Tightened housing rules Amsterdam

From 1 January 2024 onwards, Amsterdam’s new Housing Regulation will come into force. An article by Het Parool discusses the main changes: home exchange will be restricted, fewer Bed & Breakfasts in the city centre and more housing for young people. This article will explain these changes in more detail.

Home exchange restricted

Home exchange for holidays through platforms like HomeExchange falls under the rules for tourist rentals. This was already included in the Housing Ordinance since 2021, but enforcement by the municipality failed to materialise. In contrast, home exchange without the use of a platform and without compensation is not considered a tourist rental.

House swappers who use a platform for this purpose have until March 2024 to apply for a registration number. After that, they will have a maximum of 30 nights per year to exchange their property with a maximum of four people at a time. The maximum number of nights is the same as renting out your home via Airbnb in Amsterdam. From 2025, home swapping will be enforced by the municipality.

Fewer B&Bs

The municipality will reduce the maximum number of Bed & Breakfasts per neighbourhood by thirty per cent. This means that no permits for Bed & Breakfasts will be granted in the centre of Amsterdam for the time being. Currently, the number of permits granted is higher than the maximum allowed, so no new permits are expected to be granted for the next four years. However, since the beginning of this year, it has been allowed to have a Bed & Breakfast in an attic. This only applies if fire safety requirements are met.

Priority for young people

In previous years, young people between the ages of 18 and 27 enjoyed priority in housing allocation if they had lived in Amsterdam continuously for at least six years during the past 10 years. However, practice showed that young people who had lived in Amsterdam all their lives, but had lived abroad temporarily due to studies, no longer had a chance to benefit from the priority scheme. From now on, half of the youth housing units will be made available to young people who do not meet the bond requirement.

Action

Should you use a home exchange platform, be alert to apply for a registration number before 31 March 2024. The municipality says it will not enforce the rules immediately yet, but the rules will be enforceable afterwards.

Any questions?

Do you have questions about the new housing rules in Amsterdam or other issues regarding rental law? Then contact one of our lawyers by mail, telephone or fill in the contact form for a free initial consultation. We will be happy to think along with you.