A fair rental price, more rental properties and faster sustainability of the entire middle sector: these are the three main points of the new Affordable Rental Housing Act that Minister Hugo de Jonge for Housing and Spatial Planning presented today . “People nowadays pay top price for a house that is clearly not worth it,” De Jonge told BNR political reporter Leendert Beekman.
Over the past five years, new tenants in the four largest cities have always paid €160 more a month than previous tenants. And at the same time they were also more than 75,000 affordable owner-occupied homes that were then rented out at the top price. ‘In short: in the city there is no longer room for teachers, policemen and nurses’, adds De Jonge. And according to the Cabinet, this needs to change as soon as possible.
Mandatory points system
In order for De Jonge’s three main points to come true, the minister wants to introduce a system of mandatory points such as the social rental sector already has. This has to be done in a somewhat more modern way, because in addition to the surface area and the WOZ value, the sustainability of a house is also important nowadays. The starting point of the new points system is therefore: the more sustainable the house is, the more an owner can charge for it. ‘In this way the effect always ends up with the tenant: he will pay a lower rent or receive a better energy label,’ explains De Jonge.
The law must protect the middle segment of private rentals. “These are houses which, according to the new points system, can be rented starting from the social rent up to a maximum price of around 1,030 euros,” says De Jonge. If the owners ask for even more than what is allowed, a fine will follow under the new law.
There’s no need for developers to panic
According to the housing minister, there is absolutely no reason to fear as a landlord if the law comes into force. “Then it’s still possible to be a good landlord, it’s just the end of those overpricing.” However, the minister also understands the fears of investors and project developers. To ensure new construction projects are not delayed, rental homes completed in 2024 will receive a five percent surcharge of the maximum rent for ten years after completion.
The law is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives this fall. There’s a good chance the law will pass, because it’s a coalition proposal.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
