Rotterdam homes worth under €355K can’t be rented out

From January 1, Rotterdam will implement "purchase protection" in sixteen districts for homes with a value of up to 355,000 euros. This means that anyone who buys such a house in the affected neighborhoods has to live in it themselves or is only allowed to rent out the house under strict conditions.

In this way, the municipality wants to tackle slumlords and make it easier for first-time buyers to find a home. According to alderman Bas Kurvers, buyers are now making it difficult for home seekers in the tight housing market, and they also treat tenants poorly and charge high prices. The quality of life in the 16 neighborhoods is at stake.

According to the municipality of Rotterdam, homes in the neighborhoods where the purchase scheme will apply are now often rented out by private individuals. The neighborhoods are Bergpolder, Blijdorp, Bloemhof, Carnisse, Groot IJsselmonde, Het Lage Land, Hillegersberg-Zuid, Hillesluis, Kralingen-Oost, Kralingen-West, Middelland, Nieuwe West, Oud-Mathenesse, Oud-Charlois, Rubroek, and Tarwewijk.

"This arrangement benefits the quality of life in vulnerable neighborhoods where the municipality encounters many abuses in homes such as overcrowding, prostitution, or cannabis cultivation," the municipality said in a statement.

There are a few exceptions to the new rule. For example, rental is allowed when staying abroad for a maximum of 12 months or to immediate family members. A permit is required for that.

In Amsterdam, the city council plans to introduce purchase protection in the entire city as soon as possible, but for houses worth up to 512,000 euros. Utrecht and The Hague have similar plans but haven't set a value yet.