Free sector rental Netherlands: price, rules and where to look

Free sector rental Netherlands means a self-contained home where the landlord sets the starting rent. For a contract that starts in 2026, that applies when the home has 187 points or more and the basic starting rent is above €1,228.07 a month. There is no waiting list. There is often an income test, and the annual increase is still capped.

Last updated 13 November 2026

Get an alert for a new free-sector home

What is a free sector rental?

Free sector (vrije sector) means the starting rent is not tied to a maximum from the points system. The line is called the liberalisation threshold. What counts is the basic rent on the day the contract starts, together with the points. Not the rent you pay years later.

For contracts from 1 July 2024 the line is 187 points. In 2026, 186 points correspond to a maximum basic rent of €1,228.07. Above that is free sector. A contract from before 1 July 2024 can already be free sector at a lower points line, if the starting rent was then above the threshold of that time. Mid-rent is the band just below.

How much does a free sector rental cost?

There is no maximum starting rent, and therefore no national price. Below the liberalisation threshold the landlord may not charge that free price: the home is then social rent or mid-rent. Above the line, size, energy label, area and demand set the price. The amounts below are rough bands from listings, not a statistic.

City	Basic rent, rough band from listings	What you notice
Amsterdam	an apartment often roughly €1,600 to €3,000	Tightest market, replies the same day
Utrecht	often roughly €1,300 to €2,200	Small city, strong demand
Haarlem	often roughly €1,300 to €2,200	Short train to Amsterdam
Leiden	often roughly €1,200 to €2,000	University city between The Hague and Amsterdam
Eindhoven	often roughly €1,100 to €1,800	Often easier than the Randstad, still gone quickly

Not averages and not an official statistic. A home can sit well outside the band. Studios are often below an apartment with a bedroom. Prices move. Check current listings.

Which rules still apply?

No maximum starting rent does not mean there are no rules. The annual increase in the free sector is legally capped. The government sets the percentage each year. Check Rijksoverheid for the year of your increase.

Since 1 July 2023 the deposit is at most two months' basic rent.
Key money is not allowed.
An agency fee should not fall on the tenant if the agent works for the landlord.
Since 1 July 2024 a contract is in principle for an indefinite period. Temporary is still allowed in exceptions, for example for students.
The landlord must publish selection criteria in advance and may not discriminate.
Since 1 January 2025 a new contract should include a points count, even if the result is free sector.

If those points come out at 186 or fewer, the starting rent is capped anyway, even if the listing says free sector. You can then go to the Huurcommissie. A real free-sector home, 187 points or more, has no maximum starting rent.

Can you get rent benefit in the free sector?

Sometimes, and usually only on part of the rent. The home must be self-contained. You are 18 or older, registered, and your income and assets stay under the limits. From 2026 a rent above the old rent cap no longer blocks the benefit.

The Belastingdienst calculates the benefit on basic rent up to €932.93 a month, or €498.20 if everyone is under 21. Everything above that is not covered. With a low income and a high free-sector rent, what you still pay yourself stays high. On 1 January 2026 assets are capped at €38,479 per person, and €76,958 for partners together. Check the current limits with the Belastingdienst.

How much income does a landlord ask for?

Often three to four times the basic rent in gross monthly income. At €1,800 basic rent that is about €5,400 to €7,200. A partner's income sometimes counts. A guarantor, or a contract from abroad, is not accepted everywhere. This is market practice, not a legal rule. There is no national income cap that excludes you from the free sector. People who earn too much for social rent look here.

This is the band where you can reply immediately, without a waiting list. How that works is in renting without a waiting list. In Amsterdam an apartment in this band is covered in apartment for rent in Amsterdam.

Where do you find a free sector rental?

Pararius: the largest supply from agents and investors.
Funda: part of the rentals, next to homes for sale.
The letting agent's own website: sometimes earlier, or only there.
HousingAnywhere and Kamernet: more studios and furnished homes.
Associations sometimes also let free-sector homes, next to their social stock, through the regional allocation system.

A rental app shows the same home once. After that, speed matters: how to find a rental home fast. A small self-contained home in this band is explained in renting a studio.

Which documents do you need?

