Month: January 2018

In general, it is most safe to rent via an organisation that is a member of the Dutch association of estate agents (Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars known – NVM). If you consider renting via an unaffiliated makelaar (real estate agent), the following tips can help:

• Does it sound too good to be true? Then it probably is
• Avoid landlords who only offer an email address, a mobile phone number and/or a Facebook page. Ask for a business address or a residential address, check the person or company via the internet and check the ID. Be aware that ID’s sent via email can be fake
• Visit the property before accepting it. If you can’t do this by yourself because you are abroad, ask somebody else to do it on your behalf
• Check who owns the house/apartment via the kadaster (property register) at www.kadaster.nl/web/artikel/producten/Eigendomsinformatie (mainly in Dutch). In order to obtain the information, a small fee has to be paid. If the landlord and the owner are not the same, ask for a written explanation that the landlord/agency is acting on behalf of the owner
• Before paying your landlord, make sure the keys work
• Pay by bank. If this is not possible, make sure you have a receipt signed by the landlord. When you pay in cash, consider recording the conversation via your mobile phone
• Keep a file of all emails and other document
• If your landlord doesn’t allow you to register with the municipality at that address, he is most likely doing something illegal

Not sure? Have further questions? Consult here the different organisations that offers the latest updates on rules and regulations as well as legal advise.

ACCESS cannot offer legal advice directly. However, the following organisations can assist you concerning disputes with your landlord:

• Fair rent commission (Huurcommisie): this is an independent organisation that mediates differences between you and the landlord about maintenance, rental price and costs of additional services. You can visit their website on www.huurcommissie.nl (in Dutch only) or contact them for free and in English. Their telephone number is:0800-4887243  (free of charge). The huurcommissie deals with issues between tenant and landlord only for for social housing.
• Dutch Legal Desk (Het Juridisch Loket): this is a legal desk that helps you with legal questions including those about property rentals. You may contact them via their website Juridischloket.nl (in Dutch only, not always available) or call them at 0800 8020 (free of charge)
• !WOON: this is an independent not-for-profit organisation.  It offers free advice and support on tenancy rights if you live in Amsterdam, Aalsmeer, Amstelveen, Diemen, Haarlem or Zaanstad. You can visit their website on www.wooninfo.nl/english.
• Your municipality. All municipalities have a point of contact for tenants who have issues with their landlord. If it turns out that your landlord asks more rent than allowed, the municipality is obliged to take action, e.g. a fine or a warning.

If you need a list of lawyers in your area who could offer you legal advice, please contact the ACCESS Helpdesk here

When you have signed a rental contract, it is final. However, if there are any issues in the contract that are against the law, the law is always binding. If you think this might be the case, it is best to seek legal advice. You should, of course, discuss the issues with your landlord and see if he is willing to change the contract.

We advise you to insist on a formal check by the owner or the agent. Under normal circumstances, a checklist will be filled in regarding the condition of the house, furnishings and fixtures, and the condition of the exterior/garden. To avoid any conflict when you leave the property, it is advisable to check the following beforehand: the inside of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, curtains and carpeting are clean, and the garden is neat and tidy. The central heating and chimneys should have been checked and serviced. You are expected to hand the house back to the owner in the same condition as you received it. It is best to take photos with dates as evidence for your records so getting back your deposit later should not be an issue. Also the meter stand readings for the electricity, water and gas should be noted.

In many cities households have two separate waste containers: green for waste from vegetables, fruit and garden (groente-, fruit- en tuinafval, GFT) and grey/brown for all remaining waste (restafval). Both containers are emptied once a week or alternating weeks. If your municipality has decided that household waste should be compulsorily separated, you will receive a fine for non-organic waste placed in the green container.

You need to put your waste/bins outside your house at the time set by your municipality. If you don’t, you may be fined.

