Couch surfing can alleviate Dutch student housing shortage, Cabinet says

With an estimated student room shortage of 60,000, many thousands of students in the Netherlands are starting the academic year without a place to stay. Housing Minister Mona Keijzer thinks residents need to be encouraged to rent out spare rooms to lodgers, arguing that couch surfing and extra bedrooms can be a solution. The government launched a new campaign to convince those in the Netherlands to take in a student. Last year, student cities made similar appeals.

According to the Ministry, research shows that approximately one-third of Dutch people have a “suitable room” and that around 8 percent would consider hosting a student. “This means that there are potentially 100,000 rooms available. This could solve the student room shortage in one fell swoop,” the Ministry said.

The campaign is intended to inform Netherlands residents about the benefits of this type of boarding and how to achieve it. For example, many people don’t know that this type of letting almost never affects allowances and benefits, and most landladies don’t have to file a tax return on the rental income, the Ministry said. Homeowners only have to file a tax return if they receive more than 5,998 euros in rental income per year in 2024.

The campaign includes a toolkit for housing corporations and other landlords, where they can learn more about boarding. The Ministry will also soon publish a guideline for municipal officials, employees of housing corporations, and private landlords.

Keijzer said, “in recent years,” people have stopped renting out spare bedrooms to boarders. “That’s a missed opportunity. Especially because more and more people have extra space in their home,” she said. Those who choose to do so “receive additional rental income and, at the same time, a housemate provides a pleasant atmosphere and safety. It is nice for students to start their student days with someone who knows their way around the city well. And renting a room from a landlady is also a good alternative for other groups.”