The basics
What is the WWS?
The Woningwaarderingsstelsel (WWS) — literally “housing valuation system” — is the Dutch government's official method for determining the maximum legal rent for a property. Every rental home is assigned a quality score in points. That score directly determines the highest rent a landlord may legally charge.
The system has been mandatory for all homes with 186 points or fewer since the Wet betaalbare huur (Affordable Housing Act) came into force on 1 July 2024. This was a major expansion: previously, only social housing (low rent) was covered. Now the entire low and mid-market rental sector — up to roughly €1,228/month — falls under the cap.
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Social housing (laag segment)
Up to 143 points. Maximum rent €932.93/month (Jan 2026). The most protected category, with full Huurcommissie oversight.
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Mid-market housing (middenhuur)
144–186 points. Maximum rent €1,228.07/month (Jan 2026). New since July 2024 — a major protection for middle-income renters.
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Free sector (vrije sector)
187+ points. No rent cap. Market rate applies. But many “free sector” apartments are actually misclassified — always verify.
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Your rights as a renter
If your rent exceeds the legal maximum for your point score, you can challenge it at the Huurcommissie — and get money back.
The point system
The 12 rubrieken explained
Your total WWS score is built from up to 12 categories (rubrieken). Here is what each one measures and how the points are calculated.
Source: Beleidsboek Woningwaardering Zelfstandige Woonruimte — Huurcommissie (januari 2026) ↗
R1
The single biggest contributor. Every usable square metre of living space earns 1 point. This includes your living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom — but not hallways, balconies, or storage rooms. To qualify as a vertrek, a room must have at least 2.10m of ceiling height over 50% of its floor area (or over at least 11m²), a transparent outdoor-facing window of at least 0.5m², and a minimum floor area of 4m². Area is measured at floor level; the 1.5m height figure is the level at which sloped ceilings begin to be counted.
How it's measured: Floor plan measured at floor level. All built-in closets (kasten) count toward the area of the room they are accessed from, regardless of size. Ask your landlord for the official floor plan (tekening).
Beleidsboek §2.2, p. 15
R2
Storage rooms (berging), utility rooms, attic space, and crawl spaces count here at 0.75 points per m². There is no maximum cap for this rubriek. Area is measured at floor level; there is no minimum ceiling height requirement for overige ruimten to qualify — the 1.5m figure is the measurement height for inclined ceilings, not a qualification threshold.
Attic without a fixed staircase: A loft or attic accessible only by a ladder can still qualify as an overige ruimte — but receives a 5-point deduction from its surface-area score (the total never goes below zero). A fixed staircase avoids the deduction.
Beleidsboek §2.2.2, p. 18
R3
Every heated vertrek earns 2 points — regardless of the type of heating system. CV-ketel, stadsverwarming (district heating), warmtepomp, floor heating: all score identically at 2 pts/room. Overige ruimten (hallways, storage) each earn 1 point for heating, capped at 4 points total across all overige ruimten and verkeersruimten. Fixed cooling (air conditioning) installed by the landlord adds 1 extra point per vertrek — up to a maximum of 2 points total — provided the system carries at least an EU A+ energy label and delivers ≥100 W/m² cooling capacity.
Tip: All central heating types score the same — 2 pts per room. The distinction between CV and district heating does not affect your score.
Beleidsboek §2.3, p. 22
R4
The energy label has an enormous effect on the score. An A++++ label adds 62 points (houses / eengezinswoningen) or 58 points (apartments / meergezinswoningen); a G label deducts 15 for both. If there is no valid label, the construction year is used instead. Simplified energielabels issued between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2021 score 0 points. However, energie-index (EI) scores registered in that same period do earn points if marked “geldig voor WWS” on ep-online.nl. Labels expire after 10 years.
Check yours: Search your address at
ep-online.nl. Look for “geldig voor WWS” — if this text isn't shown, the label doesn't count in the WWS and the build-year fallback applies.
