Three quarters of students in the Netherlands pay too much for a room in a shared student house or with private individuals, according to research by student union LSVb.

On average they pay €314 a month for a small room in a shared property, which is €50 too much, the LSVb says.

In Amsterdam, Leiden and Utrecht average rents for a room are more than €100 a month more expensive than they should be, the student body says.

Utrecht tops the list. Some 31% of students pay more than €300 month more than they should for a room. In Amsterdam, one in four students is overcharged by such a large amount.

‘Students have a weak position in the housing market and landlords are taking advantage of them,’ union chairman Tom Hoven says in the Telegraaf. ‘Steps need to be taken in cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and Leiden to make sure there is a level playing field with other student cities.’

Students who live in what is considered to be an ‘independent’ property, with private bathroom and kitchen, pay an average of €500 a month, the LSVb says.