A narrow majority of home owners back reform of the tax breaks on mortgage payments, likely to be one of the main issues in the June election campaign, according to a poll of 15,000 people for tv show EenVandaag.

At the moment, home owners in the Netherlands can deduct the interest paid on their mortgages entirely from tax over a 30-year period. Mortgage tax relief on second homes was scrapped several years ago.
The tv poll showed 71% of Christian Democrat voters and 59% of Liberal party voters say the tax break needs reform. One fifth of those polled thought the tax break should be done away with altogether.
The home owners lobby group VEH, however, is worried that the perk is again in the political spotlight, Trouw reports on Wednesday.
The organisation says the timing is ‘the worst possible’, because the housing market is weak and changes in mortgage law will sow more doubt.
Mortgage holders do have to pay another tax, the huurwaardeforfait, which is based on the value of their homes and is supposed to offset the advantage they have as home owners over tenants.
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