A majority in the local council believes the municipality should take stricter measures against fraudulent and shady landlords and to enforce the existing rules more.
GIC reported that the parties say that Groningen has one of the tightest housing markets in the Netherlands. This makes renters dependent on the good behaviour of their landlords. According to the PvdA, GroenLinks, Student & Stad, ChristenUnie, VVD, CDA, SP, and PVV, many landlords don’t adhere to the rules and call for stronger enforcement.
“The municipality should be on the renters’ side and slumlords who misuse their position should be sanctioned,” PvdA councillor Rico Tjepkema said.
In theory, tenants in Groningen are protected against malpractice from landlords through rental permits. Groningen introduced this permit in 2019 and was the first municipality in the Netherlands to do so. The government plans to introduce the Good Landlord Act and the Affordable Rent Act
However, everything depends on the enforcement of these rules according to Tjepkema.
“The government leaves that to the municipalities, but then does not provide the money to actually carry out the enforcement said Tjepkema.”
This Wednesday the council will look at the proposal of the parties during the upcoming Spring Debate.
