What should I do if I want to terminate my 1-year rental contract prematurely?

Questioner

I rent a house in Hoorn. I have a one-year contract from May 1, 2023 to May 1, 2024 and there is a rental agreement model ROZ March 20, 2017. Now I want to terminate the rental agreement prematurely due to private circumstances. Is this possible?

Lawyer

Terminating a lease during the first rental period can be legally complicated. It depends on the exact wording of your lease and the general terms and conditions. The ROZ (Real Estate Council) 2017 model states in article 19.1 that the tenant has the option to terminate the agreement after a period of 12 months after the start date of the agreement. This would mean that you cannot terminate prematurely. However, in exceptional cases there is a possibility to deviate from this, for example in unforeseen circumstances, which you as a tenant could not take into account when entering into the lease. In your case, you could consider speaking to the landlord about your situation to see if agreements can be made. Have you thought about finding a suitable replacement tenant? In some cases, landlords are willing to cooperate. However, they are not obliged to do so. If the landlord does not want to cooperate in an early termination or a transfer to a new tenant, it may still be wise to consult a lawyer or attorney. Please note that I base my advice on the information you have given me and general legal knowledge and that this situation can be complex. It may therefore be advisable to seek professional legal assistance for your specific situation. ---------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.