Can I rent out my house?
Are you buying an existing owner-occupied house in certain neighbourhoods within the City of Leeuwarden with a WOZ value of up to €260,000 after 1 July 2024? Your new house then fall under the buy-up protection which will apply from 1 July. You may then rent out the owner-occupied house only with a permit from the local authority.
Conditions rental permit buy-up protection
- You are the home owner.
- You want to rent out your living space to a first-degree or second-degree relative. For example, your partner, (step) parent, grandfather, grandmother, (step or adopted) child, brother, (in-law) sister or grandchild.
- You have lived in the accommodation yourself for at least 12 months and you will rent out the accommodation for up to 12 months.
- The living space is part of a retail, office or commercial building.
Apply for rental licence buy-up protection
You can apply for the rental permit buy-up protection digitally from 1 July on this page.
When will you receive an answer to your application?
Within 8 weeks of receipt, you will hear whether you are being granted the permit. Sometimes an extension of this deadline is necessary, but you will be notified in writing.
Conditions for exemption from buy-up protection
- If circumstances arise to the effect that the owner cannot reasonably be required to comply with the prohibition in subsection 1, or
- if, in the opinion of the executive, it is such a socially desirable form of letting or act involving letting that the interest of letting prevails over the interest of the prohibition referred to in the first paragraph.
Apply for buy-up protection exemption
You can apply for the buy-out protection digitally on this page from 1 July.
When will you receive an answer to your application?
Within 8 weeks of receipt, you will hear whether you are being granted the permit. Sometimes an extension of this deadline is necessary, but you will be notified in writing.
In which neighbourhoods does buy-up protection apply?
The buy-up protection applies to properties for sale in the following neighbourhoods, you can also find these on the map:
- City centre
- Bilgaard & Havankpark
- Potmargezone
- Westeinde
- Vrijheidswijk
- Vossepark & Helicon
- Heechterp-Schieringen
- Dokkumer Ie and environs
- Goutum
- Oud-Oost
- Sonneborgh and environs
- Nijlân & De Zwette
Charges
Questions and Answers
What does buy-up protection entail?
Buy-up protection means that the property cannot be rented out without a permit in the first four years after it is taken into ownership*. Buy-up protection is used to keep as many existing, low-cost owner-occupied houses as possible available for buyers to live in.
*By ‘buying’, in this case, we mean the date of registration in the public registers of the deed of delivery to the new owner.
Why the buy-up protection?
The housing shortage is putting pressure on the availability and affordability of certain homes in certain neighbourhoods. The buy-up protection ensures that in these neighbourhoods, existing inexpensive owner-occupied houses cannot simply be bought up for rent. People looking for an affordable home to buy, to live in themselves, will have a better chance.
I bought a property before the start of buy-up protection. Can I still rent out that property without a permit?
The buyback protection does not apply if you owned the property before the start date of the buy-up protection on 1 July 2024. This means you were registered as an owner in public registers before 1 July 2024. You may then rent out the property without a permit.
I want to buy a property that is already rented out. Can I continue to rent out this property?
You may continue to rent out the property if the property has been rented out for at least six months before the start of buy-up protection at the time you become the owner. You may then continue to rent out the property without a permit. Even if the tenant – who is renting at the time – terminates the rental.
The buy-up protection does apply if the property is rented for less than 6 months before the start of the buy-up protection at the time you become the owner.
I want to buy a property from an owner who already has a rental permit. Can I take over this permit?
No, if a property is rented out with a permit, you have to reapply for a permit to rent out the property. The permit is non-transferable and linked to the permit holder and the specific housing unit.
How do I know what the WOZ value of a property is?
You can will the WOZ value of your property on the WOZ-waardeloket.
Will the price limit of €260,000 be adjusted annually?
Yes. This price limit is indexed annually on 1 January in accordance with the annual change in the consumer price index all households as published annually by Statistics Netherlands in January for the previous calendar year.
Conditions rental permit buy-up protection
- You are the home owner.
- You want to rent out your living space to a first-degree or second-degree relative. For example, your partner, (step) parent, grandfather, grandmother, (step or adopted) child, brother, (in-law) sister or grandchild.
- You have lived in the accommodation yourself for at least 12 months and you will rent out the accommodation for up to 12 months.
- The living space is part of a retail, office or commercial building.
Apply for rental licence buy-up protection
You can apply for the rental permit buy-up protection digitally from 1 July on this page.
When will you receive an answer to your application?
Within 8 weeks of receipt, you will hear whether you are being granted the permit. Sometimes an extension of this deadline is necessary, but you will be notified in writing.
Conditions for exemption from buy-up protection
- If circumstances arise to the effect that the owner cannot reasonably be required to comply with the prohibition in subsection 1, or
- if, in the opinion of the executive, it is such a socially desirable form of letting or act involving letting that the interest of letting prevails over the interest of the prohibition referred to in the first paragraph.
Apply for buy-up protection exemption
You can apply for the buy-out protection digitally on this page from 1 July.
When will you receive an answer to your application?
Within 8 weeks of receipt, you will hear whether you are being granted the permit. Sometimes an extension of this deadline is necessary, but you will be notified in writing.
In which neighbourhoods does buy-up protection apply?
The buy-up protection applies to properties for sale in the following neighbourhoods, you can also find these on the map:
- City centre
- Bilgaard & Havankpark
- Potmargezone
- Westeinde
- Vrijheidswijk
- Vossepark & Helicon
- Heechterp-Schieringen
- Dokkumer Ie and environs
- Goutum
- Oud-Oost
- Sonneborgh and environs
- Nijlân & De Zwette
Charges
Questions and Answers
What does buy-up protection entail?
Buy-up protection means that the property cannot be rented out without a permit in the first four years after it is taken into ownership*. Buy-up protection is used to keep as many existing, low-cost owner-occupied houses as possible available for buyers to live in.
*By ‘buying’, in this case, we mean the date of registration in the public registers of the deed of delivery to the new owner.
Why the buy-up protection?
The housing shortage is putting pressure on the availability and affordability of certain homes in certain neighbourhoods. The buy-up protection ensures that in these neighbourhoods, existing inexpensive owner-occupied houses cannot simply be bought up for rent. People looking for an affordable home to buy, to live in themselves, will have a better chance.
I bought a property before the start of buy-up protection. Can I still rent out that property without a permit?
The buyback protection does not apply if you owned the property before the start date of the buy-up protection on 1 July 2024. This means you were registered as an owner in public registers before 1 July 2024. You may then rent out the property without a permit.
I want to buy a property that is already rented out. Can I continue to rent out this property?
You may continue to rent out the property if the property has been rented out for at least six months before the start of buy-up protection at the time you become the owner. You may then continue to rent out the property without a permit. Even if the tenant – who is renting at the time – terminates the rental.
The buy-up protection does apply if the property is rented for less than 6 months before the start of the buy-up protection at the time you become the owner.
I want to buy a property from an owner who already has a rental permit. Can I take over this permit?
No, if a property is rented out with a permit, you have to reapply for a permit to rent out the property. The permit is non-transferable and linked to the permit holder and the specific housing unit.
How do I know what the WOZ value of a property is?
You can will the WOZ value of your property on the WOZ-waardeloket.
Will the price limit of €260,000 be adjusted annually?
Yes. This price limit is indexed annually on 1 January in accordance with the annual change in the consumer price index all households as published annually by Statistics Netherlands in January for the previous calendar year.