People moving to mid-range rental homes in Amsterdam will require a permit from July 1

People who wish to move to mid-range rental homes in Amsterdam will have to apply for a permit to do so from July 1. The municipality will use these permits to check whether the tenant is earning too much money for the home.

It is currently the case that people with a higher income can also live in mid-range rental homes, the municipality of Amsterdam explained. The municipality wants to make these homes available again for people with a mid-range income so that they can rent something that suits their financial situation.

This rule change concerns rental properties with 144 to 186 housing valuation points or a basic rent of up to 1,184.82 euros per month. Housing valuation points are used to determine the value of a rental property and its corresponding maximum rent.

People who want to live alone in a mid-segment home are not allowed to earn more than 81,633 euros gross per year, and a joint income limit of 89,821 euros gross per year applies for multi-person homes. Anyone living in a social rental home owned by a housing association that is planning on moving to a mid-segment is exempt from the income rules. The permit already applies to social housing.

Tenants must apply for the permit themselves. New tenants must include their income information, a declaration of consent from the landlord, and a copy of their ID.

The municipality of Amsterdam has stated that they will usually receive the permit within two weeks, but it could take up to eight weeks in drastic cases. They are only allowed to move into a home after it has been issued.

Anyone renting a home from a housing association does not have to arrange the permit themselves, as the housing association will do so on their behalf.

Fines may be issued by the city to anyone breaking the rules. “We understand that this is new for tenants and landlords. That is why we will be flexible with checks and fines in the first months after July 1, 2025,” the city said.

The new rental housing permit rules will also apply to some newly built homes in which the municipality made private agreements with the owner regarding the maximum rental price. Tenants can request the maximum renting price from the owner of the building.