Rent collection: quick grip on rent arrears, with an eye on the relationship

Do you have a tenant who doesn't pay the rent or pays it late? Every month the rent is late costs you an immediate return. At the same time, the rules around rent collection in 2026 are stricter than ever. One mistake in the procedure and you find yourself empty-handed in court.

That is why we take on rent collection as legal precision work. We think along with you about strategy, monitor all legal deadlines and ensure that your file is correct. This increases the chance of payment and limits the damage. If you would like to know more about the signs of rent arrears, read our knowledge base on early warning of rent arrears.

• Professional rent collection for private and corporate rentals
• From first 14-day letter to eviction
• Always mindful of your relationship with your tenant
• Clear communication and regular contacts

With private tenants, you may not charge collection fees until you have first sent a valid 14-day letter. This is the so-called WIK letter. The judge checks in 2026 by default whether this letter is completely correct.

Does something go wrong in that letter? Then the judge may reject your claim to collection costs. In the worst case, you run even more risk in the rest of the proceedings.

That's why many landlords have us send the 14-day letter. We make sure:

• The deadline legally correct: we apply the reception theory and build in extra slack
• Collection costs are calculated exactly according to the statutory scale
• All mandatory sentences are in the letter, in plain language
• You have irrefutable proof that the letter was received and opened

For this, we use Registered Mail, among other things. This way you build a strong file from day one, should you later have to go to court.

Have the 14 days passed and there is still no payment? Then the amicable collection phase starts. In this phase, we do everything possible to arrange payment without the need for a court.

In doing so, we combine clear boundaries with respectful communication. You want your money, but you also don't want unnecessary damage to your relationship or reputation.

In the amicable phase, our efforts include:

• Smart payment requests via e mail, SMS and WhatsApp
• Telephone approach by experienced collection specialists
• Clear payment agreements and payment schedules as needed
• Always a clear picture of the status of your file

In this phase, we often work on a No Cure No Pay basis. If nothing is collected, in many cases you pay nothing for the out-of-court collection. If you want to start a case immediately, you can also submit your collection order completely online.

Does payment persist even after clear agreements and multiple opportunities? Then it's time to take the legal route. In the Netherlands, rent arrears of three months is often the lower limit for dissolution of the lease.

Together we look at whether legal proceedings are wise. If so, we arrange the entire process:

• We draft a subpoena claiming rent arrears, interest, costs and dissolution of the lease
• We also ask the court directly for a judgment to evict the rented property
• We build the file with all relevant documents, such as the 14-day letter, reminders and payment history
• We accompany you during the hearing at the district court

If the judge rules in your favor, you will receive an enforcement order (the judgment). With this you can enforce payment and eviction through the bailiff. In this phase, the enforcement process often starts, in which we take specific steps to actually collect the judgment.

After the judgment, your tenant will have one last chance to leave voluntarily. If he doesn't, the actual eviction will follow. This is a radical step, both for you and for the tenant. That's why we handle it carefully and according to the rules.

The evacuation proceeds broadly like this:

• Bailiff officially serves judgment on tenant and gives final departure deadline
• We plan the eviction date and coordinate all parties involved
• Bailiff conducts eviction, in presence of police
• A licensed locksmith opens the door and replaces the locks
• The contents will be removed and stored according to local regulations if necessary

Upon completion, you get your property back empty and legally in order. You can immediately continue your search for a new, paying tenant.

Of course, you want to know where you stand financially. With rent collection, we always look at the relationship between costs, risk and return. We explain this clearly to you in advance.

In many cases, we try to recover costs from the tenant as much as possible. In proceedings, we ask the court for:

• Order the tenant to pay the legal costs.
• Reimbursement of advanced expenses such as subpoena fees and court costs
• Award of statutory interest on arrears

Do you have to advance costs at a certain stage? Then we will discuss the possibilities of recovering them later through garnishment of wages or bank accounts. You are never alone in these considerations. If you want to look more broadly at your payment agreements, also read more about the legal payment term and how you can use it to protect your cash flow.

Our goal is simple: to protect your property, restore your cash flow and avoid unnecessary risk.