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Housing Now! Social Rental Agency

We manage properties with guaranteed security — providing peace of mind for owners and affordable rent for tenants.

The first operational Social Rental Agency in Hungary

What do we do?

We manage privately owned apartments through our Social Rental Agency, renting them out as social or service housing at reduced rates. This model benefits both landlords and tenants. We reduce risks for property owners — for example by handling maintenance issues, tenant communication, and ensuring regular rent payments. In return, landlords offer a discounted rent. As a non-profit organisation, we pass this reduced rent directly on to our tenants, making housing more affordable for them. We welcome applications from tenants who are in difficult life situations but are able to pay rent. By the end of 2025, we were managing 35 apartments within our Social Rental Agency program. 

What does the Housing Now! Social Rental Agency offer?

How renting works

For property owners

If your apartment is standing empty — whether because you live abroad or have had negative experiences with renting — you can turn to us with confidence. Through our Social Rental Agency, we provide guarantees for:the condition of your property, the regular monthly rent payments In return, you receive a reduced but guaranteed rental income. Some landlords choose to offer additional rent reductions as a form of support — this is not expected, only an option. Become our partner in addressing the housing crisis and benefit from a mutually advantageous arrangement. We typically work with contracts of at least two years, ideally longer. We are primarily looking for 1–3 room apartments in Budapest.

I want to rent out my apartment

For tenants

The From Streets to Homes Association is a non-profit organisation. Our Social Rental Agency is small, and our goal is to provide long-term housing solutions. Each year, we are able to offer only a limited number of apartments through open calls. The high level of demand — often many times the available capacity — highlights the need for our work. We welcome applications from people in difficult life situations who are able to take responsibility for paying rent. In addition to this, tenants receive support from our social workers whenever needed. Social housing is primarily available to people moving on from temporary shelters or transitional housing. Service housing is available to social workers and nursery staff through our trade union partners, SZÁD and BDDSZ.  

I need a home

The rental process

1
Initial contact
After submitting the landlord form, we will contact you by phone within approximately five working days. We will discuss the details of your property via phone and/or email. If there is mutual interest, we will arrange a viewing. Afterwards, we will send you our contract templates — prepared with legal expertise — along with the relevant annexes.
2
Technical assessment and valuation
Our team and external experts will inspect your apartment. This includes a full technical assessment of gas, water, and electrical systems. Written reports are provided by certified professionals. If needed, we will suggest essential repairs required before tenants can move in. Based on all property parameters, we determine: the market value of the property, the appropriate rental price We aim to agree on a pricing and payment structure that works for all parties.
3
Contracting
We review all details together, taking into account both your needs and the interests of future tenants. The final contract is prepared in close cooperation with our legal expert. We also include any individual requests in the agreement, prepare a detailed handover protocol, document the condition of the property with photos and/or video, clearly define responsibilities
4
Handover

Based on our internal procedures, we select tenants through an application process. If requested, a notarised declaration of vacating can be signed at the tenant’s expense. At handover the tenant signs the handover protocol, a full inventory is confirmed. After this tenants move in, address registration is completed, utilities are transferred to the tenant’s name. From this point on, you have no further administrative tasks — we handle everything for you.

What our landlords and tenants say

About our Social Rental Agency

“I’m completely satisfied with the Social Rental Agency. The rent is transferred reliably every month, and everything is handled in a fair and professional way. Communication with the tenant is smooth and flexible, and both the tenant and the agency handle different situations well.”
Márta
Owner of a service apartment
“My apartment has been managed by the Social Rental Agency for years, and everything has been running perfectly. I’m glad I can contribute to addressing the housing crisis while knowing that my property is in safe hands.”
András
Owner of a social housing unit
“On a social worker’s salary, I simply couldn’t afford a market-rate apartment. This home has a great layout, a good location, and an affordable price. The owner is great, and so are the people working at the agency.”
Virág
Tenant of a service apartment
“I’m very satisfied with how ULE operates. As a property owner, I don’t have to deal with anything — they handle everything, while I can help someone access housing without extra effort on my part.”
Melinda
Owner of a service apartment

How our program fits into housing policy efforts

Housing as a systemic issue

In recent years, housing prices and rental costs have risen sharply, while the number of social housing units has decreased. In Hungary, around one-third of the population struggles to afford housing costs. Others live in inadequate conditions — in unheated or overcrowded homes, non-residential spaces, or even in makeshift shelters or caves. These are systemic problems for which there is currently no comprehensive solution at the state level, as Hungary lacks an overarching housing policy. Our Social Rental Agency provides a direct solution for our tenants. At the same time, it also serves as a model that can be adopted by municipalities and public institutions. We have supported the launch of housing programs by several municipalities and organisations through direct collaboration and advisory work. For partnership opportunities, please contact us at: info@utcarollakasba.hu 

View policy materials

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you get in touch with us?

