Living in the Netherlands Practical guides · DevNJ

Living in the Netherlands /Articles

Living in the Netherlands

Practical articles for international residents

The guides are written from official Dutch government and municipal sources.

Filtered by Housing 7 articles Clear ✕

2026.10.31 Housing Are temporary rental contracts coming back in the Netherlands? What tenants should check in 2026 Since July 2024 most new Dutch leases are open-ended. The housing minister now proposes temporary contracts for all students, labour migrants and lodgers. Here is what is law, what is only a plan, when it could apply, what to check in your contract and where to get help.
2026.10.29 Housing €5,742 a Month to Rent? Dutch Income Requirements, Tenant Screening Documents and What Landlords May Not Ask (2026) The average new private-sector rent in the Netherlands reached €1,914 in Q3 2026, which means €5,742 gross a month under the usual three-times-rent rule. What the rule really is, which documents landlords ask for, what the Good Landlordship Act and the Dutch Data Protection Authority allow, deposit caps, and options if your income falls short.
2026.10.28 Housing Is your Dutch rent too high? The points check, Huurcommissie fees and the 6-month deadline (2026) Rotterdam's audit office found only 34 rent reductions since the Affordable Rent Act took effect. Here is how to check your rent with the points system, ask your landlord, use your city's rent desk, file with the Huurcommissie for €25 within 6 months, and dispute service charges.
2026.10.25 Housing Anti-Squat (Antikraak) in the Netherlands: €80–350 a Month, 28 Days' Notice and Almost No Tenant Rights Antikraak lets you live cheaply in a vacant Dutch building, but usually on a loan-for-use (bruikleen) agreement rather than a lease. How it differs from renting and Leegstandwet temporary leases, how the 2024 rent reforms apply, costs, notice, BRP registration, benefits, insurance and where to get help.
2026.10.23 Housing Buying a home in the Netherlands in autumn 2026: 24% more supply, room to negotiate, costs and mortgages What the NVM and CBS/Kadaster figures say about the Dutch housing market in autumn 2026, what more room to negotiate really means for buyers, and how the purchase process, kosten koper, the 2% transfer tax, the starter exemption, NHG and mortgage interest relief work for internationals.
2026.10.23 Housing Paying €30–40 a Month Just to Message a Landlord: Paid Rental Sites vs Funda and Pararius in the Netherlands (2026) Some Dutch rental sites charge €30–40 a month before you can contact a realtor, while Funda and Pararius list the same homes for free. What the law says about agency fees, the €1,914 average rent and the three-times-income rule, how to spot scams, and where to get help.
2026.10.18 Housing Renting in the Netherlands in 2026: the odd-but-legal landlord habits, and the rules that protect tenants Moving in to find there is no floor. Being made to buy the last tenant's sofa. Some Dutch rental customs look strange but are perfectly legal. Tenant protection, on the other hand, is strong: points-based maximum rents, a two-month cap on deposits, a ban on letting fees, and permanent contracts as the norm. Here is how it all fits together in 2026, including where to get help in The Hague.