Almost half of rental agents in a Dutch test agreed to keep foreigners out

Actors posing as landlords called 200 Dutch rental agents this year and asked whether it was possible not to rent to foreigners: Moroccans, Turks and Poles. 97 of them, or 48.5%, were willing to go along. Only 20% clearly refused and stuck to that.

The results come from the 5th national monitor on discrimination in renting, carried out by the Verwey-Jonker Institute for the government. Housing Minister Boekholt-O’Sullivan sent it to parliament on 4 November.

Another 24.5% of the agents said the choice was up to the landlord, and 5.5% suggested other selection criteria that can still shut out certain groups. In total, 78.5% did not clearly refuse and left room for the request. That is about the same as last year’s 77.5%, and down from 84% in 2020.

Expats as other foreigners

In 36 of the 200 calls, agents brought up expats as possible good tenants. They set them apart from the groups the caller had named, as highly educated people with high salaries and reliable employers. Some also said expats often leave after a while, and presented that as a solution now that they can no longer offer most temporary contracts.

Fewer viewings for Moroccan-sounding names

The researchers also ran 4,096 paired application tests on rental listings on Pararius between December 2025 and May 2026. Applicants with a Moroccan-sounding name were invited to viewings less often. The net discrimination rate was 14% for men and 16% for women.

Last year’s monitor found no significant discrimination for any group tested. This year the researchers again found none for Polish-sounding men’s names or for same-sex couples.

More agents know the rule

There is some progress. In 64% of the calls, agents said that selecting tenants on migration background is not allowed. The researchers say that this awareness does not always change what agents actually do.

What you can do

Landlords and agents may not reject you because of your origin, and they may not ask about your background or religion. Landlords must use a clear selection procedure and explain why another candidate was chosen.

If you think this has happened to you, you can report it to your municipality’s reporting point for good landlord practice, the meldpunt goed verhuurderschap. Municipalities can act against landlords, including with fines, the ministry says. It also plans a national social media campaign this autumn.