All estate agents registered with trade associations must comply with this standard (NEN 2580).

Upon introduction of these measuring standards, it was unclear to many parties how the measurements must be carried out – submitted area calculations for seemingly equal-sized objects often differed greatly. This was caused by factors such as the storage area in the loft/the balcony etc. being included for one property but not for others.

There are now seven measuring standards that must be applied. The general standard states that all floor area within the dividing walls is counted, provided that the ceiling height is at least 1.5m. The standards also give specific guidelines for measuring internal walls, stairwells, storage areas and such like.

The measuring standards are grossly overdue; differing measuring methods have caused a huge amount of discussion in the past. If in doubt, ask the estate agent about the method of measurement.