{"id":172491,"date":"2024-10-17T12:06:05","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T10:06:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=172491"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:31","slug":"renting-a-room-in-a-private-home-is-a-good-alternative-but-make-sure-you-have-a-tenancy-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/10\/17\/renting-a-room-in-a-private-home-is-a-good-alternative-but-make-sure-you-have-a-tenancy-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"Renting a room in a private home is a good alternative, but \u2018make sure you have a tenancy agreement\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Private room rentals have been around since the 1960s, but have recently been re-emerging as an alternative to student housing. The university, the municipality and the platform Hospi Housing are working together to promote this alternative among students. But what issues do students encounter when living in someone else\u2019s home?<\/p>\n

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PhD student Nuria is full of praise for her landlady, a fifty-year-old woman who lives alone. Before moving to Rotterdam, she told an acquaintance in Cuba that she was looking for a room. \u201cThat acquaintance said: \u2018You need to get to know this woman. I think you guys would get along great\u2019\u201d, she says. This turned out to be true. She moved in with the woman two years ago and she finds it regrettable that she will move house soon. \u201cShe\u2019s so sweet. She takes me on fun outings, cooks for me and gives me advice on my life problems. She has really become like family to me\u201d, says Nuria.<\/p>\n

Alternative to combat room shortage<\/h2>

The government wants to change<\/a> the law on private room rentals to make it more attractive to take someone in. Especially for students, renting a room in a private home could be a godsend, as according to the creators of the National Student Housing Monitor there will still be a shortage in student accommodation of between 26 and 42 thousand places in eight years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n

Erasmus University Rotterdam is also committed to working on this. In July, the International Office called on employees to take in an international student<\/a>\u00a0via Hospi Housing. Every little helps to combat the student housing shortage, says Karen de Man of the International Office. \u201cIt\u2019s not for nothing that we advise international students not to come if they don\u2019t have a room. Unfortunately, we can\u2019t solve the nationwide problem, but private room rentals offer a good alternative for students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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