New rental market regulations per Jan 2027
Based on the parliamentary letter from MinisterBoekholt-O’Sullivan · 20 April 2026
The Minister of Housing has announced five concrete measures to breathe new life into the mid-market rentalsector. But there are also hurdles along the way. What is changing, when, andwhat does it mean for you as a homeowner?
The Dutch rental market isunder considerable pressure. Private investors are selling rental properties ata rapid pace, in the second half of 2025 alone, approximately 36,000 propertieswere sold. That is 18% more than the same period a year earlier. At the sametime, far too few new mid-market rental homes are being built. The Ministeraims to reverse this trend with a package of measures, building on theAffordable Housing Act (Wet betaalbare huur) that has been in force since 1July 2024.
The Five Measures at a Glance
1. WOZ price surcharge
Rental properties in expensivecities such as Amsterdam and Utrecht will be allowed to charge a rent pricesurcharge that reflects the high location value. A property with 200 WWS pointsthat falls back to 186 under the current cap may charge approximately €96 permonth extra. The property remains regulated, but the surcharge closes the gapbetween capped and uncapped valuation.
2. No penalty points formissing outdoor space
Currently, a rental propertyloses five points if it has no outdoor space (private or shared). These penaltypoints will be scrapped. Creating outdoor space is not always possible in largecities, and the change also makes it easier to convert existing buildings intonew rental units.
3. Better valuation for smalllisted buildings
Small national monuments under40m² currently receive limited points due to their size, despite often beingsituated in highly desirable locations. Under the new rules, these propertieswill receive more points based on their WOZ value, better reflecting theiractual market position.
4. Temporary rental contractsfor all students
Under current legislation,temporary rental contracts for students are only permitted for students fromoutside the municipality. This creates an uneven playing field. The new measureextends the right to a temporary contract to all students, regardless of wherethey are registered.
5. New-build surchargeextended by four years
The temporary 10% pricesurcharge for newly built mid-market rental homes will be extended.Construction previously had to start before 1 January 2028; that deadline willshift by four years. This gives investors the longer-term certainty needed toget new projects off the ground.
When Will This Take Effect?
Now, Spring 2026: Thedraft order (ontwerpbesluit) will be submitted to the Council of State foradvice as soon as possible. The Minister intends to discuss this with the Houseof Representatives in the near term.
As early as possible, nolater than 1 January 2027: Measures 1 through 4 enter into force. Given theurgency for housing seekers, the Minister is pushing for an earlier date iffeasible.
Before 1 January 2028:Measure 5 (extension of the new-build surcharge) goes through a separateinternet consultation and parliamentary scrutiny procedure and must befinalised before the 2028 deadline.
2027: Official evaluationof the Affordable Housing Act. The cabinet will act on the findings, furtheradjustments are possible.
2028: Box 3 taxationshifts to actual returns, which is expected to make private rental investmentmore attractive.
What Obstacles Still Need to Be Overcome?
Political resistance. On3 October 2025, the House of Representatives passed the Klaver/Kouwenhovenmotion calling for the earlier draft order to be withdrawn. The Minister isproceeding anyway on the basis of the coalition agreement, but a parliamentarydebate is required before the Council of State can advise.
Student contracts: law orgeneral order? More than 30 MPs have requested that measure 4 be enactedvia formal legislation rather than a general administrative order (AMvB). Ifparliament holds that position, it could cause delays or require a separatelegislative process.
Affordability versusavailability. SEO Economic Research explicitly warns: measures that improvethe investment climate simultaneously worsen affordability for tenants inregulated housing. This trade-off has not yet been fully resolved politically.
Guarantee instruments remainuncertain. SEO recommended exploring a government-backed guarantee for realestate investors. The cabinet is sceptical and does not currently expect suchan instrument to be suitable.
What Does This Mean for You as a Homeowner?
As an owner-occupier, you areaffected by this policy mainly indirectly. The ‘uitponden’ movement, wherebyrental properties are sold to individual buyers, is creating more opportunitiesfor first-time buyers. In the second half of 2025, 61% of properties sold byinvestors to owner-occupiers went to first-time buyers, at an average price of€350,000.
If you also rent out one or moreproperties, the WOZ surcharge and the removal of the outdoor space penalty aredirectly relevant to you. They can increase your permitted maximum rent andimprove the business case for continuing to let rather than sell.
If you rent to students,measure 4 gives you more flexibility: you will soon be able to offer allstudents, including those already registered locally, a temporary rentalcontract.
The bottom line: Thispolicy is a search for balance, keeping enough rental homes available formiddle-income households, while not driving investors away so completely thatnothing gets built. Whether that balance is achieved will be for the 2027evaluation to determine.
