Socialist party calls for 400 euro reduction in social housing rent

The SP wants a structural rent reduction of 400 euros per year for residents of social housing. The party also wants more inexpensive rental housing built and more houses to be insulated, RTL reports. This is part of the SP's campaign for the elections in March next year. The full election campaign will be released on Thursday. The socialist party also wants to scrap the landlord tax. Housing corporations currently pay about 2 billion euros on this tax. SP blames the landlord tax for the shortage in social housing. "The waiting list for a house increased to more than 10 years in the big cities because of it." party leader Emile Roemer said. By scrapping this tax, social housing landlords will have more room to reduce rents and build more social housing. The 2 billion euro hole in the budget created by scrapping landlord ta can be filled by big companies, banks and wealthy Dutch, according to the party. This can be done by increasing income tax and bank tax. The party also wants to "abolish the villa subsidy" - rent on mortgages over 350 thousand euros should no longer be deductible.