Municipal Gatekeeping in the Housing Market
On top of the national framework of Dutch rental law, many of the larger and more crowded municipalities have implemented their own local permit systems to regulate their housing stock. These licenses are not optional; they are a legal requirement, and renting or occupying a property without a necessary permit can have severe consequences for both landlord and tenant. These systems are primarily designed to ensure that affordable housing remains accessible to the intended income groups and to control the social impact of certain types of housing, like house-sharing. For a tenant, navigating these permit requirements is a critical, and often confusing, part of the rental process.
The Housing Permit (Huisvestingsvergunning - HVV)
In certain designated areas of major cities like The Hague, Amsterdam, and Utrecht, a tenant may be required to obtain a huisvestingsvergunning (HVV) before they can legally live in a property. This permit system typically applies to properties in the lower and mid-range rental segments. To be eligible, a tenant must meet specific criteria set by the municipality, which usually relate to their income (it cannot be too high), and their household size. The purpose is to prevent higher-income earners from occupying the limited supply of affordable housing. A tenant must apply for this permit themselves after finding a property. A landlord cannot rent the property to a tenant who is denied the permit, making it a crucial final hurdle in the application process.
The Conversion/Sharing Permit (Omzettingsvergunning)
This permit is the landlord's responsibility. An omzettingsvergunning is required when a landlord wants to convert a single, independent dwelling (zelfstandige woonruimte) into multiple, non-independent units for rent (e.g., room-by-room rental or house-sharing for a group of 3 or more individuals). These permits are notoriously difficult and expensive for landlords to obtain. They often come with strict requirements regarding sound insulation, fire safety, and minimum room sizes. The scarcity of these permits is the primary reason why finding a legal property to share with a group of friends is so difficult in major cities. A landlord renting to a group without the required permit is doing so illegally, which puts the tenants at risk of eviction if the municipality discovers the infraction.
