Social housing rents are to increase after all, also for students

On the day the government collapsed, minister Keijzer withdrew a controversial bill to freeze social housing rents. The LSVb is disappointed that students will now have to pay a maximum of 5 per cent more in rent starting from 1 July.

In the Spring Memorandum, it was stated that rents in the social sector would not be increased in 2025 and 2026. However, student housing providers warned that the compensation the government wanted to provide was far too low. As a result, they would not have enough funds left for new construction and the sustainability of their properties.

Minister Keijzer of Housing acknowledged the criticism of the bill and decided to withdraw it on Tuesday, following the collapse of the government. “This means that rents in the social rental sector can increase from 1 July by the legal maximum of 5 per cent, and in the corporate sector by an average of 4.5 per cent at most”, the minister wrote to the House of Representatives.

Students renting from social housing providers such as DUWO, SSH, and Idealis fall under the latter category, while social tenants renting from private landlords fall under the first.

Additional housing

The National Student Union reacts with indignation: “This is a political choice that we do not support”, said chair Abdelkader Karbache. “Minister Keijzer acts as if there has to be a choice between affordable rents and sufficient housing, while you can easily freeze rents and adequately compensate the corporations.” He hopes that the next government will be willing to invest more.