Tenants
information…
Duwoners regularly receives questions about various topics that may be important to several tenants and for which you cannot turn to DUWO. For questions about normal tenant matters you have to go to DUWO. For complaints contact DUWO first (www.duwo.nl) and we recommend that you do this in writing as much as possible.
Municipal Tax expires…
The answer is simple: no. In 2012, the lessor (DUWO) in Amsterdam is obliged to collect municipal taxes from non-independent houses (“rooms”). As a result, the possibility for these tenants to apply for remission for these taxes has been dropped. DUWO now receives the assessments of the entire complex and will recover these costs from the tenants. Tenants of independent houses can therefore apply for remission.
Municipal taxes that matter …
Municipal taxes that are important are the waste levy (AFV, for the collection and processing of household and bulky waste) and the treatment levy (ZH, for the cleaning of the waste water) that runs via Waternet. Duwoners finds it an unfair situation that non-self-employed tenants cannot apply for remission for these taxes. In other municipalities this is better arranged (see Delft, Leiden). We will lobby for this in Amsterdam that there will also be Housing Allowance for Room Tenants (TWK).
At the end of 2014, an e-mail was sent to tenants of a number of campusses in Amsterdam with non-independent houses informing them that the municipal taxes (AFV and ZH) will be collected via DUWO. This is already the case with most campusses, but this was not the case everywhere with older campusses. Duwoners was therefore asked for advice. We have recommended that these costs be periodically – therefore per month – charged as an advance, so that the tenant does not suddenly have to face major unexpected surprises if DUWO sends an invoice with the entire amount. It is wise to check the amounts. If you do not agree with the amount (you can see this at MyDUWO) you can always ask DUWO for clarification. If you are unable to solve it with DUWO, you can of course always turn to Duwoners for advice.