Opposition parties criticize PVV for coalition's plans to freeze rental prices

The PVV has been severely criticized by opposition parties for the plan to freeze corporate rent prices. PVV member of parliament Jeremy Mooiman said he is “incredibly pleased” with the coalition’s plan and expects this to be a huge benefit for people with a rental property. This led to opposition parties on both sides responding with their criticism of the proposal.

Groenlinks-PvdA stated that they will support the plan if the housing associations are compensated “completely.” If the largest opposition party does not support the proposal, then it is unlikely that it will reach de Eerste Kamer, also known as the Dutch senate.

“This is not a rent price freeze but more of a construction block,” Habtamu de Hoop of GroenLinks-PvdA said. “It's just a poorly thought-out plan.” De Hoop mentioned that housing associations will miss out on billions of euros that could be used for the construction of new homes or more sustainability. Pieter Grinwis of the ChristenUnie agreed, saying: "Rent freeze is construction freeze."

SGP member André Flach said that the plan would not work out cheaper for residents, as the energy bills would drop less if the associations are not able to make the homes more sustainable. He advocated supporting tenants through income measures, rather than through a change in rent prices. JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans called the policy "bad and unreliable" and advocated for lower VAT rates on groceries.

The SP is in favor of a freeze in rental prices, an MP for the party, Sandra Beckerman, said. But they want this to apply to all rental homes. Under the Cabinet’s current plans, private landlords of affordable housing would still be able to raise their rental prices.

Hans Vijlbrief of D66 quoted from an official document that the housing minister, Mona Keijzer, shared with the Tweede Kamer on Tuesday evening. In this, it is stated that the current figure of over a billion euros in compensation is “nowhere near” enough and that the construction of 85,000 social rental homes will not continue.

Mooiman had to answer questions from the opposition for around 45 minutes. He questioned the housing association’s figures and said that there was "a lot of air" in them. "We will not avoid extra compensation," said the PVV MP. ​​"It seems to me that we do not want construction to come to a standstill either. At the same time, we will certainly stick to the rent freeze."

This comes a day after officials said that the plans to freeze rental prices without adequate compensation for housing associations are “legally vulnerable." The bill for the freeze on rent prices has a better chance of success if the housing minister, Mona Keijzer, is willing to spend more than 1 billion euros on compensation for the housing associations.