House of Representatives Adjusts Rental Policy; September Will Be the Next Benchmark

The wave of divestments has not failed to have a political impact. In 2025, investors sold more than 65,000 rental homes. By early 2026, the share of homes owned by investors already amounted to approximately 9 percent of the total housing stock, compared to 9.4 percent two years earlier. The House of Representatives now supports, by a large majority, the relaxation of rental regulations. Not because tenant protection is in question, but because the return on mid-range rental homes has fallen so far that subletting is simply no longer attractive for an increasing number of owners.

What's on the Table

The cabinet is moving forward with a package of measures previously announced by Minister Keijzer and subsequently blocked by a parliamentary motion. Key points: the WOZ value will carry more weight in the WWS point system; the lack of outdoor space will no longer automatically result in penalty points; and temporary lease agreements will be permitted in more situations, including for student housing outside the designated municipality.

The New Construction Premium

Housing Minister Boekholt-O’Sullivan is taking it a step further. She wants landlords of new-construction housing to be allowed to charge rent higher than the WWS ceiling permits under normal circumstances for a longer period. This is intended to improve the business case for mid-range new construction amid rising construction costs and financing expenses. The exact details regarding the size or duration of the surcharge will follow later.

September as a Target Date

On June 16, 2026, the House of Representatives approved three WWS amendments through the preliminary consultation procedure: the WOZ price surcharge, the elimination of penalty points for lacking outdoor space, and the higher valuation of small national monuments. The minister is now submitting the draft decision to the Council of State for advice. Only after that advice is received can the decision be finalized and published. The goal is for the measures to take effect on January 1, 2027. The higher maximum rent amounts will then apply exclusively to new lease agreements. For existing leases, the annual rent increase limit will remain in effect.

An online consultation on the other two measures will follow later this year: the extension of the new-construction surcharge from 2028 to 2032 (so that landlords of new-construction projects with a construction start date before 2032 may apply a 10% surcharge for 20 years) and the expansion of temporary student leases to all students, regardless of their place of residence prior to the start of their studies. The latter measure will be regulated by law.

In September, Minister Boekholt-O’Sullivan plans to present additional measures aimed at improving the broader investment climate in the rental sector, separate from the five WWS measures. The specific details of these measures have not yet been announced. The evaluation of the Affordable Rent Act will take place no later than July 1, 2027, after which the minister will determine whether further adjustments are necessary.