Tenants with solar panels worse off after scrapping of netting scheme

Tenants with solar panels are worse off in most cases than tenants without solar panels after the abolishment of the netting scheme, according to research conducted by the Ministry of Housing, the organization of housing associations Aedes, and the Woonbond. There is no money available to compensate these tenants, housing minister Mona Keijzer told parliament.

Anyone owning or possessing solar panels is currently allowed to offset the power they give back to the grid on sunny days against their own usage on other days. This scheme, which costs the government hundreds of millions in missing tax income annually, will be abolished in 2027. This will lead to a significant increase in energy bills for many households.

Research into this issue was conducted after it was requested by the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. The tenants will pay extra service costs to use the solar panels monthly while earning less money from them.

This will lead to them losing more money on energy bills than tenants without solar panels. Homeowners will also see the benefits dissipate, but they do not pay the same costs throughout the entire time that the solar panels are used.

Aedes and the Woonbond, the national association for tenants, have made proposals to help compensate the tenants. A reduction in the extra service costs has been proposed, which would mean that housing associations are given a one-off compensation for the loss in income.

This fee would amount to over half a billion euros. Keijzer said that she is regretful that this change will be such a negative one for tenants but added that “sadly, there is currently no space” for any compensation.