Letting a house to a staffing agency

01Why do companies rent houses for their staff?

Staffing agencies and employers in sectors such as logistics, agriculture and horticulture, and production recruit many workers from abroad. Those people need somewhere to live as soon as they arrive. According to an overview by Statistics Netherlands (CBS, June 2026), a study by SEO counted almost 700,000 labour migrants in 2023: people who had been in the Netherlands for up to five years and started work within three months of arrival, including those not registered with a municipality. CBS shows that the number depends heavily on the definition you use.

For the landlord, the model is usually this: the company rents the whole house from you and lets a number of its workers live there. Sometimes the company rents several houses or a whole complex. You then have one business counterparty instead of a changing group of residents. That is attractive: one invoice, one point of contact, often a longer term.

At the same time, more people usually live in such a house than in an ordinary family home, and residents change more often. That affects the rules, the permits, the insurance and the wear. We cover those topics one by one below.

This article is a summary, not legal advice. Rules differ per municipality and change over time. Consult a lawyer about your own contract and situation.

02Is a company tenant different from an ordinary tenant?

Many owners think: I am letting to a company, so this is a business lease and the protection for residential tenancies does not apply. It is not that simple. The Dutch Civil Code has different regimes, including one for residential space and one for so-called other space (Article 7:230a of the Civil Code). Which regime applies depends on what you agreed and how the house is used, not only on who the tenant is.

A ruling by the sub-district court of Midden-Nederland of 17 August 2021 (ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2021:3623) shows how this works out. An owner let a house to a staffing agency to house labour migrants, under a contract titled as a lease of residential space. The owner later argued that it was other space, with less protection for the tenant. The court ruled that the property was residential space, and that subletting to labour migrants did not change that. The staffing agency could therefore rely on tenancy protection.

What does that mean for you?

The contract matters. The title, the description of the use and the agreements on subletting all help decide which regime applies. Have the contract drawn up or checked by a lawyer who knows tenancy law.
Ending the lease is not a given. If the residential regime applies, you cannot simply end the contract; you need a legal ground for termination.
Think about the residents. Agree in advance what happens to the residents if the contract with the company ends, and have a lawyer assess what rights they would have.

03Which 2024 rental rules may play a role?

On 1 July 2024 two laws came into force that matter for letting homes. Whether and how they apply when your tenant is a company depends on how your contract is classified (see above), so have this assessed.

Fixed Rental Contracts Act (Wet vaste huurcontracten)

Since 1 July 2024 an open-ended lease is the norm again. A fixed-term lease of up to two years is only allowed for certain groups, such as students and people renting temporarily because of work or renovation. Other options remain, including temporary letting under the Vacancy Act (Leegstandswet), lodger letting and contracts for use that is short-term by nature. An open-ended contract with a company is fine for many owners, but you should know what you are signing up for.

Affordable Rent Act (Wet betaalbare huur)

The Affordable Rent Act has also applied since 1 July 2024. It makes sure the rent fits the quality of the home. The points system (woningwaarderingsstelsel) now also covers mid-rent homes up to and including 186 points. Since 1 January 2025 municipalities can take action when a landlord charges too much. If your house scores 186 points or fewer and the residential regime applies, this may set your maximum rent.

What is still coming

In July and August 2026 the government consulted on a bill on suitable rental contracts, including a temporary lease for labour migrants. In October 2026 it is not yet law. Read more in short stay and flexible rental for staff.

See how your house is doing

With room sensors from eyesonrooms, owner and tenant see damp, mould risk, extra heaters and cold rooms every day, and you get a PDF report per room.

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04Which permits do you need?

Permits sit with the owner, not the tenant. Only you can apply for them, and if the municipality takes enforcement action, it lands with you. So check before you sign:

Environment plan (omgevingsplan). Since the Environment and Planning Act came into force on 1 January 2024, every municipality has an environment plan; the old zoning plans are temporarily part of it. A residential designation often assumes a single household. A group of colleagues who do not form a joint household does not always fit that.
Conversion permit (omzettingsvergunning). Many municipalities require a permit to convert a self-contained home into rooms. Whether that applies to your address is set out in the local housing regulation. See also the challenges of housing labour migrants.
Letting permit for labour migrants. Under the Good Landlordship Act a municipality can decide that letting to labour migrants is only allowed with a letting permit. According to the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), this lets the municipality secure a private bedroom for each labour migrant and set standards for the kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities.
Buy-to-let protection (opkoopbescherming). Since 1 January 2022 a municipality can rule, in certain neighbourhoods, that a purchased home in the low or mid-price segment may not simply be let. If you bought the house recently, check whether this applies to your address.

If in doubt, contact the municipality and ask for written confirmation. Record the permits per address, with their end dates.

05Who arranges the SNF quality mark?

