Rotterdam Fails to Curb Housing Fraud for Migrant Workers in Carnisse District

An investigative report by NRC reveals that the municipality of Rotterdam is failing to effectively combat housing fraud involving migrant workers in the Carnisse district, despite new legislation and political promises. Inspectors frequently encounter closed doors and uncooperative landlords while observing signs of severe overcrowding, extortion, and potential human trafficking. Although Minister Hugo de Jonge and local officials promised stricter enforcement through the Good Landlordship Act to protect vulnerable tenants, evidence suggests that enforcement remains stagnant. Migrant workers, often from Bulgaria, Poland, and Uzbekistan, live as 'ghost residents' without contracts or proper registration, paying exorbitant rents for substandard conditions. Inspectors express frustration at their inability to intervene, noting that exploitative landlords mock their efforts. The article highlights specific cases where inspectors counted numerous entrants into suspicious properties but could not gain access or impose fines, illustrating a systemic gap between legal frameworks and on-the-ground reality in one of the Netherlands' most problematic neighborhoods.