Visiting the first 'social match' in Maastricht

Hospi Housing visited Maastricht for the first match in a homestay rental pilot within social housing. Together with the municipality and housing associations, this initiative shows how housing sharing works in the rental sector.

Recently, Hospi Housing visited Maastricht for a special milestone: the first successful match within a new homestay rental pilot in social housing. This pilot was launched by the municipality of Maastricht in collaboration with four housing associations and Hospi Housing, with the aim of enabling tenants in social rental homes to rent out a room.

From pilot to practice

As part of the pilot, tenants of participating housing associations are allowed to rent out a room in their home, provided clear agreements and prior approval are in place. The goal is to explore how homestay renting can work safely and responsibly within the social housing sector. Housing corporations, such as Servatius, inform their tenants about the homestay rental possibilities via their website and channels.

The first match has now become a reality. Thijs, a tenant in a social rental home, rents out a room to Wessel, who moved from Nijmegen to Maastricht for his job at a Michelin-starred restaurant. What started as a policy experiment quickly turned into everyday life: sharing a home, respecting each other’s space and creating a comfortable living situation for both.

A social and affordable housing solution

During the visit — together with involved partners — it became clear where the strength of this form of housing lies. For Thijs, it offers companionship and a contribution towards housing costs. For Wessel, it provides an affordable place to live in a city with a tight housing market. For Maastricht, this match demonstrates how existing housing can be better utilised without building new homes.

The pilot also shows that homestay renting is more than just a housing solution. It strengthens social connections within neighbourhoods, which is exactly why more municipalities and housing associations are exploring this model.

Media attention and next steps

The pilot and the first match were also covered by De Limburger, which reported on the initiative and the story of Thijs and Wessel. It’s encouraging to see local media highlighting how collaboration can lead to concrete housing solutions.

For Hospi Housing, this first ‘social match’ confirms what we have seen before: with the right partnerships, clear agreements and mutual trust, homestay renting can successfully work within the social housing sector as well. More matches will follow as the pilot continues. To be continued ☕🥧

Do you live in Maastricht (or somewhere else) and are you interested in renting out a part of your home? Sign up easily and for free and we'll get in touch to get you started!