Why finding rental properties in the Netherlands is so hard (and what you can do about it)

3 months ago

7 minutes reading time

Finding a rental in the Netherlands is extremely competitive.

Anyone who’s ever rented (or tried to rent) in the Netherlands knows one thing: the competition can be extreme.

It can be tough to even find listings for properties you like that you can actually afford. And when (or if) you do? You could easily be competing with as many as 200 people to even get a viewing.

Often, this means that you spend far too much time glued to Funda and obsessively checking for messages from prospective landlords. And when that doesn’t work, you might well end up settling for a place that you know you don’t really want, in an area you don’t like or that you know you’ll struggle to afford.

Because (of course), you’ve got to live somewhere.

Here’s the thing: renting is hard, and extremely competitive, but it is possible to find a place you love, without your property search becoming a full-time job.

In this blog, we’ll look at:

Why renting is so competitive in the Netherlands
What this means for renters
How to find a property you actually want to live in (relatively stress-free)

Why renting is so competitive in the Netherlands

The obvious answer is that there just aren’t enough homes. It’s estimated that there is a shortage of 410,000 homes – or nearly 5% of households. That’s a lot of missing homes, both to buy and (especially) to rent. But why has this happened?

Firstly (and most obviously): population growth. The Netherlands’ population has grown by around 100,000 a year in recent years, and currently stands at just over 18 million, compared to around 16 million at the turn of the century.

More houses have been (and are being) built, but not at a fast enough pace to keep up with the increase.

On top of that population growth, the Netherlands attracts large numbers of immigrant workers, students and freelancers who tend to compete with young Dutch people for the same low to mid-range rental apartments in big cities.

Many immigrants aren’t planning to stay long-term, so aren’t interested in buying, increasing competition for rentals even more.

What this means for renters

When landlords have 100 applications for a single apartment, they can afford to be picky and uncommunicative, making looking for a property a pretty depressing experience.

The extreme competition also feeds off itself, with people applying for apartments they don’t even like, because they’re starting to get desperate and feel they need to see everything vaguely suitable.

If you’re looking for a rental property in the Netherlands, you might already have experienced:

Being knocked back because your income is considered too low or you don’t have a permanent employment contract…even for places you know you could afford comfortably.
Contacting landlords to arrange a viewing and never hearing anything back, over and again.
Seeing listings disappear off Funda before you’ve even had a chance to contact the landlord.
Going to viewings where you share a 10 minute appointment with a group of other prospective tenants, all competing for the same property, and being given little time to decide if you even like it.
Applying for properties after an apparently successful viewing and getting zero feedback. Not even a ‘thanks but no thanks’ email.

Obviously, all of this is incredibly frustrating, and it can feel as if you’ll never find the place you need. Some renters simply end up giving up and staying in a place that’s too small or in the wrong location, because it’s just too difficult to move.

Others don’t have that option, and are forced to compromise, often significantly, on what they want. Which could mean:

Accepting a higher rent than you want to pay, even though you know it’ll mean you have to sacrifice other things to make it work.
Living somewhere you’d prefer not to, and putting up with extra travel time or a more limited social life as a result.
Accepting a place that’s smaller or scruffier than you’d like, because the alternative might be having nowhere to live.
Agreeing to a short-term contract when you’d rather not, or accepting unclear contract terms, because you don’t feel you’re in a position to challenge the landlord.

How to find a property you actually want to live in (relatively stress-free)

Hands up – it might not be possible to completely eliminate stress and pressure when you’re looking for somewhere to rent, especially in big cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, and Rotterdam.

But you might be surprised how much you can do to compete, even when there are 100+ others going for the same apartment as you.

Be ready to rent before you look

Even though the process can feel chaotic, you need to be organised. Make sure you have your ID, proof of income and bank statements ready to show your prospective landlord. Remember that if they’re dealing with hundreds of applications, they’re going to be short on time.

Make it as easy as possible for them to rent to you, and you might just beat the person who earns more, but will take 3 days to find their documents.

Know your limits

You might feel tempted to overbid or offer rent in advance to secure a property. You might also be inclined to take somewhere that isn’t really suitable, because you’re worried you won’t find anything else. This is especially true if you’re in a group viewing and feeling pressured to make a quick decision.

But make sure you know what your financial and other limits are before you view, and stick to them. Taking a property you can’t afford or in an area you hate is only going to add to your stress levels.

At the same time – be willing to compromise where you can. An extra 15 minutes commute time or an extra €50 a month rent might not be a big deal if it means you get to move now, rather than in 6 months time.

Move fast

It goes without saying that when 100 people want the same apartment, the first person to contact the landlord is far more likely to get it than the 100th.

How can you be that first person? Realistically, unless you’re able to spend all day on Funda, it’s going to be difficult. Even if you can, many properties don’t even make it on to listings sites, and are let before they’re even publicly advertised.

With Rentbird, you can be one of the first to apply, without needing to put in the work. Our bots scan 1400+ sites every minute, and send you property alerts within 30 seconds of a match being advertised. When you do find a match, you can apply for a viewing in a couple of clicks.

The fact is, humans can’t compete in the current Netherlands rental market, because it’s impossible to be fast enough to get to the front of the queue without help.