The Hague eases rules for homesharing and housing sharing

The Hague has eased its rules for homesharing, housing sharing and splitting homes as of April 1. Good news for hosts and home seekers alike: this creates more social and affordable housing opportunities across the city.

Good news from The Hague: as of April 1, the municipality has eased the rules for homesharing, housing sharing and splitting homes. With this change, The Hague is clearly choosing to make better use of existing housing stock so that more housing can be created more quickly for people looking for an affordable room or temporary place to live.

For us, this is an important development. Together with organizations such as Kamers met Aandacht, we have been advocating for this for a long time. We are therefore very pleased that The Hague is now creating more room for homesharing. This greatly increases the city’s potential for more hosts — and with that, more social and affordable housing.

What is changing for homesharing in The Hague?

With the amended housing regulation, the municipality of The Hague is making it easier to share homes. The changes focus on three areas: homesharing, room rental and splitting homes into separate units.

For homesharing, this is especially relevant. In many cases, homesharing only needs to be reported and does not require a permit. Room rental and splitting homes will usually still require a permit, but the new rules create more room for these options as well.

That is good news for residents who are thinking about renting out a room in The Hague. The threshold becomes lower, the rules become clearer, and it becomes easier to make better use of available space in existing homes.

Why The Hague is focusing on housing sharing

The reason is clear: the housing shortage in The Hague remains severe. New construction alone is not enough to solve that problem quickly. That is why the municipality is also looking more closely at the homes that already exist.

Many homes in The Hague were originally built for larger households than we see today. By making it easier to rent out rooms, split homes or take in a tenant as a host, the city can better match current housing needs. This creates additional housing more quickly, without having to wait years for new development.

That is exactly why we believe so strongly in homesharing. In many cities, the space is already there. What is needed is for more people to feel able to open up that spare room.

More opportunities for hosts in The Hague

The eased rules create new opportunities for future hosts in The Hague. For people with a spare room, it becomes clearer and more accessible to use that space for someone who is looking for housing.

And the potential is huge. In a city like The Hague, where many students, starters and other home seekers struggle to find an affordable room, homesharing can make an immediate difference. Every new host means one more place to live.

That makes this policy change not just relevant on paper, but highly practical. More hosts means more social and affordable housing in The Hague.

Homesharing is social and affordable

What makes homesharing especially valuable is that it offers more than just a room. It is also a form of housing with a strong social dimension. For hosts, it can be nice to have a bit more life in the home. For tenants, it often means a warm, safe and low-threshold place to live.

That combination of affordability and human connection is exactly what makes homesharing so powerful. It is a practical response to the housing shortage, but also a deeply human one.

That is why it is such an important step that the municipality of The Hague is now giving this form of housing more support.

Good news for the city

We see this policy change as a development with real potential. Not only for people who are already thinking about homesharing in The Hague, but for the city as a whole.

If more residents are able to share their home or part of it, more suitable housing becomes available more quickly. That helps people looking for housing, supports residents with extra space, and contributes to a more social and better-used city.

That is exactly why we, together with Kamers met Aandacht, have advocated for this for so long. It is encouraging to see The Hague now actively making more room for housing sharing and homesharing.

Do you live in The Hague and are you interested?

Do you live in The Hague and do you have a spare room? Or are you wondering whether homesharing could be something for you? Sign up with Hospi Housing and we will get in touch.