The Spring Memorandum stated that social sector rents would not be increased in 2025 and 2026. However, student housing providers, among others, warned that the compensation the government wanted to give them for this was far too low. As a result, they would not have enough money left for new construction and making their housing more sustainable.

Housing Minister Keijzer acknowledged the criticism of the bill and decided to withdraw it on Tuesday, after the fall of the government. "This means that from July 1 rents in the social rental sector may rise by the legal maximum of 5 percent and in the housing association sector by an average maximum of 4.5 percent," the minister wrote to the House of Representatives.

Students renting from social housing providers such as DUWO, SSH and Idealis fall under the latter category and social tenants renting from private landlords fall under the former.

Extra housing

The National Union of Students (Landelijke Studentenvakbond) reacts indignantly: “It is a political choice we do not support,” says president Abdelkader Karbache. “Minister Keijzer acts as if a choice has to be made between affordable rents or enough housing, while you can perfectly freeze rents as well as adequately compensate the corporations.” He hopes that the next government is willing to invest extra.