Student rooms getting even pricier, especially outside the Randstad

With the start of the new academic year fast approaching, students looking for a room to stay in will have an even harder time than last year. Room rents have increased even further while supply continues to fall. In Breda and Zwolle, rents for student rooms increased by almost 30 percent in the second quarter, NU.nl reports based on figures from Kamernet.

On average, the rent for a room increased by 5.4 percent in the second quarter compared to a year earlier. In Breda, rents rose by 29.8 percent to an average of 670 euros. Zwolle saw room rents increase by 29.2 percent and Utrecht by over 20 percent. Nijmegen, Haarlem, and Alkmaar also had significant increases.

Amsterdam saw an increase of only 1.7 percent last quarter, but the capital is still the most expensive city to rent in, at an average of 961 euros for a room. Utrecht is in second place at 837 euros, followed by Haarlem at 754 euros. When looking at price per square meter, Haarlem is the priciest, at an average of 56 euros. That is 1 euro more than in Amsterdam. In Rotterdam and Utrecht, you pay 42 euros per square meter.

The second-quarter increases follow significant rent hikes in the first months of the year. Of the 20 studied municipalities, room prices only decreased slightly in The Hague, Leeuwarden, and Amersfoort.

Kamernet attributes the price increases to the limited supply. Over 7 percent fewer rooms were available in the second quarter than a year earlier. “As a result, young people are often forced to choose more expensive options,” director Djordy Seelman told the newspaper.

The Affordable Rent Act took effect on July 1st, with the aim of limiting the prices of rental homes in the mid-segment. However, according to Seelman, the law does not increase the supply of rentals, which is the biggest problem.