Who pays for exterior painting in the Netherlands: tenant or landlord?

Dutch tenancy law works on a simple principle: the owner keeps the building in good structural condition, and the tenant looks after the small things that come with daily living. Exterior painting sits firmly on the owner side of that line. Painting window frames, doors, fascias and cladding is considered groot onderhoud, and so is repairing wood rot, replacing rotten sills or renewing sealant around glazing.

This makes practical sense. Exterior paint is not decoration in the Dutch climate; it is the protective skin that keeps rain out of timber. When a landlord lets a coating fail, the resulting rot damages their own asset. That is why the law, and almost every standard Dutch lease, places exterior painting and wood rot repair with the owner rather than the tenant.

The same applies to housing corporations (woningcorporaties), private landlords and property managers acting on their behalf. If you rent through an agency, the agency is normally your point of contact, but the obligation still belongs to the owner.

The tenant side is set out in a government decree called the Besluit kleine herstellingen (Minor Repairs Decree). It lists the jobs a tenant is expected to carry out and pay for. On the painting side, these are interior tasks: touching up walls and woodwork inside the home, filling small holes, and keeping paintwork clean. It also covers things like replacing tap washers, keeping gutters you can safely reach free of leaves, and maintaining the garden.

The decree deliberately does not include painting the outside of the building, replacing window frames or treating wood rot. A lease clause that tries to push exterior painting onto a tenant is generally not enforceable, although you should always read your own contract and, if in doubt, check with the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) or the Juridisch Loket, which offers free legal guidance.

One exception worth knowing: if a tenant causes damage, for example by leaving a window open for months so the frame soaks and rots, the landlord can hold the tenant responsible for that specific repair. Normal wear and weather is never the tenant's cost.

Start by documenting the problem. Take dated photos of flaking paint, cracked joints and any soft or discoloured wood, and note where water gets in. Then report it to your landlord or property manager in writing, by email rather than a phone call, so there is a record. Most Dutch leases and the law expect the landlord to act within a reasonable period once they know about a defect.

If nothing happens, you can send a formal reminder with a deadline. Tenants of social housing can ask the Huurcommissie to assess whether the defect justifies a temporary rent reduction until it is fixed. Private tenants have similar routes through the courts, but a polite, well-documented email resolves most cases long before that stage. Our guide to wood rot in Dutch houses explains how to recognise the early signs so you can report them before the frame fails.

Do not attempt exterior repairs yourself unless the landlord has agreed in writing. Unauthorised work can create liability issues, and painting over rot without treating it hides the problem rather than solving it.

Many international residents in Noord-Brabant are landlords as well as tenants: they own a home in Den Bosch, Eindhoven or Breda and let it out while working elsewhere. If that is you, exterior maintenance remains your legal responsibility even when you are not in the country. A property manager can arrange it, but they need a painter who inspects properly, reports in writing and does not require you to be on site.

That is exactly how Kivits Vastgoedonderhoud works with landlords and managers. Leroy Kivits or one of the team carries out a free inspection, photographs every frame and sends a written quote within 48 hours, in English if you prefer. Wood rot is repaired with a two-component epoxy system rather than a cosmetic filler, the work is coated with Sikkens or Sigma paint systems, and you receive a 5-year warranty. See our exterior painting service for the full process, or contact us to arrange an inspection on behalf of an owner.

Kivits Vastgoedonderhoud is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK 94153965) and works across Noord-Brabant, from 's-Hertogenbosch to Eindhoven, Tilburg and Breda.