After submitting the landlord form, we will contact you by phone within approximately five working days. If you still have questions after reading the FAQ, feel free to email us at info@utcarollakasba.hu. Please include “Social Rental Agency” in the subject line.

In recent years, housing and rental prices have increased sharply, while the number of social housing units has decreased. Today, around 3 million people in Hungary are affected by housing poverty. Many struggle to afford housing or live in inadequate conditions — such as unheated or overcrowded homes. These are systemic issues, and currently there is no comprehensive housing policy to address them. Our Social Rental Agency provides direct support to those affected, serves as a model for municipalities and public institutions.
If your apartment is empty and you don’t have the time or capacity to manage it, we take over all administrative and operational responsibilities. We can also help with renovation, furnishing (in some cases). We provide guarantees for the condition of the property, regular monthly rent payments. Many landlords join because they live abroad, they lack funds for renovation, they value stability over maximum profit, they want to contribute to solving the housing crisis.

Ownership of the property remains fully with the owner at all times. The Social Rental Agency supports the entire rental process, and our organisation guarantees the payment of rent. This means that, as an owner, you can be sure that the agreed rental fee will be transferred to your account every month.
Our services and guarantees include:

  • tenant selection
  • legally compliant preparation of owner and tenancy contracts
  • tax guidance and full tax administration
  • contract management and ongoing communication with tenants
  • complaint handling and monitoring of regular payments
  • regular property inspections
  • coordination with building management (if needed)
  • assistance with transferring utilities into the tenant’s name
  • detailed inventory of furniture and equipment to ensure condition preservation
  • handover documentation including utility meters and readings
  • arrangement of a notarised move-out declaration upon request (at the owner’s expense)
  • comprehensive technical inspection of gas, water, and electrical systems
  • tailored repair proposals for essential works prior to move-in (which can be factored into rent adjustments)

We begin paying the agreed rent from the 30th day after handover, even if the property is temporarily unoccupied.
In the case of social housing, tenants receive intensive social work support, which significantly reduces rental risks. These tenants typically have stable but low incomes — many move in from shelters or transitional housing — and for them, access to affordable housing is a crucial step forward.

In the case of service housing, we also provide administrative support when needed (e.g. utility transfers). As this group is generally less vulnerable, such support is not always required. For this group, property condition checks are carried out annually.

Under current Hungarian law, renting out a property as a private individual is generally subject to personal income tax, with some exceptions. The calculation and payment of tax advances are handled by our organisation as the payer, meaning that the obligation to declare tax advances lies with us. However, as the property owner, you are responsible for submitting your annual tax return. We provide you with the necessary M30 form, and any applicable personal tax benefits should be discussed with our organisation.
Our colleagues determine the market value of your property and the corresponding rental price by taking all relevant parameters into account. Based on your expectations and our calculations, we aim to agree on a pricing and payment structure that is suitable for all parties.
One of the core principles of our organisation is that dignified housing is a fundamental human right, which also means that we aim to provide not just temporary but as long-term housing solutions as possible for our clients. If your apartment requires minor technical improvements and you do not have the time, energy, or financial resources to carry them out, it is also more beneficial for you to repay any pre-financed costs over a longer period, interest-free.
From your perspective as an owner, the main difference lies in the level of net income you would like to receive from renting out your apartment, or in other words, how much of the market rental price you are willing to give up. If you accept half or less of the average market rent, the apartment can be used as social housing, in which case you provide a home for people and families in difficult situations with low incomes. If the rent falls between 50 and 75 percent of the market rate, your apartment can be used as service housing for people working in the public sector, such as social workers or nursery staff. In this program, we cooperate with the Trade Union of Social Workers (SZÁD) and the Democratic Trade Union of Nursery Workers (BDDSZ).
The renovation process begins depending on the level of investment required to make the apartment habitable. In the case of social housing, minor works, such as painting, are usually carried out by ULE at its own expense, often with the involvement of volunteers. In the case of more significant works, we discuss the options with you individually, and the work is carried out either by our own technical team or by trusted professionals. By mutual agreement, ULE may pre-finance part or all of the renovation costs, and once this is completed, we agree on a realistic move-in date.
Ownership of the property is not affected. However, once the utilities are registered in the tenant’s name, you will have no further administrative responsibilities, and any unpaid bills will be the responsibility of the tenant rather than the owner.