ID, with your BSN unreadable on the copy;
an employment contract or employer's statement;
three payslips, or annual accounts if you are self-employed;
sometimes a reference from your current landlord;
from outside the EU: a valid residence document.

You can sign before you have a BSN. You then register at the municipality, from four weeks before the move date until five days after it. The number follows from that first registration. A contract that bans registration is a reason to walk away.

How do you spot a scam?

Never pay a deposit or rent before you have seen the home and read the contract. Be wary of rent far below what is usual in that city, a landlord who cannot show the home, payment by money transfer or crypto, and photos that belong to another listing.

Ask for the points count. If a home with 186 points or fewer is labelled free sector, the category is wrong. A Kadaster ownership check shows whether the person offering the home is the owner. It costs a small fee and is worth it when you do not know a private landlord.

Frequently asked questions

What is a free sector rental in the Netherlands?

A free sector rental is a self-contained home where the landlord sets the basic starting rent. For a contract that starts in 2026, that applies from 187 points and a starting rent above €1,228.07 a month. There is no waiting list. The annual rent increase is still legally capped.

What is the liberalisation threshold in 2026?

The liberalisation threshold in 2026 is €1,228.07 basic rent a month, the maximum rent at 186 points. A home with 187 points or more and a starting rent above that is free sector. The amount is the 1 January 2026 price level and is indexed. What counts is the rent on the day the contract starts.

What is the difference between the free sector and mid-rent?

Mid-rent has 144 to 186 points and a maximum basic rent. The free sector starts at 187 points, with no maximum starting rent. Mid-rent applies to contracts from 1 July 2024, and an older contract can already be free sector if the starting rent was then above the threshold of that time. Both have a cap on the annual increase.

Is there a maximum rent in the free sector?

Not for the starting rent, if the home has 187 points or more. The annual increase after that is capped. The government sets the percentage each year. If the home has 186 points or fewer, the starting rent is capped anyway, even if the listing says free sector.

Can I get rent benefit in the free sector?

Sometimes, on part of the rent. From 2026 a high rent no longer blocks the benefit, but the calculation stops at €932.93 basic rent, or €498.20 if everyone is under 21. Your income and assets must be low enough and you must be registered. Rent above that amount is not covered.

How much do I need to earn for a free sector rental?

Landlords often ask for a gross monthly income of three to four times the basic rent. At €1,800 that is about €5,400 to €7,200 a month, and a partner's income sometimes counts. That is the landlord's requirement, not a law. There is no national income cap that excludes you from this band.

Where do I find a free sector rental?

Pararius and letting agents' own websites have most of the supply. Funda shows part of it, and HousingAnywhere and Kamernet have more studios and furnished homes. Associations sometimes also let free-sector homes through their allocation system. The same home is often listed on several sites.

Is there a waiting list?

No. You reply directly to the agent or landlord and compete with other candidates on income and speed. Social rent from an association almost always has waiting time. Register there anyway if you want a lower rent later, even while you search in the free sector now.

How high can the deposit be?

At most two months' basic rent, since the Good Landlordship Act of 1 July 2023. Key money is not allowed. An agency fee should not fall on you if the agent works for the landlord. Pay only after you have seen the home and read the contract.

Is the contract for a fixed term?

Since the Permanent Rental Contracts Act of 1 July 2024 a rental contract is in principle for an indefinite period. A temporary contract is still allowed in legal exceptions, for example for students. Read what your contract says before you sign.

Which documents do I need?

Usually an ID, an employment contract or employer's statement and three payslips. Self-employed people provide annual accounts, and from outside the EU you need a residence document. Make your BSN unreadable on copies. Send documents only after you have checked the landlord.

Do I have to register at the municipality?

Yes, in the free sector as well. You report a move from four weeks before the move date until five days after it. If you arrive from abroad, your BSN follows from the first registration. Without registration there is no rent benefit, and a ban on registering is a reason not to sign.

Can an expat rent in the free sector?

Yes. This is the band most expats rent in, because there is no waiting list. Landlords check your income and documents, not your nationality, and a Dutch contract with three payslips makes a stronger reply. The 30% ruling does not replace that check, and you can sign before you have a BSN.