Beleidsboek §2.4, p. 23
R5
Base points are awarded for worktop length (aanrecht): 4 points for 1–2 metres, 7 points for 2+ metres. The kitchen must meet minimum requirements (undercabinets, waterproof finish, hot + cold water) to qualify at all. Built-in appliances provided by the landlord each add a specific number of points — they are not a flat 1 point each:
| Induction hob (inductie) | +1.75 pts |
| Ceramic / halogen hob | +1.00 pts |
| Gas hob | +0.50 pts |
| Electric built-in oven | +1.00 pts |
| Gas built-in oven | +0.50 pts |
| Built-in microwave / combi | +1.00 pts |
| Dishwasher (vaatwasmachine) | +1.50 pts |
| Built-in fridge (koelkast) | +1.00 pts |
| Built-in freezer (vrieskast) | +0.75 pts |
| Extractor hood (afzuigkap) | +0.75 pts |
| Single-lever tap (éénhandsmengkraan) | +0.25 pts |
| Thermostatic tap | +0.50 pts |
Cap: Total appliance points cannot exceed the base worktop score (4 pts for 1–2m aanrecht; 7 pts for 2m+). Appliances you brought yourself do not count. Measure the worktop along the middle of the surface — built-in hobs and sinks are included.
Beleidsboek §2.5, p. 28
R6
Points for every landlord-provided sanitary fixture. Toilet location matters — there is no deduction; instead toilets simply carry different values depending on where they are placed:
Toilets: Seated toilet in separate WC room: 3 pts · Wall-hung in separate WC room: 3.75 pts · Seated toilet inside bathroom: 2 pts · Wall-hung inside bathroom: 2.75 pts.
Bathing: Shower only: 4 pts · Bath only: 6 pts · Bath + shower: 7 pts.
Washbasins: Single washbasin: 1 pt · Multi-person washbasin (≥70cm, 2 taps): 1.5 pts.
Extras: towel radiator (handdoekenradiator) 0.75 pts · power outlet (stopcontact) 0.25 pts. Note: a bidet or lavet is explicitly not scored under WWS.
Common mistake: Many tenants forget to count a second toilet or a multi-person washbasin. Also note a bidet earns zero points despite often being listed as a feature.
Beleidsboek §2.6, p. 32
R7
Points for adaptations made specifically for a disabled tenant (e.g. roll-in showers, widened doors, stair lifts). The formula is 1 point per €332 of net landlord investment (after deducting any subsidy and tenant contribution). A partial subsidy is required — adaptations that were fully covered by a government subsidy score 0 points. These points are only valid while the adapted tenant lives in the property, and the adaptation must have been installed on or after 1 April 1994. This rubriek is not included in our calculator.
Applies when: The adaptation was at least partially landlord-funded, is a permanent fixture, and was installed specifically for the current tenant's disability.
Beleidsboek §2.7, p. 33
R8
Private outdoor space (balcony, terrace, private garden, loggia) earns a flat 2 points for having any, plus 0.35 points per m², with a combined maximum of 15 points across all outdoor space. Shared outdoor space (communal roof terrace, shared garden) earns 0.75 pts/m² divided by the number of dwellings with access. If the property has no outdoor space at all — no private space, no shared space, and no loggia — 5 points are deducted.
Changed in 2024: The old fixed bands (2pts / 5pts / 8pts) were replaced by this linear formula. A tiny juliet balcony still earns 2 + area × 0.35 points. Shared outdoor space must be at least 2.00m in each direction to qualify.
Beleidsboek §2.8, p. 35
R9
Communal areas inside the building that residents can use — a shared lounge, laundry room, bicycle storage, or meeting room. Shared living/lounge rooms earn 1 pt/m²; shared utility/storage areas earn 0.75 pt/m². The total is divided by the number of dwellings with access. Only spaces exclusively for residents count; publicly accessible areas do not.
In practice: In a typical 8-apartment building with a 20m² communal laundry room, each tenant gets 0.75 × 20 ÷ 8 = 1.875 points. Small but worth checking.
Beleidsboek §2.9, p. 39
R10
All parking under R10 is scored as gemeenschappelijk (shared between at least two addresses) and divided by the number of dwellings with usage rights. Three types exist: Type I — enclosed parking garage (9 pts before division); Type II — outdoor with roof or carport (6 pts before division); Type III — open outdoor spot (4 pts before division). The score you receive is the type's base value divided by the number of addresses with access.
New since 2024: Parking is now its own separate rubriek (previously bundled into outdoor space). A carport is no longer counted as buitenruimte.
Beleidsboek §2.10, p. 39
R11
The WOZ value captures location — an apartment in Amsterdam scores higher than the same apartment in Drachten. Points are calculated via two formulas (Onderdeel I: WOZ ÷ €16,954; Onderdeel II: WOZ per m² ÷ €268), both results added together and rounded to 0.25. A WOZ cap of 33.3% applies universally — WOZ points cannot exceed one third of the total score. For properties whose total would reach 187+ points, a special floor mechanism ensures the cap does not push the score below 186.
