Housing

There are generally 3 different states of houses for rent:

• Gemeubileerd – fully furnished

• Gestoffeered – basic furnishings such as a stove, kitchen cupboards, light fittings, flooring, blinds etc. – there may be one or two pieces of furniture left by the owner, but this isn’t guaranteed

• Kaal – no flooring, light fittings, wallpaper / paint, stove, fridge

What should you budget for rent?

Depending on what you choose, your rent can be anywhere from €1300.00 to €1,800.00 per month and upwards, depending on the type, area, state (furnished, bare, empty) and size of the house.  Houses further away from city centres are generally less expensive. Check if the rental cost is inclusive or exclusive of water, gas, electricity and sometimes internet. If the cost is exclusive, you will need to register in your personal capacity with water and gas companies.

A rental deposit will most likely be required and the amount seems to vary from 1 month to 2 months (as of 1 July 2023 the government has limited the deposit to a maximum of 2 months).  There may also be an estate agent fee – depending on the agency.  Please make sure that you have access to enough “start-up” cash as finding a place to rent will be one of the more expensive items in the beginning. We recommend in the region of €4,000.00 to €6,000.00 – depending on your own situation and choice – e.g. you may need to buy furniture from scratch etc. Some South Africans have used traditional traveller cheques, while others have used a Visa / Mastercard Travel Card.

Tips when looking for a rental property

“Per direct beschikbaar” means available immediately.

If you are relocating your pet(s), it will be important to find out upfront whether the owner will allow pets or not. You may be required to pay an extra month's deposit as pets are seen as high risk to owners.

While we don't provide housing assistance, we can recommend J&B Makelaars. They are a team of South Africans and they will arrange and negotiate everything for you regarding your rental accommodation: https://www.jbmakelaars.nl/. They have helped a number of our previous clients secure a rental before they arrived in the Netherlands. Bridgette Ball (engagements@jbmakelaars.nl) will be able to advise you on suitable areas and the rental options available at the time of your move.