Netherlands Vacant Homes Pass 200,000

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The Netherlands crossed a striking milestone this summer: more than 200,000 homes were officially registered as vacant even as the country grapples with a long-running housing shortage. National figures based on Statistics Netherlands (CBS) data put the number at 200,670 vacant homes on July 1. Amsterdam alone accounted for 21,770 of these properties—just under 11% of the total—making it the municipality with the largest vacant housing stock in the country. Rotterdam followed with 10,870 vacant homes.

The increase was swift. Vacant homes rose from 194,500 on January 1 to above 200,000 by July, with major cities driving much of the change. Eindhoven had close to 4,000 vacant homes, while The Hague recorded 2,640.

Vacancy hotspots and the long-term problem

In relative terms, vacancy is not only a big-city story. The highest vacancy rate cited in the latest reporting was in Eemsdelta in northeastern Groningen, where around 9% of homes—2,160 in total—were empty, followed by Vaals in South Limburg at 5.9% (340 homes) and Sluis in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen at 5.2% (710 homes).

A critical share of the vacant stock is long-term. As of January 1, about one in three vacant homes—64,360 units—had been empty for more than a year, turning vacancy from a “transition phase” into a structural drag on supply.

A vacancy tax, backed by energy-use evidence

Dutch authorities have now cleared the way for municipalities to introduce a vacancy tax on homes left empty for more than a year, after approval by both the Tweede Kamer and the Eerste Kamer. A pivotal enforcement tool is on the way as well: municipalities will be able to use energy-consumption data from grid/network operators to help verify long-term vacancy. VNG spokesperson Esther Verhoeff argued that councils must be able to demonstrate prolonged vacancy—or have strong indications—and said energy data would make the burden of proof easier.

Supporters point to Belgium as a practical precedent. Research referenced by urban policy group Platform31 suggests the Flemish approach—annual tax assessments with the ability to increase charges over time—often nudges owners to put properties back into use.

Landlords push back, citing municipal bottlenecks

The policy is contentious. VastgoedBelang, representing private landlords, says it wrongly assumes long-term vacancy is deliberate and warns that municipal delays can be the real cause. Director Edward Touw criticized the idea of penalties when municipalities themselves may slow down conversions, renovations, and sustainability upgrades through strict requirements and lengthy permitting processes.

Local enforcement meets local capacity limits

Several cities have already been experimenting with vacancy rules. Amsterdam and Utrecht require owners to report homes that have been empty for six months, after which councils work with owners to find a solution.

Amsterdam’s tightened vacancy ordinance has previously been linked to faster re-occupation times and higher reporting rates, reflecting a strategy built around enforceable deadlines and fines.

Rotterdam, meanwhile, highlights a different constraint: administrative capacity. Reporting noted the city temporarily halted new high-rise applications because the planning department lacked staff, with housing alderman Chantal Zeegers saying the city has to make choices and that it is “a struggle to get staff.”

As International Investment experts report, the 200,000-plus vacancy milestone is pushing the Netherlands toward tougher “use-it-or-lose-it” housing governance, but the real test will be whether vacancy taxes target truly idle stock while municipalities simultaneously speed up the permitting and transformation processes that can themselves prolong emptiness.