Elections 2025: these are (so far) the plans for the rental market

As the Dutch parliamentary elections of 29 October 2025 are approaching rapidly, the draft election manifestos are being published one by one. For this I have analysed the positions of the various parties on the rental housing market. The final programs have yet to be formally adopted, but the draft versions already provide a clear picture. Once the final manifestos are released, I will publish an update with any adjustments or refinements in their positions.

VVD

VVD’s final manifesto will be adopted on 6 September during the election congress. However, VVD has already published a draft manifesto.
VVD sees the housing crisis as the result of too many regulations, too little construction, and a government that obstructs the market. The party wants to free the rental market from overregulation and give room to private investors to increase supply and lower prices. According to VVD, the accumulation of rental laws has led to a decrease in the number of rental properties, particularly in the private sector.

• VVD wants to build many more private rental homes so that supply increases and rental prices fall.
• The Affordable Rent Act will be scrapped, as the VVD argues it discourages investment in rental properties and reduces supply.
• The local owner-occupation requirement and the ban on temporary rental contracts will be abolished, giving landlords more flexibility and making housing available more quickly.
• The rules for room rentals will be nationalised and relaxed, making it easier to share housing or live together.
• Municipalities must be able to evict nuisance tenants more quickly and tackle illegal subletting more effectively.
• Housing corporations must build more, and the sale of rental properties to private individuals must not be hindered.
• The party advocates a level playing field between renting and buying, including by phasing out tax benefits for home ownership and stimulating mid-market rentals.

Groenlinks-PvdA

GroenLinks-PvdA has also published a draft manifesto, which will be finalised on 27 September. The party regards housing as a fundamental right and aims to return control of the housing market to the government. Its focus lies on affordability, sustainability, tenant protection and social justice.

• Permanent rental contracts remain the standard; temporary contracts are discouraged due to their negative effects on rental prices and security of tenure.
• A nationwide rental permit will be introduced, enabling municipalities to better protect tenants against unscrupulous landlords.
• A statutory cap on rent increases will be established, and the impact of the property value (WOZ) on rent levels will be restricted.
• Landlords will be required to improve the sustainability of their properties; poor energy labels will be phased out and single glazing will be recognised as a deficiency.
• Cohabitation and room rentals will be encouraged, including through the abolition of the cost-sharing norm in social assistance.
• The sale of affordable rental housing to commercial parties will be regulated, ensuring that such housing remains available to the intended target groups.

D66

The D66 manifesto has not yet been published and will follow after the party congress. However, D66 has released a Housing Plan 2025 on its website entitled “Housing for people – Breakthroughs to make the housing market work for people again”. D66 views the housing crisis as an urgent social issue requiring pragmatic solutions. The party seeks to build housing for all income groups, with a focus on affordability, flexibility and sustainability. The government should take the lead, without entirely excluding the market.

• D66 aims to substantially increase the number of rental homes, both in the social and private sectors. Municipalities will be required to set concrete targets for the number of private sector rental properties. In addition, 100,000 new social housing units will be built to reduce waiting lists.
• Vacant office and retail properties will be converted into housing for students and single-person households, while temporary housing will be used for urgent housing needs.
• To keep rents affordable, D66 proposes a maximum rent increase of 1% above inflation. Landlords may also not apply an income requirement higher than three times the monthly rent.
• The existing ban on buy-to-let in certain areas (opkoopbescherming) will remain in place, preventing investors from withdrawing homes from the regular rental market in popular locations.
• Municipalities already have the authority to revoke rental permits in cases of malpractice. D66 wants these powers to be applied more actively and consistently, for example in cases of poor maintenance or landlord intimidation.
• D66 intends to simplify room rentals, through a crisis clause that prevents negative consequences for social benefits, taxation or mortgages.

CDA

The CDA’s final manifesto will be adopted on 6 September, but the draft version is already available online. The CDA regards affordable housing as a fundamental component of social security. The party seeks to firmly re-establish housing policy under public control, with attention to rent regulation, mobility within the housing market and tenant protection. Housing is once again positioned as a social responsibility of the government.

• The CDA wants to restore housing as a public task, with stronger national oversight and an active role for municipalities and housing associations.
• Rent regulation will remain in force to keep housing affordable for starters, families and middle-income households.
• Housing associations will be given more scope to build affordable rental homes, including for the middle class. The abolition of the landlord levy and the removal of the market test are intended to facilitate this.
• Municipalities may allocate new housing to local residents and people in essential professions, such as teachers and healthcare workers, in order to strengthen community ties and promote mobility.
• The sale of social housing will be regulated, including by granting sitting tenants a right of first refusal. Proceeds will be reinvested in new construction and sustainability measures.
• The sustainability of rental housing will be accelerated, with particular attention to energy poverty. Low- and middle-income households will be granted access to energy-saving loans at 0% interest.

