Setting up house & utilities
IN THIS SECTION
Real Estate agents
Terms of renting houses & apartments
Rental agreements
Buying property
Power companies
Phone, internet & call plan providers
Real Estate agents
Estate agents are called "Makelaars" in the Netherlands and many offices cover both rental and purchasing of properties. You will be able to find offices that deal specifically with expats and their accommodation requirements for short and long term stays also. When selecting your Makelaar, check that they are a member of the Association of Real Estate Agents (NVM, Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars), if the company has this registration, they will have a multiple listing service, giving them access to all housing available in the area. The fees you will pay when renting through a Makelaar have been set by the NVM organisation.
Terms of renting houses & apartments
When renting it is important to know what the terms of the let are and when dealing with a Makelaar, be sure to be specific with your requirements. For example, unfurnished (ongemeubileerd) accommodation means the house is bare; you are expected to furnish yourself, which will include flooring, lighting, curtains and appliances. Semi-furnished (gestoffeerd) will get you basic appliances, curtains and flooring and furnished (gemeubileerd) will mean you are able to move in with only your luggage.
You will be expected to pay two months rent (one month as bond and a month in advance) to the landlord, in addition to the letting agent's fee of one month plus BTW.
As part of your responsibility as a tenant, you will be required to pay the "property user's tax" (OZB) to the local gemeente. If you are renting as an expatriate, check with your contract about who is responsible for this payment. The property tax is an annual payment based on the value of the property.
When agreeing the rental terms and conditions it is advised to include a clause to cover you if you have to move from Holland earlier than expected; this is sometimes called a diplomatic clause. Also prepare a list of expenses that will be covered by the owner and by you.
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Rental agreements
Seek the help of your company's HR or Expat Services department when dealing and deciphering the rental agreement contract, they are lengthy and complex. You can also ask for an English translation of the tenancy agreement from your Makelaar, if this is not an option it would be advised to try another agent. Some agencies request your company to act as a guarantor to the rental agreement. It is also advisable to check the clauses relating to canceling the rental agreement should your circumstances change and make sure this is clear prior to signing the contract.
Buying property
If you plan to buy a house in the Netherlands, the first thing to do is visit a couple of banks and speak to a mortgage broker to determine the maximum you can borrow. A broker who deals with expat mortgages may be able to secure larger amounts and they have the added value of preparing your tax rebate applications and guiding you through the system smoothly. One highly recommended broker is www.europlanbroker.com. There are also a few others advertised on expat sites such as www.elynx.nl and www.expatica.com.
You may be surprised to find that you can borrow the cost of your house, plus the purchase costs, plus any renovation costs.
After you have determined how much you want to spend, visit www.funda.nl to find a listing of nearly all properties for sale in the Netherlands and begin your search.
You will be advised to hire a "notaris" to handle the legal part of the exercise (deed registration, title search, preliminary purchase agreement). The process of buying is expensive so if you are only in the Netherlands for a short period of time, it would be advisable to rent. Additional costs of buying include a registration tax (overdrachtsbelasting), notary fees and the makelaar's commission (which is based on the purchase price), these items can add up to a further 10% of the purchase price. Before putting in an offer, you will need to apply for a permit to live in the area you are buying in.
Power companies
There are two energy suppliers for the Rotterdam area, the main supplier being Eneco (0900 0201 €0,10/minute) and Ons in Schiedam (010 262 1000). You can choose to pay your bill by direct debit each month or by bank giro. Most of the energy provided by the main suppliers is derived from renewable resources.
Water
The supply of water is split into different producer boards across the country. Most properties now have water meters which give a more accurate picture of your consumption, as opposed to a water bill that is included in your rent, based on number of residents in the household. Your Gemeentehuis will be able to give you the name of the supplier in your area. In some parts of Rotterdam, the water supply meter charge is included in your electricity bill (Eneco).
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Phone, internet & call plan providers
KPN is the national telephone provider. Once you have secured your property you can apply to have a phone line connected. KPN are expensive for phonecalls (national and international), so shop around for other providers for all phone calls and internet connections. You will be bombarded by telephone marketers for these companies on a fairly regular basis if you don't register immediately. You are able to use the KPN phone connection and have internet, calls, email and broadband from any of the other communications providers.
KPN is not a particularly consumer friendly company and while you may be able to register for services on their website ('mijn KPN, which is in Dutch), you will still need to call and sign a contract. If you want to have a special call plan with KPN outside of the budget plan (belbasis), you must wait three months. After that time KPN will assess your call history and decide which plan you can join. If you want to change your phone package be prepared for anything up to a 6 week wait for this to happen. This is despite all your details being recorded and changes being made in their computer whilst on the phone.
For a comprehensive price comparison of services available across the providers, you can visit www.bellen.com, where you can view the information in English. The main call and internet providers are:
Pretium
0900 11 22 336 (€0,10/minute)
Pretium offer cheap calls, internet access, broadband ADSL and email. They now provide packages which combine these services with television access. You will be required to commit to a 12 month contract however, there will be penalties if you cancel before that time, and a re-connection charge if you move house within that time.
UPC
0900 15 80 (€0,10/minute)
UPC offer internet, ADSL, cable and digital television, mobile and telephone calls.
Chello
0800 1872 (free)
Chello is a UPC broadband internet service provider; you access Chello services through UPC. You can visit the link above, which will take you to a site listing the countries Chello is present in and description of their background and services in English, or visit the more comprehensive Netherlands site, which is in Dutch.
Zonnet (operating through Versatel)
0900 0707 (€0,10/minute) Versatel offer telephone, television, ADSL and mobile services. They offer very competitive complete packages in competition with KPN that include calls, television and ADSL. Watch for contract lengths and terms.
Wanadoo
Customer sales 0900 1480 (€ 0,10/min)
Quite a comprehensive provider again; cable, ADSL, telephone, calls, domain names and email, webmail. The offer several different packages offering varying combinations.
XS4ALL
Customer sales 020 398 7654 Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm
Help desk is open weekdays to 8pm and weekends from 12pm - 5pm
Internet and email/web-mail, ADSL & DSL, personal server and domain names and mobile internet.
Planet
Customer sales 067 600 2505
Internet and email/web-mail, ADSL, personal websites.
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