News

The housing market in Eindhoven has been under pressure for years. Due to the strong growth of the Brainport region, the large number of students, and international workers, the demand for affordable housing is high. At the same time, large parts of the city are designated as permit-required or even “locked” areas for room rentals.

From January 1, 2026, an important change will take effect for anyone offering overnight accommodations, including hotel rooms, holiday homes, B&Bs, guesthouses, and short-stay rentals through platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com.

The Dutch government published a letter to Parliament on November 14, 2025, announcing its intention to take measures to more clearly distinguish between regular rental and short-stay rental.

For landlords in the Eindhoven region, this is an important signal: although the rules are not yet in force, the government’s direction is clear.

As a rental agency in Eindhoven, we would like to summarize what this parliamentary letter entails, whether it is already finalized, and what landlords need to know at this stage.

A recent court ruling confirms that the temporary rental of newly built properties, in certain cases, give entitlement to a VAT refund on construction costs. This development offers real estate entrepreneurs new tax opportunities — provided it is applied with due care.

The political situation in the Netherlands is in flux. When PVV leader Geert Wilders pulled the plug on the cabinet, many questions arose about the consequences for the housing market. After 335 days, the Schoof cabinet is coming to an end. There is a strong chance that new elections will be held at the end of November. But what does this mean for the housing market? Below, we outline the main developments.

The Dutch rental market has been under pressure for years. A shortage of affordable housing, increasing financial burdens on landlords, and stricter regulations have made private rentals less attractive. But there is good news: the Dutch government has recently announced relaxations to the Housing Valuation System (WWS). These changes offer new opportunities—especially for small-scale private landlords.

New rental policies benefit small-scale landlords and urban properties

Since the introduction of the ban on temporary rental contracts less than a year ago, growing doubts have emerged regarding the effectiveness of this measure. Both a majority in the House of Representatives and Minister Mona Keijzer (Housing) are considering revisiting the ban. The minister fears that the law may worsen the housing crisis rather than solve it.