City Alder(wo)men visit Homestay Rentals in the Netherlands - part 1

This summer, the Hospi Housing team traveled to various cities in the Netherlands, together with local aldermen. These visits provide the host and tenant an ideal opportunity to share their experiences and help the city to tailor their policies to better meet the needs of their residents.

This summer, the team from Hospi Housing traveled to various major cities in the Netherlands. Along with aldermen, we visited local hosts and renters for a cup of coffee and a good conversation. These visits provide the host and renter an ideal opportunity to share their experiences and help the aldermen tailor their policies to better meet the needs of city residents. It is now well known that homestay rentals are more than just a solution to the room shortage, they also offer significant benefits to residents.

In this blog, we share experiences from Leiden, Tilburg, Utrecht, Nijmegen, and The Hague. In another blog, we will share stories from visits in Maastricht, Eindhoven, Wageningen, Groningen, and Amsterdam. Interested in having an alderman visit you? Let us know!

Leiden: 'Good matching is the key to success'

The shortage of student rooms in Leiden has been a significant issue for years. At the same time, many rooms in people's homes remain vacant. The city and Hospi Housing noticed this, and so in 2021, Leiden, following Utrecht, started a pilot to stimulate homestay rentals. How can we better match supply and demand? This question was central during the pilot and was again discussed during the visit of alderman Julius Terpstra to two Leiden hosts and their renters.

Tenant Mélina lives with host Alexandra in a beautiful 17th-century house. They share the kitchen and bathroom, but she occupies a separate space, at the back of the house in the garden. The second host, Piet-Hein, lives with his son in a house on Orangestraat and rents a room to astronomy student Harshit. "I also find it comforting to have someone else in the house. You never know, I am getting on in years," he said. For alderman Terpstra, it became clear after these two visits: "Good matching. That is the key to success."

Tilburg hospitality with hosts Maarten and Maud

A year ago, Maarten and Maud, living in Tilburg, found a note in their mailbox asking if they had a spare room in their house. It turned out to be from a Belgian student looking for a room. "The whole street was leafleted, but we were the only ones who said yes."

The two Tilburgers are positive about their first experiences. "We actually did it mainly for the social aspect, and that was actually great with the first girl. We went to the cinema together, ate together regularly, and when I was watching football, she'd come and sit with us," Maarten says with a smile. "She really became part of our family. She even walked our dogs. We still keep in touch with her to this day," adds Maud. Alderman Yusuf Çelik listens attentively to Maarten and Maud's story. "What you are doing helps to alleviate the pressure on the student housing market. We as a municipality are very happy with that," he says.

Utrecht: 'It's important that we look out for each other'

Regina and Peter are a couple in their late sixties, living in the Tuindorp area of Utrecht. After their children had flown the nest, their attic room stood empty. "We thought this was a waste," and so they started renting it out after a tip from another host. Now, British student Kathy (25) is the sixth tenant they have housed and "certainly not the last!"

"It's good to see that we look out for each other in Utrecht. Utrecht is a popular city to live in, making living space scarce. Sharing homes is one of the solutions to help more people find a place to live. I'm pleased to see that residents like Regina and Peter are welcoming others into their home, and I'm sure Kathy will have a great time in Utrecht with this hospitable couple," said alderman Dennis de Vries during his visit to this Utrecht couple.

Nijmegen: A social city embraces homestay rentals

"Hospi Housing, I believe in it! Nils (a Swiss student) and Frans & René (the hosts) are living proof that it works. This year alone, Nijmegen has already realized 43 successful matches: that's faster than building rooms. The benefits: relatively cheap rent, a soft landing in a new city, extra income, and meeting people!" That's how alderman Grete Visser concluded her visit to Nijmegen hosts Frans & René and their renter Nils. And not without reason: homestay rentals are booming in Nijmegen. The willingness to help others is evident, and experiences so far are overwhelmingly positive. That bodes well for the future!

The Hague: 'Homestay rentals should be made easier'

In early July, Hospi Housing, together with partner Kamers met Aandacht and The Hague alderman Martijn Balster, visited homestay host Denise Zeeuw and her renter. The Hague's city council wants to expand the possibilities for homestay rentals in the city. "Many people in The Hague live in spacious homes. Many of these people are willing to share their home," said alderman Balster, who wants to relax the rules for sharing housing.

One of those people open to this is homestay host Denise, who, along with her husband, owns a spacious house in the Archipel neighborhood. "We wanted to do something about the housing shortage ourselves and have a vacant space, including a bathroom and kitchenette at home. When I saw my daughter also struggling to find a student room, I thought: if I can help someone with this, then why not?" They have already provided two students with a roof over their heads, thanks to matches made through Hospi Housing. "I'm still in touch with them!"

Join Hospi Housing!

These inspiring stories from different cities show the potential and versatility of homestay rentals. Interested in renting out a room? Register now for free on Hospi Housing. For more information or collaboration opportunities, we are always available!