Dutch government greenlights rent increases of at least 4,1% for next year

The cost of renting in the Netherlands will rise by between 4 and 6 percent next year, after the Dutch government announced the maximum rent increases for 2026. 

Rents in the Netherlands can go up by 4-6% in 2026

Every year, the government determines the maximum rent increase for the following year, based on inflation or collective labour agreements for salaries. As the press release from the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning explains, the increases are different for social housing, mid-range rental housing, and private sector housing. 

In the social housing sector, rents will be permitted to increase by up to 4,1 percent next year. This was calculated as the inflation rate over the last three years (3,6 percent) plus 0,5 percent. It will take effect on July 1, 2026 and apply until July 1, 2027. The increase is slightly smaller than the 5 percent allowed between July 2025 and July 2026. 

In the mid-range rental sector, the increase is calculated based on collective bargaining agreement wages, plus an additional 1 percent. Since wages have risen faster than inflation this year, in the mid-range sector prices will be allowed to increase more than in the social or private sectors. Salaries increased by 5,1 percent between 2024 and 2025, so the maximum rent increase from January 1, 2026 is 6,1 percent. 

In the private sector, increases are calculated based on the inflation rate or collective bargaining agreements (whichever is lowest), plus 1 percent. In 2025, the inflation rate was lower than the collective labour agreement wage increases, so private sector rents are permitted to rise by 4,4 percent from January 1, 2026. 

Landlords don’t have to increase rents, but most do

It’s important to note that these percentages are maximum increases: landlords are not permitted to increase their rents by more than these limits, but they can also propose increases that are lower than these maximums, or even not increase rents at all. This depends on your rental agreement - which may, for instance, stipulate a lower annual increase. 

However, as De Volkskrant reported earlier this year, landlords and housing associations tend to fully utilise the maximum allowable increase. Figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show that since July 1, housing associations have increased rents by an average of 5,1 percent - even slightly above the 5 percent allowed.