This mainly concerns the private rental sector, but also applies to the owner-occupied sector: there, 2 percent of the living rooms and 8 percent of the bedrooms are still single-glazed.

lack of housing

Woonbond sounds the alarm and considers it necessary to introduce a policy to deal with single-pane windows in the rental sector, especially the private rental sector. According to the tenants interest group, this can be considered a disadvantage in a home with a single glass. Just like a leak, this defect must be addressed by the owner as it is within the obligation of maintenance.

“In this case, water is not seeping into the house, but heat is seeping out of the house,” says Woonbond manager Zeno Winkels. If the landlord does not take action after submitting a report from the tenant, it should lower the rent in relation to the Woonbond.

Accelerated Sustainability

The union has already made agreements with housing associations and the government on accelerated sustainability, where the least economical homes are dealt with first. Agreements were also concluded regarding the isolation of rental properties without a corresponding increase in rent.

According to the union, there is no additional commitment from private owners in accelerated sustainability. Woonbond sees this as “irresponsible”, especially in light of rising energy prices.

Angel treatment

The House of Representatives is meeting today about making the built environment more sustainable, and so Woonbond is calling on politicians to really work on the single-glass approach now.

Winkles: “Make sure it’s going to cost single-glazed landlords who don’t move the money, rather than renters who have nowhere to go and fix their energy bill.”