Tips & tricks

• Do not have transportation while moving day is coming up? Check out our UnionDeals for affordable car and van rentals.
• Whether you live alone or with others, you will always have some recurring bills next to your rent. These include: gas, water, electricity, municipal taxes, and insurances. Some bills may be included in your rent. Ask about this to make sure what your expenses will be! Some insurances (e.g. health care) are personal and thus cannot be paid collectively.
• Monthly bills for gas, water,  and electricity are only an estimate of actual expenses. After a year, true expenses will be calculated. If these differ from the paid amount, you may either receive a return of excess payment or need to pay the shortage. Find out when these accounts will be settled so you won’t come up short.
• Once you have found a room, you have till 5 days after the start of your rental contract to sign up as a resident in your new municipality.
• Are you living in the ITC Hotel? We recommend you join the ITC study association – they have a voice about your living arrangements! Contact them through: sab-itc@utwente.nl
• If you are moving in from abroad, the UT may offer you a room under certain circumstances. The rooms offered by the university come with furniture and regular cleaning included in the rent. This means rent will be higher than when you arrange your own room. On the other hand, this option may safe you the stress of making your own arrangements. These things may be worth considering when weighing your options.

Rights and obligations

Dutch law assigns certain rights and obligations to both landlords and tenants. Having some knowledge may come in handy.  After all, it will allow you to stand up for yourself when needed, as well as know what is expected of you. We have compiled some basics for you:

• You are protected by law from being expelled from your house overnight. Your landlord always has to give you notice (usually at least a month) before being allowed to expel you.
• Without your express permission, your landlord is not allowed to enter your room(s).
• If agreed in the rental contract, the landlord is not allowed to shut off gas, water, or electricity to the house.
• Renovations to your room or house are the landlord’s responsibility. Additionally, the landlord is not allowed to offer you a room with unliveable conditions.
• Small repairs to the house are your own responsibility.  This includes, for example, changing a broken lightbulb. These repairs can neither be outsourced nor billed to your landlord.
• You are obligated to pay your rent in time. Additionally, you are not allowed to cause disturbances or purposely break things.
• When your rental contract ends, you may be asked to leave your accommodation in a specific state.  Examples include being asked to fill up drill holes in the wall or return the floor to its bare concrete state. Failing to do these things may lead to bills and fines. So tear up that carpet!

Are you still in doubt about your rights and obligations? Further information can be gained through free legal advice or calling the national union of students’ (“Landelijke Studentenvakbond”) “Studentenlijn”.