Netherlands housing market faces shrinking rental supply

The availability of rental housing in the Netherlands is declining due to a reduction in private sector offerings and a shrinking social housing stock. In Roermond, private landlords sold 90 more homes than they acquired last year, contributing to a trend where private individuals and companies have offloaded approximately 60,000 rental properties nationwide between early 2024 and early 2025.

Factors such as increased taxation and the 'Wet Betaalbare Huur' (Affordable Rent Act) have made private renting less attractive for owners. Consequently, those unable to qualify for social housing or purchase homes are finding it increasingly difficult to secure accommodation.

In Zuid-Holland, the social housing sector is also under pressure. In the Rotterdam region, the number of available corporate rental homes decreased by 1,862 between 2020 and 2024. Current housing construction plans for 2026–2030 allocate only 27.3 percent of new builds to social housing, which is below the current stock levels. Challenges include limited investment capacity for housing corporations, high renovation and construction costs, and delays caused by legal objection procedures. Waiting times for social housing in the province now range from nearly three to over 8.5 years.