1. Are you allowed to rent out a property in Utrecht?
No, as of 18 March 2022 the rules have changed. The ‘Purchase Protection Act’ applies to Utrecht. Anyone buying a property in Utrecht is not allowed to rent it out for the first four years. This applies to properties with a ‘WOZ’ value of up to €487,000 (price level: July 2022).
2. Are there any exceptions to this rental restriction?
Yes, the most relevant exception is that a property is allowed to be let to first and second-degree relatives (parents, children, siblings). So a student living alone in the parental home is allowed.
3. What if, as a student, you want to live with flatmates?
Then you could consider the homeowner scheme. This is a scheme that allows flatmates to live together in Utrecht.
4. Who exactly is considered a homeowner?
A homeowner is an owner/occupier of a property who rents part of his or her home to no more than two other persons.
5. Why has this always been widely used by parents of studying children?
Through the homeowner scheme, it used to be the case that a permit was not required to live in a property with several people (up to a total of three). This way of non-independent living was covered by an exemption within the municipality of Utrecht.
6. What changes have been made to the homeowner scheme since the introduction of the ‘Purchase Protection Act’ in Utrecht?
With rentals no longer being allowed, it seemed that the homeowner scheme was also off the table. However, this is not the case! The homeowner scheme is still valid. Only nowadays it requires a permit (a rental permit under the Purchase Protection Act). We can reassure you that we know of no cases where this permit has not been granted.
7. Does a homeowner have to be a 100% owner?
No, the homeowner must hold at least 10% ownership. In practice, we often see that the parent(s) of the studying child own the remaining 90%.
8. Who can apply for the permit under the Purchase Protection Act?
The owner/occupier (the child) should apply for the permit.
9. Where can I apply for the permit?
Go to the website of the municipality of Utrecht and choose ‘Renting the owner-occupied house is more important than the Purchase Protection’.
10. How long does the application take?
You will receive a notification within eight weeks, according to the Municipality of Utrecht.
Interested in buying a property for your child who’s studying? Read here about what you need to know.
Menno Grandia
NVM buyer’s agent