Students increasingly scammed while searching for housing

Paying hundreds of euros just to view a room or putting down a deposit for places that don’t even exist: a growing number of students in the Netherlands are falling victim to scams during their search for housing. This is revealed in a report by the Dutch National Student Union (LSVb).

‘We were shocked by the stories students have shared with us recently – this almost seems like organized crime,’ says Abdelkader Karbache, chairman of the LSVb. Over the past year, the union has seen an explosive increase in the number of reports from students who have been scammed while trying to find a student room.

These reports come in through the ‘Housing Hotline’, a platform run by the LSVb where students can ask questions and report issues regarding the housing market. In 2024, 9.3% of the reports were related to possible scams. By comparison, in 2022 that number was just 1.4%.

Tilburg

The scams range from fake ads in Facebook groups to landlords charging hundreds of euros just for a viewing. According to the LSVb, most reports come from the Randstad region, with Rotterdam topping the list with 51 reports. Tilburg ranks eleventh among nineteen cities, with 5 reports.

International students

The vast majority of reports come from newly arrived international students. According to the LSVb, this group is especially vulnerable, as they often have the hardest time finding housing and don’t know where to look for reliable information.

Chairman Karbache is calling on politicians to come up with solutions. The LSVb also advises educational institutions to better inform (new) international students about the housing shortage and how to recognize and avoid scams in the housing market.

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