ChristenUnie

According to its draft manifesto, the ChristenUnie seeks a fair housing market in which tenants are protected, housing remains affordable and homelessness is eradicated.

• The ChristenUnie aims to build 100,000 homes annually, at least two-thirds of which must be affordable, including 30% social housing. An additional €20 billion will be allocated to achieve this.
• Room rental (hospitaverhuur) and cohabitation will be encouraged, including through the relaxation of rules and the abolition of the cost-sharing norm in the Social Assistance Act (Participatiewet).
• Permanent rental contracts will remain the standard.
• Rent increases will be moderated: rents will no longer be linked to wage growth but to average price developments over multiple years.
• Municipalities will be encouraged to establish rent teams where tenants can seek assistance in cases of suspected excessive rents.
• Private landlords will be supported through a reduction in the tax burden on leased property under Box 3 of the income tax system.
• The party will implement the National Action Plan on Homelessness, with the objective that by 2030 no one will be forced to sleep on the streets. Evictions due to rent arrears will be prevented as much as possible.

PVV

In its election manifesto, the PVV presents a series of measures aimed at improving the affordability and accessibility of rental housing for Dutch citizens. The party links its housing policy closely to restrictions on immigration and the prioritisation of nationals, with a strong emphasis on immediate financial relief and expanding housing supply.

Key proposals from the PVV include:

• Reducing rents in the social housing sector by 10%.
• Raising the income thresholds for access to affordable rental homes, allowing more applicants to qualify.
• Requiring status holders who fraudulently sublet a social rental property to repay all illicit gains and lose their residence permit.
• Ensuring that status holders can never again be granted priority access to a rental property, even in urgent cases.

SP

The SP presents its programme under the slogan “Supersocial!”, with a strong focus on the right to affordable housing and addressing the housing crisis.

• The SP seeks to lower rents, including in the private sector, to make housing affordable again for all.
• A statutory maximum rent will be introduced for all housing, so that tenants are no longer dependent on market fluctuations.
• Housing associations will no longer be permitted to sell social housing, and new construction projects will be subject to requirements for affordable rental housing.
• Transfer tax will be increased from the purchase of a second home onwards, to discourage investment in housing and curb speculation.
• The SP aims to realise one million affordable rental homes through new construction, renovation and the use of vacant properties, as part of the housing plan “Housing without Profit”.
• The ban on squatting will be lifted, enabling the use of vacant buildings in times of housing shortages.
• An insulation programme and collective installation of solar panels on rental housing will be introduced to reduce housing costs and improve sustainability.

JA21

According to its draft manifesto, JA21 views the housing crisis as the result of overregulation, migration pressure and failing spatial planning policies. The party calls for a fundamental revision of housing policy, centred on construction and the proper functioning of the private rental sector.

• JA21 seeks to significantly increase housing construction, with an emphasis on affordable rental and owner-occupied housing for middle-income households. The party advocates a construction pace of 100,000 homes per year.
• The private rental sector must be strengthened. JA21 is critical of rent regulation and wants market forces to play a larger role in increasing supply.
• The landlord levy will remain abolished, and housing associations will be given scope to invest in new construction, including for middle-income households.
• Municipalities will have greater discretion in housing allocation, allowing priority for local residents and essential professions.
• Vacancy will be addressed, among other things by converting office buildings and subdividing large homes.
• The party advocates a stricter migration policy, as JA21 argues that housing shortages are partly caused by excessive migration inflows.

SGP

The draft election manifesto of the SGP for the 2025 parliamentary elections has not yet been made publicly available. According to the official SGP website, the manifesto will be adopted during the party congress on Saturday, 20 September 2025.

55PLUS

For 55PLUS, the rental housing market does not feature prominently on the political agenda. In the draft election manifesto, the terms “rent”, “renting” or “rental market” do not appear. It still remains possible that the topic will be included in the final manifesto.

Volt

Volt published its draft election manifesto on 25 August 2025. Volt Netherlands considers housing to be a fundamental right.

Key proposals from Volt include:

• Extending the existing energy-saving obligation, currently applicable to businesses, to landlords of residential properties. Large-scale landlords and housing associations are already subject to this obligation, and smaller landlords will be included over time.
• Making house sharing easier for everyone, for example by supporting municipalities in promoting lodger arrangements.
• Granting healthcare workers priority access to social rental housing and affordable owner-occupied homes, with municipalities allowed to establish special rules to facilitate this.

Conclusion

The differences between the parties are significant: while some focus on market forces and deregulation, others emphasise public control and tenant protection. What stands out is that nearly all parties acknowledge the housing shortage and consider new construction a priority. On 29 October, voters will have their say.

Once the final election manifestos have been published, an update will follow with any changes or further refinements to the parties’ positions.