Carer may lose rented home when her terminally ill mother dies
Housing minister Boekholt-O'Sullivan says she cannot decide whether a carer who lived with her dying mother counts as a common household, in answer to parliamentary questions (Kamervragen) received on 28 October 2026. The questions concerned a woman who has cared for her terminally ill mother for years and risks losing the rented home when her mother dies.
The minister, who also answered on behalf of the long-term care minister, said the landlord must assess each individual case.
She is working with the state secretary for Justice and Security on a bill that would give rent protection to all orphans who lived with a tenant parent who has died, whoever the landlord is. It would add to the existing Wet huurbescherming weeskinderen, which protects orphans aged 16 to 28 in rented homes.
Until then, orphans who lived with a late tenant parent but did not have a lasting common household with them can be offered a temporary contract of up to two years.
I agree with you that carers play an indispensable role in Dutch society.Minister Boekholt-O'Sullivan
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Kamervragen
Parliamentary questions: written questions that members of the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) put to a minister or state secretary about a policy or a specific case. The minister answers in writing, and the questions and answers are published, so they are a common way for MPs to press the government for a position on a matter.
Wet huurbescherming weeskinderen
The Dutch law on rent protection for orphans, which protects orphaned young people aged 16 to 28 who live in a rented home. It allows them to keep living in the home they shared with a parent who was the tenant and has died, rather than losing it because of the death.