Rental Charges In The Netherlands Becoming Unaffordable For Most Expats

Expats attempting to move from the Netherlands’ major cities to less expensive smaller towns are being stymied by rental price rises.

Average rental charges during the frst quarter of 2018 have risen by 5.9 per cent over last year’s figures, and the increases aren’t confined to major Dutch cites such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague. In fact, the rise in rents for reasonable accommodation is more evident outside the major conurbations as prices in smaller cities have risen to an all-time high.

Worst affected are smaller Dutch cities and large towns such as Enschede with 10.5 per cent increases, Tilburg with 13.6 per cent, Roosendaal with 14.1 percent, Apeldoom at 20.2 per cent and Almere at 18.8 per cent. Zoetermeer topped the list with an increase of 20.8 per cent and the smallest increase was in Nijmegen at 8.9 per cent. As a result, expats and locals looking for rental accommodation have no option but to cut back on their day-to-day expenses simply to be able to afford a roof over their heads.

The main reason for the massive increases is a huge imbalance between supply and demand, with just eight per cent of the Netherlands’ entire housing stock available for renting. Social housing takes care of 34 per cent of the total, with privately owned and occupied properties making 58 per cent. Another reason is an influx of expats looking for work or planning business start-ups in the Netherlands ever since the country began using tax breaks to attract SMEs several years ago. For the majority of new arrivals, rental prices in the four major Dutch cities are now unaffordable, with charges in secondary destinations looking to follow suit in the very near future, thus leaving expats with nowhere to go.