More rental headroom for selected homes, but not enough to halt the decline in private rental supply
From 1 January 2027, adjustments to the Dutch housing points system (woningwaarderingsstelsel, WWS) will allow landlords to charge higher rents for selected regulated rental homes. The new surcharge linked to the municipality assessed property value (WOZ value, Waardering onroerende zaken) could provide several hundred euros of additional rent per month for certain mid-rent homes in cities with high WOZ values. While the measures give landlords some additional financial headroom, they are unlikely to halt the decline in private rental supply. This is the conclusion of Savills Netherlands new spotlight report on the changes to the WWS.
On 1 January 2026, private individuals owned almost 37,000 fewer rental Dutch homes than a year earlier. This contributed to a decline of more than 7,800 homes in the total rental housing stock, marking its first contraction since 2010. Since the introduction of the Affordable Rent Act, letting has become less profitable for many investors, says Savills. Less favourable box 3 taxation, the end of fixed-term tenancies and higher interest rates have added further pressure to the market. As a result, many landlords are selling their properties when they become vacant.
Changes to the WOZ cap will mainly affect the major cities
One of the most significant changes to the WWS is the introduction of a WOZ surcharge for homes held back at 186 points by the WOZ cap. From 1 January 2027, landlords will be able to apply a surcharge to these homes, while the properties remain within the regulated mid-rent segment. Depending on the extent to which the WOZ cap limits the maximum rent, the surcharge could provide anything from a few euros to several hundred euros of additional rent per month. The effect could be particularly significant in the G4 cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and other areas with high WOZ values. For many other homes, little will change.
Quint Luiken, Commercial Manager, Asset & Property Management at Savills in the Netherlands, says: “The adjustment gives landlords of selected homes more rental headroom, but does not fundamentally change the market. The impact is felt in areas with high WOZ values. Whether the higher maximum rent can actually be achieved will also depend on the property, the existing tenancy agreement and the achievable market rent. The ultimate impact therefore needs to be assessed property by property.”
According to the international real estate advisor, the changes to the WWS could make it more attractive to continue letting certain homes, but they do not resolve the wider challenges facing the Dutch rental market. Moreover, homes that have already been sold to owner-occupiers are unlikely to return to the rental market.
New-build developments may be given more time
Alongside the announced WWS adjustments, the Dutch government intends to extend the 10% new-build surcharge for mid-rent homes. Under the current rules, the surcharge applies to homes where construction starts before 2028. The government proposes extending this deadline by four years, to 1 January 2032. This would support project viability, although construction and financing costs will remain decisive factors.
Owners should reassess their portfolios property by property, says Savills. This will help them determine the best course of action under the new rules, whether to hold, optimise or sell.