Up to 1,300 construction projects across the Netherlands may be paused due to the suspension of quality inspectors, the Association of Dutch Municipalities warns.
Three major quality assurance inspection firms were suspended, including Borgings Combinatie Nederland from Heerlen and the Bureau Kwaliteitsborging from Amersfoort, on Aug. 24 and 25, respectively.
Another firm, Signal Measurement and Control Systems, was suspended on May 12, according to the Admission Body for Construction Quality Assurance.
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Projects potentially halted include new builds under Class 1, or gevolgklasse 1, such as industrial buildings no more than two storeys high and single-family homes.
Quality assurance providers carry out on-site checks during the design phase and make sure a project complies with all the statutory technical requirements.
If the quality assurance provider conducting the inspection is suspended, the municipality must immediately pause all construction activities until another authorized quality assurance inspector is hired to take over.
It is unclear how long the suspension of the three quality assurance firms will last.
Trade association Bouwend Nederland said that who bears the costs caused by delays can vary per project.
In theory, the developer is required to pay the additional costs. However, certain contracts include a clause stating that the contractor is responsible for hiring the quality assurance inspector, which makes it liable for any extra costs incurred.
The suspension comes as the Netherlands faces a serious housing crisis. The aim to build 100,000 new homes per year hasn’t been achieved for several years, with an approximate shortage of 410,000 homes as of 2026, equal to 4.8% of the total housing stock.
The rental market, in turn, has been severely hit and faces mounting pressure from dwindling supply, additional rental controls, and slow construction rates. In the second quarter, 11,389 new rental homes were listed, while 12,150 homes were taken off the market, according to data from Pararius, meaning there were 761 fewer homes available.
The Dutch government is looking to take a firmer hand in addressing this crisis over the next few years. The coalition set aside an additional €1B per year for affordable housing from 2029 onward.
In addition, the coalition wants to make it more appealing for rental property landlords by reducing the transfer tax on non-owner-occupied properties from 8% to 7% from 2027.
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