You have more flexibility when renting because you can easily cancel your rental agreement. The rental contract states the notice period, with one month being common.
"},"title":"1. Flexibility"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Besides the rent you pay, you have fewer additional costs if you rent rather than buy a home. The owner (landlord) is responsible for maintenance, insurance and taxes. Remember, however, that the rent you pay can increase every year (in Dutch).
"},"title":"2. Fewer additional costs"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"You run no financial risk if the property loses value. On the other hand, you miss out on the opportunity to build up capital over the long term. For this reason, make sure that you save or invest money every month to build up a nest egg.
"},"title":"3. No financial risk if house prices drop"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"If you want to change something in the house and make it completely to your taste, you may well find that your rental contract restricts your freedom in this respect. In any case, it’s not a good idea to invest money in major changes to a property you don’t own.
"},"title":"4. You can’t simply change the property to your own taste"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"You may be entitled to rental allowance (huurtoeslag) (in Dutch), depending on the level of your income and savings, among other things.
"},"title":"5. Right to housing benefit"}],"title":{"value":"The 5 pros and cons of renting
"}}],"componentType":"actionAccordion"},{"actionAccordionList":[{"paragraphs":[{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"If you buy a property, you usually build up capital over the long -term. If you pay off the mortgage in full, the property is all yours. If you then decide to sell, you will find you have hundreds of thousands of euros in assets.
"},"title":"1. Build up capital"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"If you take out a mortgage, you know where you stand in terms of monthly costs for the entire period that your mortgage runs. The rent on a house usually rises annually due to inflation, but this is not the case with your mortgage. Subject to certain rules, you can also deduct the mortgage interest you pay from your income, so you pay less income tax.
"},"title":"2. No problems with annual rent increases (due to inflation)"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"You have to pay the maintenance costs yourself. This could vary from replacing a broken tap to major roof repairs, so make sure you have some cash tucked away for these expenses.
"},"title":"3. Any maintenance is at your own expense"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"If you want to move, but your property has fallen in value, you will find yourself with a residual debt due to the negative equity.
"},"title":"4. Risk of negative equity"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"You can completely renovate and change the property the way you want. This may increase its value. If you do this and have a mortgage with us, your monthly repayments could be reduced in certain circumstances.
"},"title":"5. Change your home to your liking"}],"title":{"value":"The 5 pros and cons of buying
"}}],"componentType":"actionAccordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Still unsure?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"First list the costs:
A mortgage advisor will be happy to share their thoughts about the best way to proceed in your situation. You can base your options on your current rent, for example. You will then find out what you need to take into account. A free exploratory consultation lasts an hour, without committing you to anything.
"}},{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"text":"Schedule free orientation meeting","url":"https://www.ing.nl/en/personal/mortgage/contact/cmnl-english?subscrid=cmnl-mort-engelstalig"}},{"cardsList":{"cards":[{"body":"Want to know what you can offer on your first home? Start by calculating your maximum mortgage.","cardSize":"small","cardType":"article","componentType":"articleCard","image":{"altTextEN":"Home","altTextFR":"Maison","altTextNL":"Huis","extension":"png","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/78f2f03c-e470-4211-9f91-b0e95d62c2a1/Batibouw-money-home.png","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/78f2f03c-e470-4211-9f91-b0e95d62c2a1/Batibouw-money-home","type":"image","width":400},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home/calculate-starters-mortgage"},"title":"What can I borrow?"},{"body":"Buying your first home in 5 steps. We explain each step, so as a first‑time buyer you won’t miss a thing.","cardSize":"small","cardType":"article","componentType":"articleCard","image":{"extension":"svg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/52f6164a-bb0e-4644-a6e8-b4046c5df13c/handinspectinghousesmagnifyingglassnopadding.svg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/52f6164a-bb0e-4644-a6e8-b4046c5df13c/handinspectinghousesmagnifyingglassnopadding","type":"image","width":0},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home/step-by-step-guide-to-buying-your-first-house"},"title":"Buying a home: what’s involved?"},{"body":"That means you may be able to borrow a little less. But even with a student loan debt, you can still get a mortgage.","cardSize":"small","cardType":"article","componentType":"articleCard","image":{"extension":"svg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/2b7ad55a-7468-4cb9-b088-09b27f46c59e/mortarboardhateducationnopadding.svg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/2b7ad55a-7468-4cb9-b088-09b27f46c59e/mortarboardhateducationnopadding","type":"image","width":128},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home/student-loan-debt"},"title":"Graduated, with a student loan debt?"},{"body":"All the essential information you need to buy your first home, in one place. This is where your house-hunting journey begins.","cardSize":"small","cardType":"article","componentType":"articleCard","image":{"extension":"svg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/813d8f4b-036b-476d-a8ff-ecc4f266a721/Arrows-Arrow_Circle_Left_Filledin.svg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/813d8f4b-036b-476d-a8ff-ecc4f266a721/Arrows-Arrow_Circle_Left_Filledin","type":"image","width":24},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home"},"title":"Back to overview"}],"componentType":"cards"},"componentType":"horizontalCardsList","link":{"url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home/view-all-page---rent-or-buy"},"title":"Buying your first home"},{"componentType":"linkList","iconTitle":{"title":"Useful information when buying your first home"},"linkListCTA":{"textLink":{"text":"Back to overview","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home"}},"textLinks":[{"text":"Calculate your maximum mortgage","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home/calculate-starters-mortgage"},{"text":"Current mortgage interest rates","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/current-mortgage-rates"},{"text":"Everything about new-build homes","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/newbuild"},{"text":"Mortgage types","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/mortgage-types"},{"text":"Mortgage advice","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/mortgage-advice"},{"text":"Contact","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/contact"},{"text":"Energy label and mortgage interest rate","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/current-mortgage-rates/the-energy-label-and-your-mortgage-interest-rate"},{"text":"Buyer’s costs","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buyers-costs"}]}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"f1c176bd-0671-4384-9ada-0766a82ef4b6","legalZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"
The English text of the website is a translation of the Dutch original version. This translation is intended for the customers convenience only. In case of any discrepancies between the two versions, the original Dutch version shall prevail. The mortgage offer and contract will be signed in Dutch. Also, all further communication after signing the mortgage contract will be in Dutch. You acknowledge and accept this. If any assistance or clarification is needed, we recommend contacting your mortgage advisor or to call our customer service via the ING app.
"},"title":"Good to know"}]},"localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Buying your first home","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-your-first-home"}},"componentType":"productHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"Should you rent or buy a home? It’s important you don’t overlook anything when making your decision. Think carefully about what’s important to you, both now and in the future.","headerImage":{"extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/d94b12c1-b10a-462d-86fe-f5102d5c2bd8/A-happy-couple-are-hugging-on-the-front-porch-of-a-house.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/d94b12c1-b10a-462d-86fe-f5102d5c2bd8/A-happy-couple-are-hugging-on-the-front-porch-of-a-house","type":"image","width":6000},"subtitle":"The most important advantages and disadvantages","title":"Rent or buy a house?"},"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"text":"Discuss your options","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/contact"}},"secondaryCta":{"textLink":{"text":"A free mortgage consultation","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/mortgage-advice"}}},"publishDate":"2026-04-15T16:12:07.774+02:00"}}