u/Bishop_23 — reddlx

Hi all, expat here (non-Dutch speaker) dealing with a landlord who wants me out. I think my position is strong but there's quite a bit of history; would love input from people who know Dutch tenant law.

Here is my situation:

Renting a self-contained (zelfstandige) apartment in Delft since September 2020, almost 6 years.
Started as a 2-year fixed-term contract ending August 2022. Landlord never formally notified me of the end date, so it converted to indefinite. I've had full huurbescherming since then.
My ex-girlfriend was also on the original contract. She left in early 2022 when we broke up. Landlord agreed by text there was no need to change the contract; nothing formal was done.
Rent started at €1,500/month. No increases for several years, now ~€1,800 after recent raises.

Rent increase history (this feels relevant):

Landlord skipped increases for several years, then at end of 2024 tried to "catch up" with a 20% increase. He then though himself that that would have been too much, he settled at the legal cap of 5.5%. Saying that the other chunk of the increase would happen in the following year.
End of 2025 he tried 10% (the second chunk from the previous year plus the increase for the current), I pushed back and he settled at ~4.5%.
My understanding is the catch-up attempt was illegal (missed years are gone), and he backed down both times.
My rent is likely well below current market rate for Delft, which I suspect is also motivating the eviction push.

The eviction push:

~1.5 years ago, landlord texted saying he might need the apartment in the future, no rush, would keep me posted.
Then complete silence for 1.5 years.
Last Saturday: new text saying it's now "getting urgent" and I should start looking for alternatives.
Everything has been informal, texts only, no registered letters, nothing legally valid.

My questions:

How strong is my position overall: indefinite contract, 6 years, weak urgency claim, informal communications only?
Does the 1.5-year gap between "no rush" and "it's urgent" significantly undermine a dringend eigen gebruik claim in court?
Is the rent increase history (illegal catch-up attempt, repeated backing down) useful context or irrelevant to the eviction question?
Given my rent is likely well below market, is that factored into vertrekvergoeding (cash for keys) negotiations? What's a realistic range?
Can a departure agreement be structured so it only triggers when I actually find alternative housing?
Any English-speaking huurrecht lawyers in Rotterdam or Delft you'd recommend?

I'm not in a rush to leave and have a lot going on personally. Planning to consult a lawyer but would love the community's perspective first. Happy to answer questions. Thanks.