Not everyone wants to or can buy, and waiting lists for social housing run for years in many municipalities. That leaves the vrije sector, the private rental sector: homes from private landlords and investors, with no waiting list but with higher rents and strict requirements. If you know how this market works, you will find a home faster and avoid paying too much. Here is what you need to know.
What does a private sector rental cost?
First: these are asking rents from listings, not signed contracts, and they depend heavily on the city and the size of the home. In our own listings of private rental homes (whole homes, no rooms and no housing association homes), the median asking rent is around €1,885 a month. In Amsterdam and Utrecht you quickly go above that; in cities like Groningen or Eindhoven you are more likely to find something below it.
The income requirement: three to four times the rent
Almost every landlord asks for a gross monthly income of three to four times the basic rent. For a rent of €1,885 that is roughly €5,650 to €7,540 gross per month, together with your partner. Some landlords accept a guarantor, such as a parent, if you fall just short yourself. Simply ask.
Have your documents ready before you respond. Landlords usually ask for:
- a copy of your ID;
- an employer's statement and your last three payslips, or your annual accounts if you are self-employed;
- a reference from your current landlord.
If you can supply this within an hour, you are often first in line. Good homes are sometimes gone within a day.
What may a landlord ask, and what not?
- Deposit: at most two months' basic rent for contracts from 1 July 2023. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must repay the deposit within 14 days, or within 30 days if damage is deducted.
- Agency fees: if an agent works for the landlord, they may not charge you agency fees or 'contract costs'. If you have paid them anyway, you can claim them back.
- Permanent contract: since 1 July 2024, an open-ended tenancy is the standard. Temporary contracts are only allowed in a few exceptions, for example for students. The government is working on a proposal to allow temporary contracts more widely for certain groups again, but it is not yet law.
- Service charges: the landlord must itemise them every year. If you have paid too much, you get the difference back.
In doubt, or is a landlord not sticking to the rules? The Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) and many municipal tenant support teams can advise you.
Check whether it really is private sector
Since the Wet betaalbare huur (Affordable Rent Act), a maximum rent applies to homes up to a certain number of points in the housing valuation system, even if the landlord is a private party. This mainly concerns smaller and less energy-efficient homes. If you pay more than the maximum for such a home, you can have the rent reviewed. Read how that works in our blog on the Affordable Rent Act.
How to improve your chances
- Respond quickly. Set up search alerts so you see new homes as soon as they are listed.
- Look beyond your favourite area. A neighbourhood further along is often cheaper and just as pleasant. On Buurtje.nl you can see per neighbourhood how residents live there, how it scores on safety and amenities and what rentals cost.
- Introduce yourself briefly. A few sentences about who you are, where you work and why you want the home make a difference with private landlords.
- Look at the total. Add service charges, energy costs and any parking costs to the basic rent. A slightly more expensive home with an A label can work out cheaper per month.
Rent or buy after all?
If you pay almost €1,900 a month in rent, it is worth looking at what buying would mean. The monthly costs of an owner-occupied home are sometimes lower, although you do need some savings. In our blog renting versus buying we compare the two, and the mortgage calculator shows straight away what you could borrow.
Source: Buurtje.nl's own listings of private rental homes, whole homes in the private sector (asking rents, not signed contracts).
