September News Update: Looking back on a Summer Full of Impact

We look back on a successful summer. With new insights from the Homestay Rentals 2025 report, a growing group of young hosts, inspiring real-life stories and extensive media coverage, the impact of homestay renting is clearer than ever.

While summer is often a time to slow down, at Hospi Housing it marks our busiest and most impactful period of the year. The summer months are peak season for room seekers and hosts alike, with the highest demand occurring in early September as the academic year begins. Once again, thousands of successful matches were made — an intense but deeply rewarding time for our team.

In this September update, we reflect on a summer where data, personal stories and media attention together highlight the growing importance of homestay rentals in the Netherlands.

Homestay rentals in numbers: insights from the 2025 report

For the second year in a row, Hospi Housing published the report Homestay Rentals in the Netherlands 2025. The report provides in-depth insights into the sector, covering rental prices, market size, motivations of hosts and tenants, and demographic trends. One key takeaway stands out: homestay renting continues to grow as a popular and affordable housing option.

In 2025, homestay rooms were on average €150 per month cheaper than regular student rooms. In cities such as Amsterdam (€328), Haarlem (€260) and Utrecht (€250), the difference is even more significant. These price gaps are largely explained by the social motivation of hosts, who often rent out a room to help others rather than to maximise profit.

A new generation of hosts

Homestay renting is no longer limited to older homeowners. At Hospi Housing, we see a rapidly growing group of young hosts. In 2025, nearly half (48%) of new hosts were under the age of 40. Many of them have experienced the housing shortage themselves and are now eager to help others.

One inspiring example is Shannen from Wormerveer. After ending her relationship, she could no longer afford the housing costs on her own but wanted to remain in her home. With permission from housing association Parteon, she decided to rent out a room through Hospi Housing. She now shares her home with Jane — a situation that works very well for both. Together with alderman Harrie van der Laan, Hospi Housing visited them to hear firsthand how homestay living works in practice. Their story shows how homestay rentals can support affordability, stability and positive social connections.

Creative solutions for room seekers

Housing pressure was once again clearly felt this summer. For some students, this meant temporarily finding creative solutions. Together with Dutch Railways (NS), Hospi Housing offered twenty students free accommodation during the introduction week at the NS Glamping site at Utrecht Central Station. With breakfast, bicycles and live performances included, the station briefly became an unexpected but welcome place to stay.

This initiative highlights both the urgency of the housing shortage and the value of creative partnerships in providing temporary relief while structural solutions continue to develop.

Homestay rentals in the spotlight

The growing role of homestay renting did not go unnoticed. In just one month, the topic appeared more than twenty times across newspapers, radio and television. Hospi Housing featured in outlets such as de Volkskrant, NPO Radio 1 and RTL Nieuws. Media exposure remains an essential tool for inspiring new hosts and encouraging policymakers to keep improving housing regulations.

Looking back, it was a summer to be proud of — for the growth of homestay renting, for the commitment of our hosts and partners, and above all for the impact we create together.

We wish you a colourful autumn,

Daan, Joost & Maurits