"Tenants possible victim of unjustified rent increases'

Housing associations and private landlords annual increase since 2013, the rent based on income data from the Tax. The Woonbond says that data should never have been issued.This may by law namely only be given to governing bodies.

365 million
Tenants with a gross annual income from 33,600 euros received an increase since 2013.Households with annual income above 43,000 euros to see their rent increase annually by 4 percent above inflation. The association estimates the damage suffered by the unlawful practical calibration for tenants at 365 million euros.

,, With tenants from a modest middle is year on year violated the privacy that landlords could require huge rent increases, "said Woonbond Director Ronald Paping.

neatly
A spokesman for Minister Stef Blok (Housing and National), however, sees the matter with confidence on behalf of the tax authorities. ,, We believe we are the provision of data by the tax authorities are regulated by law as neat as possible, with all privacy safeguards. We have kept us to this by not exchanging data with individual income landlords, but only data on the income categories of households. "

secrecy
The Council of State has ruled earlier this year that the tax authorities should never have provided the income data. The advisory stated that this was in violation of the secrecy in which the service must adhere to.

Peter Kavelaars, professor and director of the research bureau of accounting firm Deloitte, also estimates therefore the chances of Woonbond high. ,, The Tenants here has a strength as they seek damages on this ground in the past violations of the law. The statutory provision of confidentiality which prohibits the tax authorities to provide data of taxpayers is in fact very strict. "

Kavelaars also does not think the legislature feels something deleting the law so providing information to landlords is allowed. ,, Because the government is suddenly faced with all sorts of awkward questions about certain taxpayers. "

collective scheme
The Woonbond aiming for a collective arrangement for all aggrieved tenants. They do not do them to sign up. The union has previously not only plan to launch a lawsuit against the Tax Office, but also wants landlord domes Aedes, IVBN and Property Interest involved in the case.

By Editors AD: Photo: Reuters