Sell off of private rental properties has driven up prices

The sale of rental properties by private landlords is a key factor in the increase in rental prices in the Netherlands, according to new research by rental platforms Pararius and Huurwoningen.nl released on Friday.

The average rent per square metre has risen by 4.7% over the last year, the report finds.

Since new legislation regulating rental properties, the Affordable Rent Act, came into force in 2024, private landlords have sold off more and more properties.

In the second quarter of 2026, 5.6% of all home sales in the country were of properties that used to be for rent, according to data from the Dutch Land Registry, Kadaster.

The report finds that 761 more rental homes left the market than entered.

The report also points to changes in the Box 3 wealth tax which have upped the tax on rental properties as another factor.

Worsening the problem for lower-income renters, properties still in the market have shifted towards the higher end. Houses with a rental price of over €2,000 per month now account for 41% of the market, up from 38.8% last year.