The Stichting Normering Flexwonen (SNF) keeps a public register of companies that meet the standard for housing labour migrants, with regular inspections by independent, certified inspection bodies. Usually the party that houses the residents, meaning the staffing agency or the employer, has the location registered and inspected.

The SNF mark still matters to you as an owner. The standard sets requirements for things like space per resident, sanitary facilities, fire safety and maintenance. Some of these concern the building itself, and that is your domain. So agree in the contract:

who arranges the registration and pays for it;
who repairs which defects found in an inspection, and within what period;
that you receive the inspection reports that concern the building.

Read more about the requirements in the SNF standard explained and in renting SNF-certified housing.

06What should you arrange with your insurer?

You insure a house you let yourself, with buildings insurance; the residents insure their own belongings. Letting, and certainly room letting or group occupancy, changes the risk. Insurers therefore often ask you to report the letting. Univé, for example, asks you to report letting within two months, and warns that room letting may limit cover and that extra prevention measures may be required. With that insurer, vandalism by a tenant is not covered.

What you can do:

before the start, tell your insurer in writing that a company is renting the house and how many people live there;
ask which conditions or prevention requirements apply, for example smoke alarms;
agree with the tenant that it has liability insurance, and ask for proof;
keep the insurer's confirmation in the tenancy file.

Policy terms differ per insurer. Read your own terms or ask your broker.

07How do you agree on wear, damage and maintenance?

A house with several residents wears faster. Three risks come up often: damp and mould (many people, lots of showering and laundry, too little ventilation), plug-in electric heaters and overcrowding. Clear agreements prevent arguments later.

What to put in the contract

Maximum number of residents, and if needed the number per bedroom, in line with what the municipality and the SNF standard allow.
Maintenance: what is yours (roof, walls, boiler, pipes) and what is the tenant's (minor maintenance, cleaning, filters, testing smoke alarms).
Energy: in whose name the gas, electricity and water contracts are, and how settlement works.
Access: how often, and with what notice, you or your manager may inspect the house.
Duty to report: the tenant reports leaks, damp and faults straight away.

Inspections at the start and end

At the start, make a condition report per room, with dated photos and meter readings, and have both parties sign it. Do the same at the end. You then see fairly what is wear and what is damage. Read how in check-in and check-out inspections. Also agree on interim inspections, for example twice a year.

Spotting problems early

At an inspection you often only see mould and extra heaters when they have been going on for months. With room sensors from eyesonrooms, the tenant or the owner sees every day which room is getting damp, where a plug-in heater is probably running and where the heating is not working. Read more in preventing mould and plug-in heaters and electricity costs.

08What security can you ask for, and what should you ask the company?

Deposit and other security

For homes, the deposit has been capped at two months' basic rent since 1 July 2023. The landlord repays it within 14 days after the end, or within 30 days if costs are deducted, for example for damage. Different rules apply to business premises. Which rule applies to your contract, and whether a bank guarantee or a parent-company guarantee is possible, again depends on how the contract is classified. Have a lawyer take a look.

Questions for the staffing agency or employer

Question	Why
Are you SNF-registered, and for which locations?	Shows the company works to the standard and is used to inspections
Who is the fixed contact for the house?	When there is a leak, you want someone who responds straight away
How often does someone visit the house?	Regular checks stop small defects becoming big ones
How do residents report faults?	Residents who can report easily report sooner
Do residents get their own lease?	The Good Landlordship Act requires a lease separate from the employment contract for labour migrants
Can you give references from other owners?	Other landlords' experience says a lot
Who pays for energy, and how is use monitored?	Extra heaters can raise consumption considerably

A company that answers these questions clearly is usually also a company that manages the house well. On the page letting to companies you can read how eyesonrooms gives owners and tenants shared insight into the condition of the house.

09Frequently asked questions

Does a company tenant have less tenancy protection?

Not automatically. In 2021 a court ruled that a house a staffing agency rented for labour migrants was residential space, with tenancy protection. The contract and the use matter a lot; have a lawyer assess it.

Can I sign a fixed-term lease with a staffing agency?

Since 1 July 2024 an open-ended lease is the norm for residential space, with exceptions for certain groups. Whether your situation qualifies depends on the contract and the use. Consult a lawyer.

Do I need a permit as the owner?

Often, yes. Think of a conversion permit, a letting permit for labour migrants or buy-to-let protection. This differs per municipality; check before you sign.

Who arranges the SNF registration?

Usually the party that houses the residents, such as the staffing agency. Agree in the contract who registers, who repairs defects found in an inspection, and that you receive the reports about the building.

Should I tell my insurer?

Yes, that is wise. Letting and group occupancy change the risk, and some insurers require notification within a set period. Read your policy terms or ask.

Letting your house to a staffing agency: what to arrange