Expats in Amsterdam blamed for problems and rising rents

New arrivals in Amsterdam blamed for affordable housing shortage

Noise, rubbish and affordable housing shortages blamed on expats in Amsterdam

An Amsterdam local radio station has hit hard on expats in the city, accusing them of of being the cause of rising rents as well as dropping piles of rubbish on the pavements and screaming in parks and gardens.Initially, Airbnb tourists were blamed, but the radio station is now focusing on the city’s large expat communitym saying expats have more money than locals and don’t understand cultural norms in the Netherlands.

For several decades, Amsterdam has been a hub for younger expats a well as professionals relocating to jobs in financial firms. The total number of international workers in the city climbed to over 77,000 by 2015 and included bankers from the UK, IT specialists from Asia and Eastern European workers. According to an employee of Amsterdam Housing, a property agency specialising in expat rentals, property investors in Amsterdam prefer renting to expats as they can charge more.

Other problems said to involve expats include putting out household rubbish on the wrong day and holding noisy parties in their gardens until late at night. Founder of Expat Mortgages Henk Janssen told the Dutch News if the word ‘expat’ was changed to ‘Syrian’ or ‘Moroccan’, the speaker would be dragged to court. On the rental issue, research conducted by the International Community Advisory Panel shows 79 per cent of expat can’t afford more than €1,500 a month in rent.

ICAP board member Deborah Valentine explained that new expat arrivals aren’t yet part of a network and have no understanding of the Dutch system. This leads to them paying rents considered far too expensive by Dutch nationals as they have no option but to find a place to live. Landlords, she added, are the ones who set the rents, but it’s far easier to blame new arrivals for affordable housing shortages rather than attempt to solve the problem.

Tags: Netherlands, Amsterdam, expats in Amsterdam, affordable housing shortage, noisy parties, rubbish on streets, new expat arrivals, living in Amsterdam, the Dutch system, ICAP, expats blamed for Amsterdam problems,

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