Local property taxes (ozb) will not rise more than the 2.45% agreed with the government for 2014, according to home owners’ lobby group VEH.

The VEH bases its claim on contact with 109 of the 408 councils in the Netherlands.

The ozb is the biggest source of income for councils and is based on an official valuation of what a property is worth. Each council decides on what its tax rate will be, but for 2014 the total rise must not exceed 2.45%.

According to the Nos, 142 councils will raise their tax rate in 2014. They will do so to compensate for the drop in property values.

The VEH figures show that Koggenland council in the province of Noord-Holland will have the biggest rise in property tax. But despite the rise of 23%, Koggenland will still have one of the lowest overall charges.

Councils which will raise their ozb rate in 2014 told the VEH that other local taxes, such as water rates and rubbish collection, will be held down.