Households in some parts of the Netherlands face an increase in local council taxes of more than 10% this year, according to research by homeowners association VEH. 

On average, families are facing a bill for council services, including waste collection and sewage of €951, and that is almost 6% up on last year, the lobby group said on Wednesday.

Local taxes, such as OZB, are based on official property values (WOZ) and letters informing residents about the charges have been dropping through letterboxes for the past few weeks. Property values, based on January 2023, have gone up by an average of 42.%.

Rotterdam has the highest increase of the big five cities with total local council taxes rising 12%. In Amsterdam, the average rise is just 3%, in The Hague 5%, in Utrecht 9% and Eindhoven 7%. Check your council.

Locals in the wealthy Dutch town of Bloemendaal will pay an average of €1,561 a year in local taxes. The cheapest place to live is Rijssen-Holten in Overijssel, where the average payment is €634.

In 50 council areas the rise in local taxes is above 10% with increases of over 20% in Baarle-Nassau, Gorinchem, Schiermonnikoog and Heemstede.