Housing expenditure and housing policy in the West European rental sector

This contribution depicts therecent development of the housing expenditure quotefor various income groups in the social and privaterented sector in six West European countries. Thedevelopment reflects the similar policy efforts inthese countries, not only to reduce the regulatoryand subsidizing role of government but also topromote market mechanisms within the housing system.The analysis shows a recent rise in the gross aswell as the net rent quote in both rental sectors ofthe six countries. The one exception is the privaterented sector in Belgium. Despite the application ofhousing allowances, the lower-income groups have hadthe biggest increase in net rent quote. In addition,all six countries have recently seen an increase inthe concentration of low-income groups in the socialrented sector, where their presence was alreadystrong. If this trend persists, it will affect theposition of the social rented sector, the sociallandlords, but especially the low-income groups inboth the private and the social rented sector.