If you own a vacant building in the Netherlands, such as an office or school, you could decide to let it temporarily. If you want to do so, you need a permit from your municipality. One of the conditions to obtain this permit is that the building can be made inhabitable relatively easy. The maximum letting period is 10 years.
Permit application form
You can apply for the permit using the Dutch-language permit application form on the website of the Dutch government.
Expert team converting offices to houses
As a municipality, owner or other party involved, if you want to transform a vacant office into houses and need further information, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency expert team (in Dutch) advices municipalities on the possibilities of office transformation.
Real estate repurposing tool
You can use the Dutch-language real estate repurposing tool (Regelhulp VastgoedTransformatie) to help you determine the possibilities of converting offices or other buildings to permanent housing. The tool covers 3 issues: social feasibility, building and design options, and financial viability.