Hundreds of people who live or lived in Change= apartment complexes in Amsterdam could get over €1,400 each refunded by their landlord in unlawful service costs, thanks to a rent tribunal ruling.

The Huurcommissie verdict follows a court case that found in favour of tenants who had argued the way service costs are administered is unclear. In total, the case dealt with 1,500 complaints covering 2019 and 2020.

The complexes in Amsterdam Zuidoost and Nieuw-West offer what Change= calls ‘networked living’ for employed young people – “low cost” studios with facilities such as a gym and fast internet charged as extras.

In March, Amsterdam magistrates ruled that the 2019 service charges should be set at €42.61, not the €162,42 that Change= was charging, prompting the rent tribunal to finalise its position.

In total, the refunds, which cover people who lived in the complexes in 2019 and 2020 are likely to cost Change= over €2 million. The company still has the right of appeal. 

The current rent for a Change= studio in Nieuw-West is €752.57 plus €248 per month in service charges.