2026-04-01
Rotterdam, Venlo or Tilburg: Choosing the Right Dutch Logistics Hub
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Warehouse Relocation in the Netherlands: Notice Periods and a 12-Month Timeline
TL;DR
- Start with your lease: the end date and notice period decide your whole timeline. Miss the date and the lease may renew for years.
- For a warehouse, the contract sets the notice period. Twelve months is common, and notice normally goes by registered letter or bailiff.
- Plan on about 12 months from first search to moving in. Cold stores and high-power users need longer.
- If you give notice yourself, you lose the right to ask the court for more time. Secure new space first where you can.
When should you start planning a warehouse relocation? As a rule of thumb, about 12 months before you need to move, and before your notice date. In the Netherlands your lease often decides the timing: if you miss the notice date, it may renew for another full term. This guide covers the notice rules and gives a timeline for a warehouse of about 500 to 5,000 m².
What is the notice period on a warehouse lease?
Warehouses are usually “230a” space under Dutch law. For this space the lease itself sets the notice period. The ROZ model lets the parties fill it in, and twelve months is common. Check these four points in your contract today:
- End date: when does the current term end?
- Notice period: how many months before the end date must notice arrive?
- Renewal: what happens without notice? Many leases renew automatically, sometimes for several years.
- Form: most leases require a registered letter or a bailiff’s writ. An email is unlikely to be enough.
Does your space have a sales counter open to the public? Then part of the building could count as “290” space, which has different rules, including a statutory notice period of at least one year. Ask a lawyer to check if that may apply.
Can you leave a warehouse lease early?
Only if the lease has a break option or the landlord agrees. In practice, your options are to negotiate an exit, find a replacement tenant, or sublet or assign. Most leases require the landlord’s consent for the last two. If you are negotiating a new lease, ask for a break option now: it is far cheaper to agree one at the start. Read more in the ROZ lease explained.
What if the landlord ends the lease?
A warehouse tenant has no right to renew, but under article 7:230a of the Civil Code you can ask the court to postpone the eviction. You must file within two months of the date by which the landlord told you in writing to leave. Each postponement lasts up to one year, and it can be extended twice. The court agrees only if your interests outweigh the landlord’s.
Watch out: this protection does not apply if you gave notice yourself or expressly agreed to the lease ending. Have a lawyer read anything the landlord asks you to sign.
A 12-month warehouse relocation timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12+ months before | Read your lease and mark the notice date. Set your brief: size, region, height, docks, power. Set a budget for the total cost. |
| 12–9 months | Search the market, including space not yet advertised. View shortlisted buildings and check the grid connection early. |
| 9–6 months | Negotiate heads of terms. Check the zoning and the building, have the lease reviewed, and sign. |
| By your notice date | Give notice in the form the lease requires, and keep proof. Ideally, the new lease is already signed. |
| 6–3 months | Plan fit-out, racking, IT and any permits. Agree the handover of your old building and ask for an inspection. |
| 3–0 months | Schedule the move with some overlap between leases. Update your address with KVK, customers and suppliers. Reinstate and hand over the old building, with a signed inspection report. |
This is a planning rule of thumb, not a fixed schedule. Simple units can move faster. Cold stores, industrial users and companies that need more power should allow more time.
Check the power before anything else
Grid congestion can make a building unusable for your plans. On 31 December 2025, more than 15,000 requests were in the queue for large-consumer connections, according to a letter to the Dutch parliament. So ask early what connection the building has, and never assume a bigger one will come in time. A building that already has enough capacity can be worth a higher rent.
How do you avoid paying twice?
Some overlap is normal, because you need time to fit out and move without stopping operations. Keep it short by asking for rent-free months or an early-access period on the new lease. Those months are often easier for a landlord to give than a lower rent.
What do you owe when you leave?
Most leases require you to hand back the building in the state shown in the inspection report made at the start. If there is no report, the rules in the lease apply, and that often leads to discussion. Racking, mezzanines, offices and floor damage are the usual cost items. Ask for a pre-inspection a few months ahead, so that you can compare doing the work yourself with paying the landlord to do it.
Moving soon?Find your next warehouse before your notice dateSend your current end date, size and region. We tell you what the market offers and how much time you really have.Reviewed on 5 November 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Have a lawyer check your lease before you give notice.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the notice period on a warehouse lease in the Netherlands?
For a warehouse, usually 230a space, the lease sets the notice period. Twelve months is common. Check your own contract, including what happens if you do not give notice in time.
How do I give notice on a Dutch warehouse lease?
Follow the form in your lease. Most leases require a registered letter or a bailiff’s writ. Keep proof of when it was sent and delivered.
How far in advance should I plan a warehouse move?
About 12 months is a sensible rule of thumb for a warehouse of 500 to 5,000 m². Allow longer for cold stores, industrial use or a larger power connection.
Can my landlord end my warehouse lease?
Yes, at the end of the term and with proper notice. You can ask the court to postpone the eviction within two months of the eviction date, by up to a year at a time and extendable twice, but only if your interests outweigh the landlord’s.
