Renting out a room in your home? These are the rules in The Hague

Living in or around The Hague and thinking of renting out one (or more) room(s)? Here are the rules for homestay rental in The Hague.

Our political capital, the city with royal allure, and the most stately attractions: The Hague. With educational institutions like The Hague University, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Leiden University, the Hotel School, and the Conservatory, The Hague attracts thousands of students each year. Its proximity to the beach makes The Hague a vibrant student city. However, there's a downside: The Hague has been facing a severe room shortage for years.

Renting out rooms in your home, especially to one or more students, can be a great way to help alleviate this shortage (and, of course, to earn some extra income). But... can you just rent out a room in your own home? In this blog post, we delve deeper into the rules concerning room rentals in and around The Hague.

Increasing demand for rooms outside of The Hague

While city life is certainly attractive to many students, some purposely choose a peaceful and green environment: a place just outside of The Hague. Sometimes out of necessity, sometimes because they crave more greenery and tranquillity. So, if you live in one of The Hague's surrounding municipalities - like Rijswijk, Voorburg, or Wassenaar - you can provide an ideal spot for students who are looking for space and nature but still want easy access to the city by public transport or bike.

The rules regarding Homestay Rental in The Hague

If you want to rent out a room in your home to a student, certain rules and conditions apply. In the Netherlands, these rules are generally set by the municipality itself - in this case, The Hague municipality. Since municipalities often want to promote room rentals to alleviate the room shortage, the rules are typically quite lenient. The same goes for The Hague:

Single households can take in one renter without a permit. However, it's crucial that you live 'non-independently': this means that as a landlord, you share facilities like the kitchen, toilet, and bathroom with the tenant. If you live with two or more people in your home and want to rent out a room, you need a permit. This permit is available in certain areas of The Hague.

For more information, check out this page about room rental on The Hague municipality's website.

Official collaboration between The Hague municipality and Hospi Housing

The municipality recently started to promote room rentals: they've officially partnered with us! You can find more information about this collaboration in this press release.

Three reasons to rent out a room in your own home

If you're considering renting out a room in your home for the first time, you might wonder, 'Is this a good idea?' We get that. Over the years, we've helped numerous hosts to start their homestay adventure. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. For most hosts, these are the primary reasons they're glad they chose homestay rental:

1. Meet people from all over the world

Sharing your home with a student from another city, country, or even continent can be a fantastic way to discover new cultures and even forge long-term international friendships. It pushes your boundaries!

2. Earn extra income

For many hosts, renting out a room in their home provides a welcome supplement to their monthly income. Did you know you can earn up to €5998 annually tax-free from room rental? You can use this extra cash to achieve financial goals or simply as a pleasant bonus.

3. Offer young students a safe home

You contribute to solving the room shortage. This shortage is significant in the Netherlands (and therefore in The Hague). By renting out a room, you offer a warm welcome and a safe haven to someone unfamiliar with the city.

In short, homestay rental offers a win-win situation: for both students and hosts. With homestay rental, students find a comfortable and affordable room in The Hague or its surroundings faster. Hosts choose homestay rental because they want to help, enjoy the company, or want to earn some extra money. Whatever your reason, renting out your room temporarily guarantees a unique experience.

Interested in becoming a host? We invite you to register with us for free. We guide and support you throughout the entire room rental process, ensuring a worry-free start to this new experience.