Private landlords who rent out rent-controlled housing offer more expensive properties than housing corporations, tenants’ lobby group Woonbond said on Wednesday.

On average, privately-owned social housing costs €54 a month more than housing corporation properties and the quality is also worse, Woonbond said.

‘The long waiting lists for social housing means low income tenants are more often being forced into this more expensive sector,’ the lobby group said. ‘One in four social housing tenants has no choice than to rent from a private landlord.’

All properties with rents under €710 a month fall into the social housing sector in the Netherlands.

The government wants to allow private landlords to increase rents by 2.5% plus inflation from this year, while housing corporations will be restricted to a 1% plus inflation increase.

The housing group says low income tenants with a private landlord will be unfairly affected by this. ‘They are already paying more money for a property which is worth less,’ the organisation said.