Rising rental prices putting more tenants in a financial bind

An increasing number of Dutch tenants find themselves in long-term financial problems, according to a study by the Netherlands' environmental assessment agency PBL. In 2012 a total of 37 percent of tenants were barely able to pay their bills for four years in a row. In 2015 that increased to almost 55 percent, NU.nl reports.

According to the PBL, the increase in households in financial binds can partly be attributed to rising rental prices and housing costs. An influx of new households with relatively low income in the rental sector also plays a role.

For this study the PBL only looked at tenants who did not have enough money left over for necessary expenses after paying rent. Tenants who had to cut on vacations, outings or social participation, such as sports club membership, were not included.

Housing association Woonbond sees these figures as "confirmation of the need for a rent reduction", a spokesperson said to NU.nl. "Tenants were hit hard by Hague rental policy in recent years. An incoming government should not ignore this." The association calls for a 10 percent rent reduction.