300 thousand dwellings vacant

The Dutch housing stock includes 7.2 million dwellings; 300 thousand houses (4.2 percent) were vacant on 1 January 2011. One in seven vacant houses are less than or just over ten years old.

Part of uninhabited houses used for other purposes

On 1 January last year, 375 thousand houses were officially registered as vacant. Part of these vacant dwellings (75 thousand) are used as surgeries, childcare centres, studios or second homes. Three hundred thousand houses are actually empty.

Vacancy by ownership and year of construction, 2011

One in seven houses built after 2000

Out of a total of 300 thousand vacant dwellings, 47 thousand were built after 2000. One third of vacant dwellings are privately owned, two thirds are rented houses.

Higher vacancy rate houses owned by institutional investors and private landlords

The overall vacancy rate is 4.2 percent. Two thirds of all vacant houses are owned by institutional investors and private landlords. A noticeable part of these vacant houses (one in six) are relatively new. The higher vacancy rate of houses owned by private landlords is partly due to the fact that they charge higher rents.

Rented houses built prior to 2000 are often vacant for a period of time during large-scale renovation projects. Dwellings for which a demolition permit is issued, but which have not yet been demolished are also vacant. These dwellings are not available for occupancy.

Willem Regeer