Find your WOZ: Look it up free at
wozwaardeloket.nl using your address. The value is updated every January. Use the most recent WOZ-beschikking from your municipality.
Beleidsboek §2.11, p. 41
R12
A small category for amenities that don't fit elsewhere. A video/audio intercom (aanbelfunctie) that also enables remote door-release from the dwelling adds 0.25 points — a system without remote door-release does not qualify. A landlord-installed EV charging point (laadpaal) adds 2 points; if the laadpaal is in a shared parking space it is divided by the number of addresses with access (same method as R10). Care homes (zorgwoning) receive a 35% uplift on the total of rubrieken 1–11, subject to meeting strict criteria: the building must be designed for people with physical disabilities (threshold-free access, corridors ≥1.20m), the lease must include access to a personal alarm system connected to an emergency call centre, and must include access to shared spaces for meals or recreation.
Upcoming: The government regularly updates R12 as new features (solar sharing, smart home systems) are considered for inclusion.
Beleidsboek §2.12, p. 49
Price surcharges
Monuments & new-build uplifts
On top of the base point calculation, certain properties are eligible for a percentage surcharge on the maximum rent. These don't add points — they multiply the rent ceiling.
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Rijksmonument (+35%)
A nationally listed monument (Rijksmonument). Costly to maintain; landlords receive a significant surcharge to offset preservation obligations.
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Gemeentelijk monument (+15%)
A municipally or provincially listed monument. Smaller surcharge than national status, but still meaningful.
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Beschermd stads-/dorpsgezicht (+5%)
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Nieuwbouwopslag (+10%)
Newly built mid-market homes completed after 1 July 2024 may qualify for a 10% new-build surcharge for up to 10 years after first occupation.
warning Surcharges cannot always be combined
Monument types (Rijksmonument, gemeentelijk, stadsgezicht) cannot be stacked with each other. However, any monument type can be combined with the new-build surcharge. Always check which status applies before calculating.
Your rights
How to challenge an excessive rent
If your rent exceeds the legal maximum for your WWS score, you have the right to challenge it. Here's the step-by-step process.
Step 1
Calculate your score
Use our tool for a quick estimate, then verify using the
official Huurprijscheck on the Huurcommissie website. You'll need your energy label (from ep-online.nl), WOZ value (from wozwaardeloket.nl), and a floor plan with measurements. An English version of the Huurprijscheck is available at
huurprijscheck.huurcommissie.nl/en/. Note that formal correspondence and case proceedings remain in Dutch.
Step 2
Request the WWS document from your landlord
Since January 2025, landlords are legally required to provide you with the official WWS points document at the start of a tenancy. If you never received one, request it in writing. Their document may differ from yours — compare carefully.
Legal right since Jan 2025Step 3
Write to your landlord
Before going to the Huurcommissie, write a formal letter stating that your property scores X points, the legal maximum rent is €Y/month, and you are requesting an adjustment. Many landlords will settle rather than face a formal procedure. Keep a copy of everything.
Often resolves without escalationStep 4
File with the Huurcommissie
If your landlord refuses or doesn't respond, file a request at
huurcommissie.nl. The Huurcommissie will send an inspector to assess your home and issue a binding ruling. They aim to complete cases within 4–6 months. The filing fee is €25 (toetsing aanvangshuurprijs), refunded in full if you win completely.
Step 5
Receive a ruling — and a refund
If the Huurcommissie finds in your favour, the rent is lowered to the legal maximum and the reduction applies retroactively to the date you submitted your request. You may be owed months of overpaid rent back.
Ruling is binding on both partiestimer The 6-month rule — critical deadline
For the initial rent check (toetsing aanvangshuurprijs), you must file with the Huurcommissie within 6 months of the start date of your contract. After this window, you cannot challenge the starting rent — only annual increases. If you are reading this and your lease is less than 6 months old: act now.
bed Renting a shared room?
If you share the kitchen or bathroom with other tenants, the WWSO applies — a separate point system with different rules and rent limits. Read the WWSO guide →
Not sure about a term? Browse the full rental glossary → for plain-English definitions of kale huur, WOZ-waarde, liberalisatiegrens, and more.
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