Glass, paper, plastic and clothing/textiles, medicines and batteries, small electrical appliances and bulbs can be deposited in special containers in your neighbourhood.  Bottles and cans should be returned for cash. Other types of waste (oversized household waste, domestic chemical waste etc.) can be brought to one of the city’s garbage and recycling stations.

If you live in an apartment building with rubbish bins or underground containers, you can throw away your rubbish in these containers anytime. Be aware of any specific rules that may apply to the tenants of the building.

In the Netherlands, telephone, Internet and TV are available digitally and/or via cable. Many providers offer bundles of all three services. It is important to bear in mind the length of your stay and your location, as not all providers have a complete country network. Satellite television is also an option, but you need to fix a satellite dish in the right direction and there are regulations covering this

For both landline and mobile telephone, there are several providers offering subscriptions. For mobile phones, you can also choose for a prepaid option instead of a subscription but they are usually more expensive. Top-up cards can be bought at most telephone stores and supermarkets. It is also possible to top up your prepaid credit via the Internet and by phone. Nowadays, if you have a subscription with a mobile company in an EU country you can use internet and phone calls at the usual rates. Calls within the EU have no roaming costs anymore.

It is advisable to compare price, quality and always read the small print. You can compare tariffs and conditions at the following websites:

• For All-in-1 bundles & Internet+phone subscriptions visit: Breedbandwinkel.nl/expats (in Dutch only)
• For a comparison of prices of different providers visit: Bellen.com (in Dutch only) or Prijsvergelijken.nl/compare-broadband

For your information 0800 numbers are toll free; 0900 numbers are charged (per call or minute).

In many cases, the utilities (gas, water and electricity) will already be available in your home and you only need to transfer them into your name. Your makelaar (real estate agent) will usually help you with transferring contracts of your new home to your name. We suggest you to bear in mind the following:

• Note and check the meter readings when moving into another house as bills are based on the previous year’s consumption for the property. Discrepancies are corrected at the end of the year and refunds or additional bills are issued accordingly
•  Gas and electricity are both supplied by the same provider; water is arranged separately
• If the rent is inclusive, check your contract carefully for what is covered

Should you need to set up a account see below the pre-requisites:

• A passport or ID card (proof of identity)
• Proof of occupancy (rental contract, house deeds)
• A bank statement or proof of residence available from the municipality’s personal records database (Basisregistratie Persoonsgegevens (BRP))

Please note that he Dutch energy market is privatised, thus enabling you to choose or change your supplier. Regulatory authorities ensure fair practices and tariffs.

Products, tariffs and services may vary from company to company. Should you decide to change company, remember to check and be aware of the conditions for cancelling a contract or switching providers. Here some tips for choosing a service provider:

• Check the term of your contract to know when you can switch for free. If you want to switch immediately check the cost of doing it before the term in the contract ends
• Check what you’re paying for electricity and gas as opposed to what you consume
• Compare the prices and contracts of various energy companies
• Determine whether you want the contract for a definite period or indefinite
• Check whether you want grey or green energy
• Check whether you have a fixed price or variable price to pay
• Keep an eye on special promotions or discounts
• Check the terms and conditions of the contract carefully
• Check whether there are any hidden costs, for example, energy tax, standing charges and transportation costs
• Check the payment options, for example what is the cost of paying by giro

Useful links

• Find out which water company is covering your area at www.vewin.nl (enter your postcode on the top-right box ‘Zoek uw waterbedrijf’)
• Compare energy suppliers in the Netherlands on  comparison sites such as www.pricewise.nl/energie-vergelijken/ (Dutch only) , www.gaslicht.com (Dutch only)  and www.independer.nl/energie/intro.aspx (Dutch only)
• To know more about how to connect to all utilities and billing-related queries check Expatica on www.expatica.com/nl/living/household/utilities-netherlands-100581/

If a rental contract is in your partner’s name and she/he is planning to move out, you will not be allowed to continue living there unless you can get the name in the contract changed. Best practice is to put both the names in the contract initially.