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Finding accommodation on your own

UvA Staff Housing

Are you looking for a place to live in Amsterdam or the surrounding area? Here we provide a few tips to get you started. But before you read this page, please know that The Netherlands is facing a major housing crisis. Even for locals it has become extremely difficult to find housing, for newcomers this is even more pressing. The crisis is nationwide, but in Amsterdam the situation is most dire. Please take this into consideration when making the choice to come to the Netherlands.
On this page:

The Dutch housing system explained

The Netherlands has many kinds of rental types, the two main ones are social housing and private sector housing.

Social housing

Social housing is (relatively) affordable housing meant for people with lower incomes. The accommodations are owned by social housing organisations (often referred to as corporations). There are long waiting lists for social housing in the Netherlands; currently this is around 15 years, but there are steps you can take to secure social housing faster. The social housing system works with a point system, the more points you have, the higher your chances are of getting social housing. You get one point for every year that you are registered and one point if you react to four houses each month. Meaning that people who are actively searching for housing have higher chances of receiving social housing. You can apply for social housing for Amsterdam and the surrounding areas on Woningnet Amsterdam. Please note that your income must be below the income threshold for social housing.

Once you are in social housing, you can apply for a housing allowance (a state contribution to your rent). Some conditions must be met in order to receive a housing allowance. The UvA has no influence on the outcome of your housing allowance application.

Private sector housing

This is non-subsidised housing, privately owned by housing organisations or individuals (also called free sector housing). There is less regulation of private sector housing when it comes to rents and services. Private sector housing organisations have their own terms and conditions for selecting tenants. Often they have income requirements: prospective tenants are required to show proof of a monthly income that is 3.5 or 4 times the rent.

For private sector housing it is not possible to receive a housing allowance. The following websites are useful for finding rental accommodations in or outside Amsterdam:

  • Amsterdam Housing
  • Funda
  • HappyBrokers
  • Holland2Stay
    Sign up for rooms, both first come first serve & lottery. However, most apartments require a minimum income to apply.
  • Huurwoningen
    Available in Dutch only
  • MVA Expat Broker
  • Nestpick
  • Our Domain
    Offers furnished studios or 2-person apartments. Sign up to get notified when apartments become available.
  • Pararius
  • RentSlam
    Monthly subscription packages cost between €16,65 - €29,95 a month.
  • Roofz
  • Socius
    A housing agency for mostly young people. Some locations are exclusively for students.
  • The Social Hub
    Offers fully furnished hotel-like studios with private bathroom and shared kitchen.
  • Uniplaces
  • Uprent is a free platform that combines listings from Funda, Pararius & Kamernet into one feed, sends notifications about new listings, and organizes your search.
  • Urban Short Stay
    Mostly for PhD candidates and most apartment advertisements require a minimum income to apply.
  • Xpat Rentals

Other rental types

Anti-squad housing

If you are looking for temporary housing then anti-squad might be good option for you. The advantage is that it is usually quite cheap. The disadvantage is that your contract can be terminated at any time so your housing situation is very unsecure. If you are interested in anti-squad renting check out these websites:

Student housing

If you are a PHD candidate  then you are considered an employee, however most student housing organisations are still available to you. The UvA Student Housing website has a lot of good tips and tricks on how to find student housing.

Subletting

Subletting is a very common and useful way of getting temporary housing. Facebook groups are the most common way of finding sublets. However they are also used for widespread scams. Later on this page there is more info on how to avoid scams, please read it carefully. Subletting websites:

  • HelloHousemate
    You can create a free profile to search and respond to rental housing listings. You can also sign up for “Housemate Connect”, a platform where you can find other people looking for housing and start looking for housing together.
  • Hospi Housing
    Free platform where international students can find a Dutch home at local hosts & guest families. It provides you with a soft landing and it is the perfect way to experience the Dutch culture and language.
  • Kamer 
    Connects students with rooms, studios and apartments. Users can create a profile listing their specifications to receive email alerts on relevant properties.
  • KamerAmsterdam
    Offers rooms. However, a fee might be required to apply for rooms.
  • Kamernet
    Offers a large number of rooms. You need to have a personal profile to respond to room adverts. They charge a fee for membership (Premium Membership 1 month: €19,95).
  • Kamerverhuur
    Another platform with housing listings, but only available in Dutch.
  • Pararius
    Offers a large number of rooms. Searching the site and responding to ads is free.

Short-stay accommodation

If you are looking for accommodation longer than 1 month, but shorter  than 1 year, then following short-stay accommodation companies might be a good fit for you.

  • Hotel Casa
  • Hotel Jansen
    An all-inclusive hotel aimed at short-stay accommodation for students and young professionals from all over the world. Fully furnished rooms with shared kitchen.
  • Hotel Le Coin
  • The Social Hub
    We do not have ‘discount codes’ for the Social Hub.

Temporary accommodation

Perhaps you only need to stay in Amsterdam for a few days or you are in between housing.  In this case there are a lot of good temporary options, such as hostels and hotels. See below a selection of the many options:

The Netherlands is bigger than Amsterdam 

The Netherlands is a small country and the public transport is generally quite good. Therefore living outside of Amsterdam and making a commute to work is considered a very viable option. So when searching for housing please also look at cities and villages outside of Amsterdam, such as Utrecht, Haarlem, Hoofddorp, Almere, Amstelveen, Zaandam, Purmerend, Weesp, Hilversum or Diemen. Each city and region has their own social housing system, applying for multiple social housing websites increases your chances of finding housing.

Avoiding scams

  • If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Do not transfer money before a viewing (especially via Western Union or PayPal). Always check the apartment and make sure the keys work, before handing over large amounts of money. If you cannot do this yourself, again, see if you can ask someone else to help.
  • Research advertised photos via google reverse image search.
  • Google the landlord and address. It is always good to read some reviews. And look for a KvK-number (check their registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce)
  • Always ask for a rental contract/agreement. That gives you more security.
  • Be wary of illegal fees. Examples of illegal fees are: agency fees, disproportionally high administration fees or contract fees. A deposit of one or two months’ rent is usually required. This deposit is refunded if you leave the property in good condition.
  • Be aware of illegal subletting as this may affect your rights as a tenant.
  • If in doubt, check your rights. The support agency !Woon is specialized in providing legal advice.
  • TenantHero can guide you on the way to fixing your contract problems without having to change your address.

Before signing a tenancy agreement in The Netherlands

  • Ask a Dutch colleague to help you understand the tenancy agreement, so that you know the terms by which you will be legally bound.
  • Check the dates carefully on the tenancy agreement before signing.
  • In most cases, you cannot terminate your rental agreement in the first 12 months. After 12 months, termination is possible with one month's notice.
  • You may be required to pay a refundable deposit of up to two months’ rent.
  • If possible, pay everything through bank transfers. If your landlord prefers payment in cash, think twice before accepting, as it might be a scam. Always request a receipt for cash payments.