The Dutch energy label is a small certificate with a big financial impact. As a landlord you're legally on the hook for it at every new lease, and the label tier directly drives how much rent you may charge under the points system. Here is the practical version.
What is the energy label again?
The energy label shows how energy-efficient a building is, on a scale from A++++ (very efficient) to G (very inefficient). It's issued by a certified EP advisor after an on-site survey.
The label has been compulsory since 2015 at:
- Sale of a property
- Letting of a property (new lease)
- Delivery of new construction
What landlords need to do
At a new letting
Before listing the property:
- Check whether a valid label already exists at ep-online.nl (free public register)
- No label or expired? Order a new label from an EP advisor (more on cost below)
- List the label in the advert (Funda and Pararius require it) and in the rental contract
At sale or new construction handover
The label is required in the notarial deed. No label means a fine plus a delayed sale.
Cost of a new label
| Property type | Indicative cost | Lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment | €190 – €290 | 1–2 weeks |
| Small single-family home | €240 – €340 | 1–2 weeks |
| Large or monumental single-family home | €290 – €450 | 2–3 weeks |
How to improve the label
The big four upgrades with the most impact:
| Measure | Label impact | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cavity-wall insulation | +1 step | €1,500 – €3,500 |
| Floor insulation | +1 step | €1,500 – €4,000 |
| HR++ glazing (vs single/double) | +1 to +2 steps | €5,000 – €15,000 |
| Hybrid heat pump | +1 to +2 steps | €4,000 – €8,000 (after subsidy) |
Energy label and the WWS points system
Under the Dutch points system you earn extra points for a good label:
| Label | Extra WWS points (residential) |
|---|---|
| A+ | +44 points |
| A | +36 points |
| B | +29 points |
| C | +21 points |
| D–G | 0–14 points |
Concretely: an upgrade from label D to A+ can yield 30+ extra points, which translates to roughly €150–€200 of additional allowable rent per month. Over 10 years that's €18,000 – €24,000 of extra income on a single property.
Coming requirements
For homes
There is no binding floor yet, but the cabinet is preparing a minimum of label E for rented homes from 2030. Start upgrades now to comfortably clear that bar.
For office buildings
Since 1 January 2023, label C or better is mandatory. Below C the office is not legally usable. Fines run up to €60,500.
For monuments
Exempt from the label requirement when letting, but required at sale. Sustainability subsidies are available via the Restauratiefonds.
What to do now
- Inventory every property's current energy label via ep-online.nl
- Identify properties without a label or with an expired one
- Schedule a survey for new labels before any letting moment
- Build a business case for label upgrades per property (cost vs. extra rent and energy savings)
- Sequence investments by return
In Propty
Propty stores the energy label per property with its expiry date, flags when a new label is needed before a new letting, and feeds the WWS-point recalculation into the allowable rent.
Schedule a short demo to see this in action, or read how to calculate WWS points after a renovation.