10,000 Social Housing Tenants Are Also Private Landlords, CPB Study Reveals

10,000 Social Housing Tenants Are Also Private Landlords, CPB Study Reveals

A recent analysis by the Netherlands’ government economic think tank, the CPB (Centraal Planbureau), has uncovered that nearly 12,000 people living in social housing also own or part-own one or more private properties. Of these, 1,193 tenants possess multiple homes which they rent out themselves, raising pressing questions about the allocation and rightful use of limited social housing stock.

Understanding Social Housing in the Netherlands

Social housing in the Netherlands is managed by housing corporations (woningcorporaties), non-profit organisations tasked with providing affordable rental homes for households that cannot secure or sustain adequate housing without support. To qualify for a social rental unit—typically capped at €933 per month—tenants must pass both income and asset checks. This system is designed to ensure that scarce affordable homes go to those most in need.

Despite strict eligibility rules, the CPB research shows that approximately 10,000 social housing tenants exceed the asset thresholds or earn above the income limits, yet remain in subsidised homes. While one in six cases involves tenants who inherited property or retained ownership following a divorce, the majority are landlords by choice, actively renting out additional properties for extra income.

The Scale and Impact of Misuse

Key findings from the CPB study include:

• 11,977 social housing tenants own or co-own at least one additional property.
• 1,193 households possess more than one private home, with 33 individuals owning over ten properties each.
• Five out of six cases represent voluntary property ownership, not accidental carry-overs from inheritance or divorce.

Such figures have a direct impact on the tens of thousands of families waiting—sometimes more than 15 years—for an affordable rental unit in major cities like Amsterdam, where demand far outstrips supply. With waiting lists exceeding half a million nationwide, freeing up even a fraction of misallocated homes could significantly reduce housing stress.

Challenges Faced by Housing Corporations

Liesbeth Spies, chairwoman of the umbrella organisation Aedes, stressed that housing corporations currently lack the legal tools to verify tenants’ property portfolios beyond routine income checks. Once a tenant passes the initial eligibility assessment, corporations have little authority to reassess asset ownership later or to evict tenants who breach the rules.

Moreover, the presence of subtenants in homes owned by social housing tenants complicates matters. These subtenants have their own legal protections and cannot be evicted without following due process, even if the primary tenant loses eligibility.

Policy Options and Legislative Solutions

The CPB findings have reignited the debate on how best to safeguard social housing for those in greatest need. Possible policy responses include:

1. Enhanced Asset Checks: Allow housing corporations to periodically verify property ownership and financial assets alongside income.
2. Mandatory Disclosure: Require tenants to declare all real estate holdings under threat of fines or contract termination upon false reporting.
3. Targeted Audits: Introduce random or risk-based audits of social housing households to identify misuse more efficiently.
4. Legal Reforms: Amend legislation to streamline processes for reclaiming homes when tenants no longer meet eligibility criteria, while safeguarding subtenant rights.

Implementing these measures will require cooperation between the next Dutch cabinet, the Ministry of the Interior, housing corporations, and municipal authorities (gemeenten). Policymakers must balance the need for stricter controls with tenants’ privacy rights and procedural fairness.

Balancing Rights and Resources

While the goal is to reallocate around 10,000 homes for those on waiting lists, experts agree that policy change alone will not solve the housing shortage. The Netherlands still faces a chronic under-supply of social and mid-segment rental homes. Aedes estimates that hundreds of thousands of new units must be built over the next decade to meet demand and control rising rents.

Furthermore, any attempt to revoke social housing status must navigate complex tenant protections under Dutch housing law. Subtenants in properties owned by social housing renters have independent tenancy agreements, meaning eviction is a multi-step legal process.

Conclusion and the Path Ahead

The CPB report shines a light on an unintended loophole in the social housing system, where personal choice—rather than necessity—drives some tenants to hold private rental portfolios. Closing this loophole through improved asset verification and legislative updates could free up thousands of much-needed homes. However, long-term relief hinges on both stricter regulation and a sustained building programme.

Finding a comprehensive solution will require input from tenants’ unions, housing corporations, municipalities, and national government. Above all, safeguarding affordable housing for vulnerable households must remain a policy priority.

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