Historical Increases in the Liberalisation Threshold in Delft

The rent liberalisation threshold has been adjusted multiple times since 1990 to reduce the social housing sector in Delft, where the housing shortage is acute due to the growth of TU Delft and young families. It started at €600 (1990), rose to €712.50 (2013), €752.33 (2021) and €808.06 (2024). These increases, introduced by cabinets such as Rutte-II and III, respond to the enormous pressure on housing associations such as DUWO in Delft, with waiting lists of years for student and family homes. Objective: create more mid-range rental housing in neighbourhoods such as Poptahof and Zuiderpoort, and relieve housing associations for low incomes. Political debate in Delft flares up over gentrification; critics fear displacement of middle incomes from the historic city centre and around the Technopolis campus. Legally established in the Housing Act and annually indexed with inflation plus a correction factor. Between 2015-2020 the threshold remained stable at €711, but the Affordable Rent Act (2021) brought a significant increase, causing approximately 8% of Delft rental properties to liberalise, especially in the Randstad-like pressure of this student city. Tenants with long-term contracts from the 'pre-liberalisation' period sometimes retain old rules via transitional law, crucial for Delft residents in older complexes. Landlords must respect the threshold for new contracts, with enforcement by the local Huurteam Delft. Future: possible further increase in 2025 due to nitrogen and climate policy, which accelerates the transition to energy-efficient mid-range rental housing in Delft. Sources: Staatscourant, Huurcommissie reports and DUWO annual reports provide detailed tables on Delft developments. This insight aids strategic rent price determination in this tight market. (248 words)