Renting in the Netherlands has become considerably more expensive in recent years. Expats are also victims of this. The main reason for this is that they have no knowledge of Dutch Rental law and usually only have a short period of time to find a home. As a result, expats often pay too much for their rental home. To prevent this and other problems, you will find five tips for expats looking for a rental home in this article.
1. Start your search early
It is especially difficult to find suitable accommodation in the big cities. In addition, there is a lot of competition and the prices are very high. Landlords take advantage of your weak position. If a landlord knows that you are urgently looking, he will take advantage of this by charging a higher rent or by including other unfair provisions in the rental contract. So take enough time to look for a home.
Tip 2. Know how much you want to spend
In addition to the rent, you often pay additional costs. These costs are also known as service costs. You pay this for the consumption of gas, water and electricity. Also the use of furniture and the internet subscription may fall under service costs. Always check carefully what is included in the rental price so that you are not confronted with high costs afterwards.
Tip 3. Be careful with real estate agents!
Real estate agents almost always work on behalf of the landlord. Sometimes it seems as if the agent is helping you in your search for a home, while he actually represents the interests of the landlord. You should take this into account in particular when drawing up the rental contract, which specifies the duration of the contract and the amount of the rent.
Tip 4. Arrange for a copy of the rental contract
Some landlords do not send the rental contract after it has been signed. Make sure your landlord gives you a copy signed by both parties. This is important so that you can always easily view what you have agreed with the landlord. In particular, agreements about the duration of the contract, the amount and composition of the rent and the way in which you must terminate the contract are very important. Also make sure that you keep all agreements that you make with the landlord outside the rental contract.
Tip 5. Involve Bumarang in your search for a new home
It is wise to involve Bumarang in your search for a new rental home. In this way, Bumarang can provide advice in advance so that problems are prevented in the future. In addition, Bumarang can immediately calculate whether the rental price is fair. After you have concluded the contract, Bumarang can immediately start arranging a lower rental price for you.
Are you looking for a rental property or have you recently moved into a new home? Then contact Bumarang to find out whether you are paying an unfair rental price. Do you want to calculate your rent yourself? Then fill in the rent check.