The cost of renting a home in the non-rent controlled sector in the Netherlands continued to increase during the second quarter of the year, the latest quarterly report from housing platform Pararius has revealed. 

Rents have risen by an average of 6.2% across the Netherlands over the past 12 months to reach an average of €13.50sqm (£11.30sqm), led by a 6.9% gain in Rotterdam.

Rents in Amsterdam are up 6.3% year-on-year and in The Hague they have risen by 5.4% over the same period.

“Over the past two years, rents have risen much more sharply in the urban Randstad conurbation,” said Pararius director Jasper de Groot. “In particular Amsterdam and its surroundings have been outperforming the rest. There is a major shortage of rental properties for people on middle incomes and that is driving rents upward.”

According to Pararius, there are around 326,000 non-rent controlled rental homes in the Netherlands. This means that just 5% of the rental properties are available for rent to people earning more than €35,000 (£29,330) a year.