Rent a room with a host who lives there too, or rent out your own spare room to a student or young professional. The municipality of Leiden runs a homestay campaign together with Hospi Housing.
Leiden is a true university city: the oldest university in the Netherlands, the LUMC and the Bio Science Park attract many students, researchers and young professionals. The room shortage is large and the pressure of room conversion in and around the centre is high, which the municipality steers with street quotas. A homestay room does not count towards those quotas, which makes it the easiest way to add housing in Leiden.
A live-in host may rent out to one extra person in Leiden without a conversion permit.
If you live there yourself, you may rent out to one extra person. If you do not live there, renting out to at most two people is permit-free.
Beyond that, a conversion permit is required in designated areas, with a quota per street: 20% in the city centre, 8% in the ring around it and 5% elsewhere. Homestay rental falls outside it.
A nine-month trial period, up to €6,633 a year tax-free through the room rental exemption, and no effect on your benefits.
The municipality of Leiden supports Hospi Housing's campaign to recruit hosts and host families, and extended the partnership in 2026. Housing corporation Portaal joined, so Portaal tenants can rent out a room as well.
Yes, with Portaal's permission; Portaal has taken part in the Leiden campaign since 2026. We help you with the request and guide the tenancy.
No. The quotas apply to room rental properties with a conversion permit. If you rent out to one person in the home you live in, you do not need that permit.
It differs per room; the current rents of the rooms on this page come straight from the platform. You share the kitchen and bathroom, which usually makes a homestay room cheaper than a studio.