New policy effective: Amsterdam homes vacant for less time

Vacant homes in Amsterdam are occupied more quickly since the city tightened the policy on this front, the municipality reported after an analysis of the vacancy ordinance it introduced 18 months ago. The time that the average Amsterdam home spends vacant is now three times shorter.

In 2016, a home was vacant for an average of 460 days. That dropped to 157 days after the new regulation took effect.

Alderman Dirk de Jager (Public Housing) also noted in a letter to the city council that more owners of vacant homes have reported the vacancy. In the 2016-2022 period, the city received an average of 118 reports annually. In 2023, there were 434. “From this, it can be cautiously concluded that the new regulation is having an effect.”

With the tightened policy, the municipality can, among other things, enforce a period within which the home must be occupied again. The fine for not reporting a vacancy has also increased from 2,500 euros to 4,500 euros for private individuals and from 5,000 euros to 9,000 euros for companies.

“Vacant homes are, on average, reoccupied three times faster because enforcement is more effective,” said De Jager. “The municipality as a driving force, with the new vacancy ordinance as an instrument, appears to be sufficient in most cases to persuade an owner to resolve the vacancy within the imposed period.”