Finding a place to live is not easy, especially from abroad. That is why international students can turn to the VU for help. In exchange for a housing fee of 500 euros, the VU helps them find accommodation. If this is not successful, they get a refund.
But charging for this service is not permitted at all, the court has ruled – for the second time. Four American students, together with the !Woon foundation, brought a case to court over this. The VU must refund their money.
According to the court, the university operates as an ‘intermediary’, assisting both tenants and landlords. Such intermediaries are legally prohibited from charging tenants – in this case, the students – for their services.
Could cost millions
That is a bitter pill to swallow, and not just for the VU. Other educational institutions also charge a housing fee to international students. According to the VU, it could cost universities and colleges millions if they are no longer allowed to charge housing fees.
The VU will therefore continue to charge international students 500 euros for the time being. “Charging the ‘housing fee’ is necessary to be able to continue offering this support,” says a university spokesperson.
The university is considering appealing the ruling. Previously, the VU had also planned to appeal a similar ruling from 2024. However, that attempt was cancelled, says the spokesperson, who can only add that there were “insufficient legal grounds”.
Other universities
Educational institutions do not rent out student rooms themselves. This is done through housing associations such as DUWO and through private landlords. They reserve rooms specifically for international students at a university or university of applied sciences.
Just like the VU, Leiden University also charges a housing fee, according to its website. This also applies to the University of Amsterdam and Delft University of Technology. The Hague University of Applied Sciences charges a fee of 275 euros and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences charges 485 euros.
Housing fees
Although they do not rent out rooms themselves, reserving rooms with landlords does cost money. For instance, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the VU have agreed that they will pay for reserved accommodation that remains vacant. This can happen, for example, if a student unexpectedly fails to turn up: in that case, the educational institutions pay the rent. To cover these and other costs, the institutions charge a housing fee.
But there is another reason for charging a housing fee. Universities and universities of applied sciences are not permitted to spend public funds on student accommodation. After all, accommodation is not part of their statutory mandate. Public funds may only be spent by the institutions on education, research and the dissemination of knowledge.
All in all, educational institutions find themselves in a difficult dilemma. They have agreed with landlords to pay compensation for vacant rooms. But they are not allowed to pass these costs on to international students as agency fees, nor are they allowed to use public funds for this purpose.
Disappointment
The VU is not accepting the ruling and will explain the housing fee more clearly to international students, says a spokesperson. Other institutions have not yet abolished the agency fees either.
The !Woon Foundation, which assists Amsterdam tenants with practical and legal matters, is disappointed. The foundation has held discussions with the VU on a couple of occasions and, together with the international students, has now been vindicated by the court twice. “It would be very strange if a university did not continue to comply with a court ruling,” says Ingrid Houtepen of the foundation.)