Costs
The Rent Tribunal costs 25 euros. You get it back if you win.
The biggest hesitation for tenants is not whether they are right, it is the imagined cost. The honest answer: a tenant pays a 25 euro fee to start a case, and gets exactly that amount back after winning. There are no other charges, and you do not need a lawyer.
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Your costs as a tenant
| Fee to start the case | € 25 |
| Refund if you win | € 25 |
| Net cost if you win | € 0 |
If you lose the case, the 25 euro fee is gone. On a low income you can request an exemption.
How the fee works
You pay the fee when you file your request. If the Rent Tribunal rules in your favour, the landlord has to reimburse it and pays a fee of his own. Landlords who repeatedly lose cases pay a higher fee each time, which is a real incentive for them to settle before it gets that far. If you lose, the 25 euros is your only cost. Tenants on a low income can request an exemption.
What a case can be worth
Compare that 25 euros with what is at stake: a rent reduction works every month for years, an initial rent review works retroactively to your contract start, and unjustified service charges come back as a lump sum. Even a modest reduction of 50 euros per month is 600 euros per year.
Honest about the risk. If you lose, you are out 25 euros and the rent stays as it is. Losing a case has no other consequences: your tenancy protection remains fully intact and your landlord cannot evict you for exercising your rights.