What should be done about landlord requirements when terminating apartment rental?

Questioner

Landlord of Wulpstraat 43, Utrecht demands upon delivery next week at the end of the lease (free market apartment) that all walls are as new, so painted and scratch-free/dent-free. Can he demand that? It concerns a small space (25 m2) with normal minor traces of use. In addition, he wants to increase the rent retroactively as of January 1, 2022. Is that allowed?

Lawyer

In almost all cases it is not possible to adjust the rent retroactively. There are many rules attached to the questioning of the rent. See also the page below for more information. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/woning-huren/QUESTION-EN-ANSWER/welke-rules-gelden-er-voor-een-huurgroei The law, regulations and case law state that damage resulting from wear and tear and age cannot be attributed to the tenant. If a tenant receives the living space after brand new interior paintwork, he does not have to renew the interior paintwork if it has been damaged by normal use, which also includes dullness of the paintwork. A recent ruling can be found here https://t.co/X7aZDk9llM. This was about nicotine deposits, in this case the tenant was responsible. Please feel free to contact me via my profile if you have any questions and/or require legal assistance.