Homestay rental in Midden-Groningen: what is changing and will you need a permit?

Under the draft policy, homestay rental in Midden-Groningen will be allowed under certain conditions. But will you need a permit to do so?

The municipality of Midden-Groningen is preparing new rules for homestay rental and room rental. What does that mean for residents who want to rent out a room in their own home?

A New Draft Policy

The municipality of Midden-Groningen is introducing new draft rules for both room rental and homestay rental. For residents, the main question is whether renting out a room in their own home will still be allowed — and whether a permit will be required.

What Is Homestay Rental?

Homestay rental means the landlord lives in the property themselves and rents out part of the home to another person. The landlord and tenant live in the same house, but they do not form one household. They may share facilities such as the kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

What Will Be Allowed?

Under the draft policy, homestay rental will be allowed throughout Midden-Groningen in regular homes. The municipality sees this as a small-scale form of housing with limited impact on the neighbourhood.

What Are the Conditions?

Homestay rental will only be allowed if a few conditions are met:

• a maximum of two units may be rented to a maximum of two people;
• the landlord must be the main occupant of the home;
• the landlord must personally occupy at least 50% of the floor area;
• the rental must last at least six months;
• tourist rental is not allowed.

Is a Permit Required?

For homestay rental itself, the draft policy does not introduce a separate permit requirement. As long as the arrangement meets the conditions, it should be allowed without a permit.

Room Rental Is Different

Room rental is treated much more strictly. For that, the municipality does plan to require an environmental permit, and only in certain designated areas.

Final Takeaway

The draft policy makes one thing clear: homestay rental will remain possible in Midden-Groningen, but only under clear conditions. And based on the current draft, a permit will probably not be needed for homestay rental, while it will be needed for room rental.