The tax office is passing on information about the income of tenants to landlords in the private sector, according to the national ombudsman.

Alex Brenninkmeijer told the Volkskrant he has had complaints from a number of tenants who say their tax details have been passed on to their landlords. They say this invades their privacy and that the tax authorities have not reacted adequately to their complaints.

Information about incomes may only be released when it concerns people living in social housing.

Higher incomes

Landlords in the social housing sector can ask for the information under new rules introduced earlier this year to weed out people earning higher incomes.

A household with an annual income of €34,229 can be charged a higher rent in order to encourage a move to the private sector.

Brenninkmeijer has asked the tax office if it has made a conscious choice to release tax information about private sector tenants and what measures it is taking to ensure this information does not fall into the wrong hands.