Generation Rent in the Netherlands: Why so many Dutch Young People Now Live in the Private Rental Sector

Authors: Joris Hoekstra ID, Marietta Haffner ID, Harry Boumeester ID

‘Generation Rent’ refers to the disproportionate presence of young people in the private rental sector due to declining access to homeownership, a phenomenon that first emerged in the liberal housing systems of the United Kingdom and the United States. This study examines whether the concept is also relevant in more government-steered housing systems, such as that of the Netherlands. Drawing on data from the large-scale Dutch housing needs surveys (WoON), we find that while the Dutch system long resisted tendencies associated with Generation Rent, the past 15 years of neoliberal policies have significantly altered this trajectory. The outcome is growing inequality between the young adults who achieve homeownership, often through intergenerational support, and those who remain in the rental sector. To mitigate this divide, we propose revitalising the rental sector and introducing tenure-neutral housing policies.

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Document Type
article
ISSN
2336-2839
Volume / Issue
13 / 1
Pages
71-86
https://doi.org/10.13060/23362839.2026.13.1.608
Date of publication
14.6.2026
Keywords:
comparative housing policy , home ownership , private rented markets , social housing

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Hoekstra, J. , M. Haffner, H. Boumeester 2026. ‘Generation Rent in the Netherlands: Why so many Dutch Young People Now Live in the Private Rental Sector.’ Critical Housing Analysis 13 (1): 71-86. https://doi.org/10.13060/23362839.2026.13.1.608