What’s Really Like to Live in Hospi Housing

Abdelrhman Ali, or Abdo for short, moved to the Netherlands in September 2025. Like many internationals wanting to move to the country, he quickly became aware of the Dutch housing crisis and immediately began searching for accommodation months in advance. Fortunately, his search led him to Hospi Housing, an experience that would shape his first months in the Netherlands in a surprisingly positive way. 

But what exactly is Hospi Housing? Also known as hospitaverhuur, it is a type of housing arrangement in which a person rents a room in a home that is also occupied by the host. The tenant and landlord usually share common spaces such as the kitchen or bathroom. Unlike regular renting, Hospi Housing is often more personal and social, since both people live under the same roof. 

Before moving, Abdo had already heard about how difficult it could be to find housing in the Netherlands. Once he started looking himself, he quickly realized how competitive the market really was. Still, he managed to secure a place fairly quickly through Hospi Housing. According to him, the process felt simple, straightforward, and much easier than he had expected. 

Living together with landlords was a completely new experience for Abdo, but right from the start, it turned out to be a positive one. The couple he rents from has been welcoming and friendly, and the apartment is located in the centre of Leiden. 

While Abdo’s experience still captures the community aspect of Hospi Housing, his living arrangement differs somewhat from the traditional setup. Because the house is quite large, he has his own facilities, including a kitchen, toilet, and bathroom. The only area he shares with the rest of the household is the laundry space and washing machine. The same arrangement applies to the other two tenants living in the house. 

As a result, daily interaction between everyone in the house is fairly limited. However, there is still a sense of connection within the household. They occasionally share dinner together or stop for conversations when they run into one another in the corridors. For Abdo, this balance works perfectly. Since he highly values privacy and personal space, he says the arrangement feels very similar to living in a traditional apartment, while still offering companionship whenever he wants it. 

The relaxed atmosphere in the house also contributes to this balance. Rather than following strict rules, everyone simply communicates openly with one another. Abdo is free to invite friends over as long as he lets the landlords know beforehand, and in return, they always inform him in advance if they need to carry out any work in his room. He also describes himself as naturally quiet, something that fits well with the calm environment of the house. 

Beyond housing itself, adjusting to life in the Netherlands has come with cultural differences as well. Abdo explains that he has mostly been focused on adapting to living in a new country, so he has not yet picked up many Dutch traditions at home, especially since interaction with his landlords is relatively limited. Still, he has noticed that Dutch people tend to be down-to-earth and welcoming toward internationals. So far, the biggest challenge for him has not been the housing situation, but rather adapting to the Dutch weather. 

When it comes to comfort, location, and facilities, Abdo considers his current accommodation almost perfect, at least for one person. However, he does not see it as a permanent solution because of the limited space. While he can comfortably invite friends over for meals or spend afternoons together, the apartment is too small to host overnight guests. Looking ahead, he also knows that if he eventually gets married or wants to start a family, he will need to find a place of his own. Aside from the size, though, he feels the apartment is ideal. 

Financially, Abdo admits he still has little experience with rental prices in the Netherlands, since this is the first time he has rented accommodation in the country. Naturally, he would prefer a cheaper option, but after speaking with friends living in the Netherlands, he came to realize that the amount he pays is actually quite reasonable within the current Dutch housing market. 

Overall, Abdo describes his experience with Hospi Housing as overwhelmingly positive. Finding accommodation through the platform was easy, the process felt clear and accessible, and he says he would definitely choose Hospi Housing again in the future. However, if he ever had to search again, he would specifically look for a setup similar to the one he has now rather than a more traditional shared arrangement. When he first applied, he was not intentionally searching for this type of accommodation, he simply got lucky. But because he values privacy and independence, he now feels that this balance suits him perfectly. 

At the same time, one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience has been the sense of connection it provides. In many ways, Abdo says it feels like he has found a second family. When he first moved into the apartment, the landlords welcomed him with flowers, and since then they have celebrated birthdays together and shared small everyday moments as a household. 

In a country where the housing crisis often makes finding accommodation stressful and impersonal, Abdo’s experience with Hospi Housing offered something unexpected: not only a place to live, but also a sense of belonging. For him, the arrangement created the ideal balance between independence, privacy, and companionship.