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Rental housing news: everything you need to know (Week 11)

1 year ago
4 minutes reading time
Colorful buildings line the waterfront. A boat is parked up directly outside a door.

Welcome back to the Rentbird blog, where we’ll be breaking down the biggest rental news from the start of March! We're going to be posting the biggest stories you need to know bi-weekly from now on, so keep an eye out!

This month, cities across the Netherlands are fighting against proposed rent increases, a Dutch housing minister is seeking to slow the sell-off of rental properties, and tenant concerns are growing over lack of protections and rent control. Here's everything you need to know.

Cities push back against sharp rent hikes

Several Dutch municipalities are pushing back against the government’s planned rent increases set to take effect on July 1, according to NL times. Amsterdam’s city council has voted to block the hikes, while Eindhoven, Apeldoorn, Oss, Hilversum, Lingewaard, and Hoorn have also voiced opposition.

The planned increases allow mid-range rental prices to rise by up to 7.7%, social housing by 5%, and free-market rentals by 4.1%. Critics argue this will make housing unaffordable for many tenants.

“These are major societal challenges, yet the costs are being entirely passed on to renters,” said Woonbond director Zeno Winkels.

Despite opposition, some cities like Maastricht support the rent hikes, arguing that housing corporations cannot afford to keep rates lower. Aedes, the association representing housing corporations, says the increases are necessary to fund maintenance and sustainability projects, and most renters will be able to absorb the impact. 

Housing minister seeks to slow landlord sell-off

The Dutch rental market is shrinking as private landlords continue selling off properties at an increasing rate. More than 50,000 rental homes were sold in 2024, up from 30,000 the previous year.

Housing Minister Mona Keijzer has called the trend “worrying” and is exploring ways to keep more properties in the rental market. “In times of a housing shortage, the supply of affordable rental properties must grow,” she said.

Landlords blame tighter regulations and higher taxes, particularly the Affordable Rent Act, for making renting less profitable. Meanwhile, some politicians argue that tenants buying homes is a positive development. However, tenant groups warn that if the sell-off continues, rental prices will rise further due to lower supply. 

Debate over rent control continues

 As landlords push for fewer restrictions and tenant groups fight for stronger protections, the future of Dutch rent control remains uncertain. The Socialist Party (SP) is calling for a rent freeze, while GroenLinks-PvdA has proposed an emergency bill to stop the upcoming rent hikes. A decision is still pending.

Meanwhile, private landlord associations want tax breaks and reduced transfer taxes to make renting more attractive again. Investors argue that without changes, Dutch rental properties will become less competitive compared to other European markets.

With housing affordability at the center of national debate, the coming months will be critical for both renters and landlords. 

The Takeaway

  • Several Dutch cities are pushing back against planned rent hikes, but without direct authority over housing corporations, they face challenges in blocking them. 
  • The Dutch housing minister is considering measures to slow the sell-off of rental properties, as landlords offload homes due to rising taxes and regulations. 
  • Political debates over rent control continue, with proposals for a rent freeze and landlord tax breaks still under discussion. 
  • Most tenants will receive formal rent increase notices by May 1, with a deadline of June 30 to challenge unfair hikes. 

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Anyone who’s ever rented (or tried to rent) in the Netherlands knows one thing: the competition can be extreme.

It can be tough to even find listings for properties you like that you can actually afford. And when (or if) you do? You could easily be competing with as many as 200 people to even get a viewing. 

Often, this means that you spend far too much time glued to Funda and obsessively checking for messages from prospective landlords. And when that doesn’t work, you might well end up settling for a place that you know you don’t really want, in an area you don’t like or that you know you’ll struggle to afford. 

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Here’s the thing: renting is hard, and extremely competitive, but it is possible to find a place you love, without your property search becoming a full-time job.

In this blog, we’ll look at:

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