Average rent increase 1.9 percent in 2008

After a historically low rent increase in 2007, house rents increased on average 1.9 percent on 1 July 2008. Rent harmonisation accounted for 0.3 percentage points of the total rent increase.

House rent and inflation rate

Rent increase in The Hague below average

With 1.7 percent, the lowest house rent increase of the four major cities in the Netherlands was recorded in The Hague. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, the increase marginally exceeded the 2 percent mark. The low increase in The Hague is partly due to the small effect of rent harmonisation of only 0.2 percentage points.

House rent increases by province and in the four major cities

Sharpest increases in Overijssel and Groningen

With 2.3 and 2.2 percent respectively, the sharpest rent increases were recorded in the provinces of Overijssel and Groningen in 2008. In both provinces, the rent harmonisation scheme made a substantial contribution to the total rent increase. The smallest rent increase was recorded in the province of Limburg (1.5 percent). The rent harmonisation scheme hardly affected house rents in the provinces of Limburg en Flevoland.

Rents commercial landlords rise more rapidly

Rents imposed by commercial landlords increased by 2.1 percent in 2008, i.e. 0.2 percentage points more than the increase imposed by non-commercial landlords. The effect of rent harmonisation is the same for commercial and non-commercial landlords.

Most rent increases vary between 1.5 and 2.0 percent. Non-commercial landlords more often impose modest rent increases ranging between 0 and 1.5 percent. Commercial landlords more often impose high rent increases (2 percent or more) on 1 July.

House rents by rent increase (excluding rent harmonisation), 2008

Bert van Zanten