A few months after I had moved out of the 23 m² studio I had been renting in Eindhoven, I learned that the rent I had been paying could be challenged. When I first rented the place, I did find the price very high, but as a foreigner, I wasn’t familiar with Dutch rental law and didn’t have much of a choice at the time. My lease had even been disguised as a “short-stay” agreement, apparently to keep it outside the scope of standard tenant protections.

All I had to do was send some documents, and Jan took care of everything. The Rent Commission agreed that the “short-stay” designation didn’t hold up, but still dismissed my case on a technicality regarding the filing deadline. Jan didn’t accept that and took the case to the subdistrict court, bearing the risk of the legal costs himself. The judge ruled entirely in my favor, confirming both that my case had in fact been filed on time and that it was a standard tenancy, and I received €2,109.40 back in overpaid rent and deposit.

With that money, I plan to treat my friends to a night out at a restaurant and save the rest for whatever the future may bring. I am deeply grateful to and admire Jan for his commitment to righting this injustice—and many others!