Many Amsterdam homeowners did not fully understand the financial consequences of missing the opportunity to transition to perpetual leasehold under the previous 2022–2023 conditions.

Others bought a home without receiving a clear explanation of how quickly their leasehold costs could increase.

For many people, the process was confusing. Some missed the deadline. Some applied too late. Some started the process but did not complete it.

The municipality still does not provide clear, accessible warnings about erfpacht/ground lease risks. There is not even a basic leaflet explaining what homeowners need to know or what can happen if they miss key deadlines.

As a result, many homeowners are now facing a much higher annual leasehold payment than they expected.

In 2021, the ACM instructed the municipality to clearly and fully inform leaseholders about current and future leasehold costs. The municipality later introduced a remedial scheme, often called the “regret option” scheme. However, research commissioned by the municipality itself showed that 40% of leaseholders were unaware of this scheme, and only one in three understood the information provided. In other words, the information was still too difficult to understand.

Large groups of leaseholders were also excluded from the remedial scheme. This included, for example, leaseholders who had already submitted a pending transition application, people who bought their homes after 2020, and leaseholders with a home office.

That is why we are asking the ACM to investigate the experiences of Amsterdam leaseholders and, if necessary, instruct the municipality to reopen the remedial scheme and implement it properly.

This is not about blaming individual homeowners. It is about fairness, clarity, and giving people a real chance to make an informed decision about one of the most important financial issues connected to their home.

Why the ACM?

The ACM protects consumers and assesses whether people have been treated fairly and clearly. The ACM is already familiar with the Amsterdam leasehold system.

If many leaseholders share their personal experiences, the ACM can see that this is not simply a case of one person missing a deadline. It is a broader consumer problem affecting many Amsterdam homeowners.