep reading.
How much money are we talking about?
In Amsterdam the mediation fee is typically around one month's rent, or 4 to 6 percent of the annual rent, usually plus 21 percent VAT. "Contract" or "administration" fees tend to run 250 to 750 euro. On an 1,800 euro per month apartment, that's well over a thousand euro you may be owed back.
You can usually go back a few years to reclaim it. Keep every receipt, bank transfer, and message with the agency, that's your evidence.
Step by step: how to reclaim it
1. Gather your proof. The lease, the invoice or bank transfer showing the fee, and any messages where the agent presented the listing. This shows both that you paid and that they worked for the landlord.
2. Write a formal demand letter. Address it to the agency, state the amount and date, explain that the agent acted for the landlord, cite article 7:417 BW and the Wet goed verhuurderschap, and ask for a full refund within 14 days. You don't need a lawyer for this. The free tool writes the whole letter for you, in English or Dutch, just add your details.
3. Send it properly. Email plus registered post (aangetekend) so there's a record. Give them the 14 days.
4. Keep it businesslike. You're not asking a favour, you're stating a legal position. A calm, specific letter that cites the law gets results far more often than an angry one.
What to do if they refuse
Plenty of agencies refund once they get a letter that clearly knows the law. If yours doesn't:
- Het Juridisch Loket gives free legal advice and can confirm your case.
- The Huurcommissie (rent tribunal) handles rental disputes.
- In Amsterdam, !WOON is a free tenant-support organisation that helps with exactly this.
- As a last step, the kantonrechter (subdistrict court) handles small claims. The case law is heavily on the tenant's side, and you can claim statutory interest and costs.
You can also report the agency to your gemeente (municipality), which has had direct enforcement power over letting agents since the Wet goed verhuurderschap.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and situations differ, so for anything consequential, confirm with the Gemeente Amsterdam, the Huurcommissie, or a tenant-rights organisation like !WOON.
FAQ
Can I reclaim an agency fee I paid a year ago? Usually yes. You can typically go back a few years. Keep your receipts and messages.
The fee was called "contractkosten," not an agency fee. Does that matter? No. If it came from the landlord's agent, the name on the invoice doesn't change the rule.
What if I'm not sure who the agent worked for? If you responded to a listing for a specific apartment, the agent was almost certainly hired by the landlord. You can ask them, in writing, who their client is.
Do I need a lawyer? Not to start. A clear demand letter resolves many cases. Het Juridisch Loket and !WOON help for free if it escalates.
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