That the corona pandemic is all but over is evidenced by rent increases in the freehold sector. In the first quarter of 2022, rents increased by an average of 6.7% compared to the first quarter of 2021. These figures were released yesterday by housing platform Pararius.

The average square meter price increased 6.7% in Q1 2022 compared to the previous year. This distinguishes between the three delivery forms bare, unfurnished and furnished. For all three of these delivery forms, rent increased. At 5.4%, the rental price of homes delivered bare rose the least in the first quarter. Here, the average square meter price came to €14.31. Furnished homes increased in the free sector by an average of 6.1% from €18.68 to €19.82 per square meter. The biggest increase occurred in unfurnished homes. These rose by a whopping 9.1% to €16.69 per square meter.

Rental prices in the free sector continue to rise. However, the number of new rentals fell by almost 30%. Thus, the supply of rental housing in the free sector is decreasing somewhat. Rental prices above €1200 per month are no longer a feature in the free sector. The reason for this is that the supply remains virtually the same while the demand for housing continues to rise sharply. There are only 326,000 homes available in the free sector and this scarcity is currently being passed on in rents.

So far, the supply of housing in major cities remains limited compared to the demand for it. In Amsterdam, the average price rose 8.6% to €24.29 per square meter. This makes Amsterdam the most expensive city in the Netherlands to rent a home. In Utrecht, rents rose 4.7% to €19.55 per square meter. In The Hague, rents increased by 4.6% and in Rotterdam by 7.4%. This brings both cities to €17.10 per square meter which is below the national average (€17.18). In Eindhoven, rents rose the most by 11.7% to €16.90 per square meter.

In Amstelveen, the average rent in Q1 2022 came to €20.45 per square meter followed by Haarlem and Leiden at €19.90 per square meter. The largest increases in rents in the free sector took place in Lelystad which increased by 17.8% and Deventer which increased by a whopping 17.9% compared to Q1 2021.

In only four cities did rents fall. In Weert, rents decreased by 2%, in Heemstede by 4.3%, in Zoetermeer by 5.5% and in Diemen the highest price decrease of 5.5% took place.