Expat Rental Service - from South Africa to a rental property in the Netherlands

It depends on the apartment or home you are interested in, but in most cases you will find that the deposit is 2 times the basic rent. This is also the maximum since July '23 a landlord is accepted to ask. But in some cases when an apartment or property is unfurnished, it can be the deposit is 1 month rent.

In most cities or municipalities, it is possible to share a property with 1 other person when it is not your partner. In Utrecht it is currently possible to share an apartment or house with 3 people. But next to the local regulations, it is also good to check any critaria from the landlord or renting agency for a property.

The energylabel of a property gives an indication of the consumption and efficiency of the property. Where it goes from good (low consumption/high isolation) to less via the below from top to bottom:

A+++
A++
A+
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
 

Be ware that for the existing properties (not newbuild) a label from C and up is already quite good in most cases. For new build you will find that most properties start at an A label and can be higher depending on the build year and further investments made by the owner.  

In most cases it is a minimum of 3 times the month rent gross as an income from employment. An example:

Rental price apartment = 2.250

Then your income needs to be 2.250 * 3 = EUR 6.750 gross as a minimum. 

In some situations also 4 times the month rent is required. So it can differ per property and is always good to ask or discuss with your rental agent. In a lot of cases when you are with a partner, this income can also be accounted for (not always in full).

2 type of insurances are asked for in most rental contracts.

- Liability insurance: This is important for you as this covers in a lot of cases the costs you make when doing damage to another person or his or her belongings. 

- Furniture / item insurance: This is for example for your own personal items you bring to your home. This can be furniture, but also your clothing etc. 

We have an English insurance solution specially for expats, so you can get an easy connection with both insurances and others if you need them.

1. Temporary contract, this is a rental contract for maximum of 24 months. You can cancel this lease per calender month, the landlord only at the end of the period agreed upon. No minimum rental period is applicable.

2. Undefinite period, this is a rental contract which is for an indefenite time, you can stay and rent for as long as you would like. In most cases a minimum of 12 months is included in the contract.

3. Diplomate clause, or also called "Tussen huur", this is a contract where the landlord is moving abroad for in most cases work, and you can rend his or her property. In this agreement a certain period is determined, and if preferred by both parties, can be extended 1 or more times. But good to know, when the landlord is coming back, you will need to vacate the property, off course you will get a timely notification.

4. When a property is for sale, and it is taking a bit of time, it can also be that the owner decides to rent out the property in the meantime. This is with a law so called "Leegstandwet", and can be beneficial for both parties as one can rent and the other has some income from the vacant property. Specific rules apply for this type of contract, so when this is the case discuss this with one of our brokers.