All changes: Amsterdam tenants win service fee refund

Hundreds of current and former tenants of an Amsterdam apartment building can claim back up to five million euros in damages.Years of value After a long legal battle, the cost of excess services.

The complex, located in New West and owned by CBRE and previously operated by Change=, provides what Change= calls “Networked life‘ Providing working young people with studios equipped with facilities such as gymnasium and high-speed internet.

case center Service charge, which covers building management and common areas. Service charge is payable monthly, in advance and at the end of the year. Year If the estimate doesn’t meet the requirements, the tenant will either get a refund or have to pay additional fees. not enough to pay the fees.

Change = In the past, the company charged tenants a separate fee for high-speed internet and other facilities, known as community charges. But that practice was ruled illegal, leading the company to triple the cost of basic services – from €50 to €60. One month The complex charges up to 166 euros per month.

But the court ruled that this was also illegal and ordered the company to refund the access fee. Change = reject this way Earlier this year, CBRE introduced a new management company. Taken office on June 1.

The new managers are charging tenants lower fees for their services, and CBRE has now reached an agreement with tenants’ association and rights group Woon over refunds during the Change= period.

Tenants will be able to Make a claim for period Some tenants will receive up to €4,000 in rebates between 2019 and 2023, Woon said. The agreement covers all tenants, not just those lodge a formal protest.

Wu said the settlement does not include a separate legal dispute with Change= over top-up charges for internet and other facilities in 2017 and 2018.

Change= still operates a complex in Amsterdam Zuidoost that is owned by a German investment fund.