The current coronavirus outbreak brings about another big uncertainty besides health concerns, namely the economic aspect. As businesses cut costs, people get laid off and it becomes exceedingly difficult to pay rent as well as cover other basic utilities.
In this context, some political parties consider that not enough is being done at the moment to protect tenants, reports RTL Nieuws. They are therefore proposing to freeze rent in order to allow for greater protection of tenants. Rent freezing involves not allowing rental prices to rise for a period of time.
Debate on freezing rent
PvdA, SP, and GroenLinks are the main political parties backing up the concept of freezing rent, as well as not allowing tenants to be evicted during this period of time.
The House of Representatives will meet tomorrow to debate an emergency law implemented by Minister Stientje van Veldhoven (Environment and Housing), which will allow temporary rental contracts to be extended so that tenants do not risk getting kicked out.
The three political parties mentioned above need to add further amendments to the law and provide even more extensive protection to tenants.
Concerns over loss of income
The primary motivation for the amendments is the concerns that many people who’ve lost their income have. The situation means they are unable to pay rent.
Agreements have already been made by Minister van Veldhoven with housing corporations such as Aedas and investment organizations such as Vastgoed Belang and IVBN, to spare tenants who are in trouble during the coronavirus crisis.
“All housing evictions must be postponed”, iterate MPs Henk Nijboer (PvdA), Sandra Beckerman (SP) and Paul Smeulders (GroenLinks). They’ve also stated that no temporary contract should be cancelled, even in the case that a landowner wishes to demolish his property. And if that is the scenario, the property demolition also needs to be postponed.
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