Affordable Rent Act: Difference Between Independent and Non-Independent Housing

Earlier, we informed our clients about the Affordable Rent Act (WBH), which came into effect on July 1. In addition to adjusting the free-sector threshold from 144 to 186 points (€1,157.95), the Housing Valuation System (WWS) has also been modified for both independent and non-independent housing. For non-independent housing, this is the first adjustment to the point system in decades, whereas the WWS for independent housing was adjusted annually. As a result, the impact on non-independent housing is more significant.

Now that we are a week in, we have had several opportunities to apply the new WWS in practice. So far, the outcomes have not necessarily been worse for landlords. We would like to walk you through two examples:

In both cases, the new WWS yields significantly better results. The independent housing unit also moves into the new free sector, partly thanks to its energy label A and the increased weighting of the label (48 out of 192 points). In the case of the non-independent housing unit, there are many adjustments compared to the old system, including the recent inclusion of the EPA. Notably, the valuation of (shared) outdoor space plays a role, contributing 9.74 out of 52 points, as well as the WOZ value, which accounts for 12 out of 52 points.