Tips and tricks

• Will I get a rental agreement and is it in English?
• How big is the room (m²)?
• Is it situated in a student complex/house/apartment?
• Is the accommodation inclusive of curtains/wall- and floor covering etc.?
• Is the kitchen fully fitted?
• How much rent do I have to pay?
• How is the rental price built up?
• Is the rental fee inclusive of gas/water, and electricity?
• Do I have to pay a commission fee or any other fees?
• Is internet available and is it inclusive of the rental fee?
• Do I have to share facilities like a kitchen/living room/bath room etc.?
• Where in the city is the room situated?
• Do I have to pay a deposit and how high is it?
• What are the rules for terminating the rental agreement?
• Use Google Street View to see the outside of the accommodation and its surroundings
• Does city hall accept a registration at this address?

• Use google images to see if the accommodation you want to rent is also offered on other websites (to verify that the accommodation you want to rent is actually being offered for rent).
• In case you rent privately, ask for a Facetime or Skype conversation so that the person you are renting from can show you the accommodation.
• Ask for the landlord’s personal information. The information you need is:
  • Name
  • Surname
  • Phone number
  • ID (secure copy can be made with KopieIDapp. Also when you need to hand in a copy of your id use this app).
• If you rent through an agency, check if the organization is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch but just type in company name in search bar).

Every year we receive reports of students being scammed when looking for accommodation. Please use your common sense and never pay out of proportion amounts of money prior to signing a contract or viewing a room! When you are scammed, please report this to the local police and to city hall.

Here are some extra 'red flags' to keep in mind to avoid being scammed by false landlords:

• The landlord says he is staying abroad for the moment and asks you to send the money to a foreign account. 
• The landlord says he cannot show you the room/apartment, but the key will be sent to you once the deposit is transferred.
• The landlord asks you for your credit card number.
• The rental is considerably lower than for a similar apartment/room in the same area.
• Never give your credit card number to anyone via e-mail, phone or any other way.
• Try finding the place on Google Maps. The house in the map should match the pictures in the advertisement. If the house does not appear or another house is shown, the advertisement could be false. 
• And last but not least: if something seems too good to be true - it usually is!

You can find additional information about scams on the housing market here.

We are sorry to hear this. Try if you can stop the payment going through by contacting your bank or credit card company. Always report a scam to the police as soon as possible to press charges. Gather as much evidence as possible and make screenshots of any conversations you had with the scammer.

Next to contacting the police you can also turn to the Fraud Help Desk for advice. You can contact them from within Netherlands but also when you are outside Netherlands. 

Enschede, Deventer and Apeldoorn all have second hand shops. You can also find a lot of (free) stuff via Facebook platforms and groups. 

In case you do live in a studio and have your own front door, it might be possible to apply for rent allowance (in Dutch: huurtoeslag). Make sure to arrange your city hall registration before the 1st of the month, otherwise you will lose one month allowance! For details check here.

• Kamer - Room
• Gemeubileerd - Furnished
  (Basic furniture is present)
• Ongemeubileerd - Unfurnished
  (Can even be without floor or wall covering!)
• Gestoffeerd - Upholstered
  (curtains/lights & floor covering but no furniture)
• Kaal - Bald
  (No lights/floor and wall covering)
• Antikraak - ‘Anti-squatting’
  (Rented out by organisations that manage vacant buildings and offers them under specific conditions. Often for temporary use only.)
• Hospiteren - Co-optation/voting in system.
  (This is a selection procedure in which the existing occupants of a student house choose their follow residents)
• Onderhuur - Sublet/sublease
  (Somebody else is registered at this address, it is not possible to get a city hall registration) Be careful!
• Huurtoeslag - Rent allowance
• Borg - Deposit

Housing for international students is a big issue in the Netherlands. Therefore the Dutch Student Union, in cooperation with the European Students Network (ESN), launched the Housing Hotline. The Housing Hotline provides a place for international students to ask questions regarding housing and voice their complaints.

You could make use of your network and get in touch with current Saxion students. Perhaps they can help you further! Discover the tips & tricks on our platform IntoSaxion about housing.