Almost one in five households in the Netherlands is living in a property which is too expensive for it, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.

In total, 500,000 households are paying more than a reasonable rent for their home, more than double the 2009 figure, the CBS said. In particular in Amsterdam there is a shortage of affordable property for people on average incomes.

Housing corporations have been raising the rent on vacant rent-controlled properties and the shortage of social housing is also pushing up prices, the CBS said.

On average, households spend around one-third of their disposable income on housing. Tenants spend 39% of their income on housing but tens of thousands are paying over 50% of their earnings on rent, broadcaster Nos said.

Threshold

The number of people living in social housing who technically earn too much to do so has fallen from 28% in 2009 to 18% now, the CBS said.

This is largely the result of government policy, which has allowed landlords to increase the rent of high earners by more than inflation.

Housing with a rent of over €710 per month is not rent-controlled and tenants cannot claim housing benefit. Tenants must have an income of below €34,678 a year to qualify for social housing.