Dutch student housing shortage continues to grow as landlords sell up

The shortage of student housing in the Netherlands has grown significantly in recent months, and with more landlords selling off their properties, it is expected to get even worse. It’s estimated that there will be 45.000 fewer privately owned student rooms in two years.

Major Dutch cities see biggest student housing shortage

Based on figures from an ABF Research analysis of the National Student Housing Monitor for 2025, in just one year, more than 5.000 student homes were sold, which is equivalent to 10.000 student rooms. According to student housing knowledge centre Kences, current sales figures are one and a half times higher than a year ago as more and more landlords decide to put their properties on the market.  

If this trend continues, the Netherlands could lose 45.000 privately owned student rooms in the next two years. There are currently 393.000 student rooms, half of which are rented out by private landlords. 

Major university cities have been hit the hardest by this sellout, with Amsterdam seeing the largest loss of 2.080 privately-owned student homes. Rotterdam (1.025), Utrecht (810), The Hague (750) and Groningen (695) were also significantly affected.  

While an average of 5.000 student rooms have been built every year since 2022, this is not expected to be enough to counteract the high number of student rooms being sold. While students are already feeling hopeless about accommodation, Kences estimates that the Netherlands could be down 9 percent of its student rooms in two years.

Private rental sector in the Netherlands “completely locked up”

Students aren’t the only ones impacted by landlords selling their rental properties. Pararius’ rental monitor for the third quarter of 2025 showed that more homes in the private rental sector were rented out (14.715) than new ones came on the market (13.985).

Indeed, private rental homes were only on the market for an average of 18 days, five days less than in the same period last year. Rents have also risen to an average of 1.856 euros (more than 20 euros per square metre), requiring a gross monthly income of 5.569 euros. 

"On balance, the available rental supply is shrinking further: everything that becomes available is rented out almost immediately,” said Pararius director Jasper de Groot. “This means the private sector rental market remains completely locked up."

Government measures behind worsening housing shortage in the Netherlands

There are a combination of factors contributing to the worsening housing crisis in the Netherlands. According to ING housing market economist Sander Burgers, high interest rates and sales prices mean it is more attractive for people to sell their rental properties and invest their money elsewhere.

Additionally, measures introduced by the government are also pushing landlords to sell up. With the Affordable Rent Act in place since 2024, taxes increasing for landlords and stricter rules around sharing a house, many landlords no longer see owning a rental property as a good investment.

"We see that when the government takes measures to make things more difficult for landlords, you partially shift the problem, not solve it," Burgers told NOS.