How to find a rental place in the Netherlands in 2021 and beyond?!

Finding a rental place is currently one of the biggest challenges people face when settling down in the Netherlands.

Whether you are 100% Dutch and lived here all your life or whether you’re an expat, it’s difficult for all of us.

As a housing portal, we are trying to make this whole process a bit easier for everyone, but in most cases people need even more help.

So in this blog we’re going to share some extra tips & tricks on how to find and properly settle in a rental house in the Netherlands. 

From where to start your search to sealing the deal.

(For tips on pricing, check our previous blog on rental prices in the Netherlands)

So let’s start at the beginning… (probably the most difficult part of the whole process)

How to find a rental place in the Netherlands in 2021

Unless you have a huge bank account or know someone who owns an apartment in the Netherlands, you’re most likely going to face some challenges.

1. The first thing you need to know is that finding a rental house will take time. On average, people take up to 3 months to find a rental place in the Netherlands. So make sure you start as soon as you can and don’t end up on the couch of one of your friends who started early enough.

2. This might be stating the obvious, but ask friends, family or co-students if they know something. You never know what it might lead to.

3. Local municipalities often offer accessible ways to find a rental house. For example, for housing near Rotterdam, you can register on https://www.woonnetrijnmond.nl, for housing close to Amsterdam it’s https://www.woningnetregioamsterdam.nl. These websites usually offer rental houses that are lower priced in order for you to apply for ‘huursubsidie’ (a subsidy for renting a house). However, they often have long waiting queues and a lot of people looking for houses..

4. Are you studying? Then there's a big chance that your university might offer some help on finding a house, especially if you’re an expat!

5. When the above options don’t work (and they are often a long-shot), the next best option is to keep an eye on local realtors. There’s plenty of them offering new rental properties everyday. As the market is moving at a fast pace, it’s best to check in daily and respond as fast as you can.

6. Because there’s so many of these local realtors, there are websites like us - www.huurportaal.nl. We collect all the rental properties from these local realtors and give landlords the opportunity to directly post rental properties on our website. In this way, rental-seekers can easily get an overview of the rental offers near them, without having to check so many different websites.

How to respond to a rental property

After hours of scrolling you finally see a beautiful property that is available, yaay! 

But what now? How do you convince the landlord that you - and not the other 99 people who will be responding - should get the property?

Well, that’s a tough question. But here are some tips that could help you stand out from the crowd:

1. Be FAST. Period. No time to waste as there are so many others that will respond.

2. Do not be like the average tinder guy and say “hey”. It speaks for itself that this does not convince any landlord that you are the right person for the property. Instead, give the landlord enough information to get an idea of  who you are, what you are doing in life, and what type of roomie you are. 

3. If possible, make sure you have a folder ready with all the necessary information like your ID, income slip and other relevant documents. This way you make it easier for the landlord to decide, and it shows that you’re prepared!

4. Include a photo or video of yourself to get the landlord a better image of how you look.

How to ‘seal the deal’ when viewing a rental property

OMG, you made it to the viewing!

What now?

Well, don’t panic! Here’s what to do. 

When it comes to viewing a rental property in the Netherlands, it’s all about being punctual, prepared and again; FAST!

Make sure you bring all the necessary documents you need to apply for it - if you didn’t have to send them already. 

But before that, be on time! It shows that you’re serious about renting the property and again, gives the realtor an indication of trustworthiness.

Lastly, do you actually like the place? Let the realtor or owner know right away. 

Really, right away. Don’t wait, because there might be others who showed interest 1 minute before you. 

And that could be the difference between you getting a rental property or sleeping on your friend’s couch again.