Majority of Dutch residents happy with their homes, according to survey

The triennial Housing Survey (WoON), completed by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), has revealed that more than 80 percent of households are satisfied with their homes in the Netherlands. Residents who own their homes were more likely to be happy with their housing than those who are renting.

Dutch residents becoming less satisfied with homes

An average of 82,5 percent of Dutch households were satisfied with their homes in 2024, a drop from 86 percent in 2021, reported De Telegraaf. Tenants were much less likely to be happy with their accommodation at 68 percent, compared to homeowners at 93 percent. 

This should come as no surprise when rising housing prices and decreasing home sizes are taken into consideration. People living in rental housing also experience more problems with the home, such as damp, mould or temperature regulation. 

More house defects in Dutch rentals

During the winter, 46 percent of tenants struggle to get their homes “pleasantly warm”, and in summer they battle to keep their homes “pleasantly cool”. A previous study showed that 34 percent of Dutch households struggle to cool their homes during heatwaves, with residents living in rental housing and social housing being the worst affected.

While 20 percent of houses in the Netherlands have problems with damp and mould, rental properties experience it more often, at 30 percent, while homeowners are less likely to have this problem (14 percent). Three out of 10 households in Amsterdam and Delfzijl reported having mould in their homes, more than double that in other cities.