Tenants Stop Paying Rent, Demand $20,000 to Leave the Property

A landlord in Lelystad is at her wit's end. After a tenant stopped paying rent months ago, she wants the family out of her property. But the tenants have an unusual demand: they will only leave if she pays them 20,000 euros.

The couple and their minor child rented the house through an agent in mid-2024. Everything went smoothly at first, with rent paid on time every month until November. "We have the impression they had a decent job until then," the landlord's lawyer explained in court.

By December they defaulted. The landlord granted a month of grace, partly because of the child, but the tenants took advantage. "They exploited the situation," she said.

Now she wants them gone. Her lawyer suspects they already have alternative housing lined up, noting they spend weekends driving an expensive car to Romania. An attempt to seize that car failed when it turned out to be leased.

When the landlord tried to negotiate, she received threats. "I was told I would have a problem if I came near," she told the judge. The tenants offered to leave immediately if paid 20,000 euros, but she refuses to reward their behavior.

The court will now decide the fate of the property.