Renting in Dutch: housing words, viewings and repairs
The Dutch you need to rent a home, from huurcontract, borg and servicekosten to kaal, gestoffeerd or gemeubileerd, viewings and reporting repairs.
Looking for a place to live in the Netherlands means reading a lot of Dutch: housing ads, emails from landlords, contracts and messages about repairs. Some of the most important words — like kaal and gestoffeerd — don't have an obvious English equivalent, and misunderstanding them can mean moving into a flat without a floor. This post explains the key vocabulary and gives you phrases for viewings and for reporting problems.
A note before we start: this is a language guide, not legal advice. Dutch rental rules (on maximum rents, deposits, contract types and more) have changed in recent years and can change again. For the current rules, check the government's information on rijksoverheid.nl, the Huurcommissie (the rent tribunal), or the Juridisch Loket for free legal information.
Basic housing words
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de huurwoning | rented home |
| de koopwoning | owner-occupied home |
| het appartement | flat, apartment |
| de studio | studio |
| de kamer | room (in a shared house) |
| de huurder | tenant |
| de verhuurder | landlord (formal) |
| de huisbaas | landlord (informal) |
| de makelaar | estate agent, letting agent |
| de woningcorporatie | housing association |
| verhuizen | to move house |
Watch the difference between huren (to rent, as a tenant) and verhuren (to rent out, as a landlord):
- Wij huren een appartement in Leiden. — We rent a flat in Leiden.
- Hij verhuurt zijn oude huis. — He rents out his old house.
Rental homes are often divided into sociale huurwoningen, usually rented through a housing association with waiting lists and income rules, and homes in de vrije sector (the private sector) or a middle segment. The exact categories and conditions are set by law and by your municipality, so check locally.
Money words: huur, borg and servicekosten
This is where housing ads get confusing. Here's what the main terms mean.
| Dutch | What it means |
|---|---|
| de huur / de huurprijs | the rent |
| de kale huur | the "bare" rent: the price for the home itself, without service charges and usually without energy and water |
| de servicekosten | service charges: extra costs for things like cleaning shared areas, lighting in the stairwell or a caretaker |
| gas, water en licht (g/w/l) | utilities: gas, water and electricity |
| inclusief / exclusief | including / excluding |
| de borg / de waarborgsom | deposit |
| de opzegtermijn | notice period |
Kale huur has nothing to do with kaal furnishing (see below) — here kaal simply means "without extras". Ads often show the rent with an abbreviation like excl. g/w/l (also g/w/e, where e stands for elektriciteit). That means you pay utilities on top, usually directly to an energy company. Incl. means they're included in what you pay the landlord.
So when you compare homes, always ask what's in the price:
- Is de huur inclusief of exclusief gas, water en licht? — Is the rent including or excluding utilities?
- Hoe hoog zijn de servicekosten? — How much are the service charges?
- Wat is de kale huur? — What is the basic rent?
- Hoe hoog is de borg? — How much is the deposit?
- Wat is de opzegtermijn? — What is the notice period?
Kaal, gestoffeerd or gemeubileerd?
Dutch ads describe how "finished" a home is. These three words matter a lot:
| Dutch | What you get |
|---|---|
| kaal | bare: often no floor covering, no curtains and sometimes not even light fittings. You install everything yourself. |
| gestoffeerd | with floor covering and curtains (and often light fittings), but no furniture |
| gemeubileerd | furnished: floor covering, curtains and furniture, such as a bed, table and sofa |
Kaal surprises many newcomers. In a kale home you may find bare concrete floors, and the previous tenant may even have taken the lamps. Dutch tenants often buy a floor (de vloer) from the person who's leaving: this is called overname (taking over). The details vary from ad to ad, so ask exactly what's included.
- Is de woning kaal, gestoffeerd of gemeubileerd? — Is the home bare, part-furnished or furnished?
- Wat blijft er achter in de woning? — What will be left in the home?
- Moet ik de vloer overnemen? — Do I have to take over the floor?
The viewing
De bezichtiging is the viewing. In busy cities there are often many people interested in one home, so be quick and polite.
Before the viewing:
- Is de woning nog beschikbaar? — Is the home still available?
- Wanneer kan ik komen kijken? — When can I come and have a look?
- Ik wil graag een bezichtiging plannen. — I'd like to schedule a viewing.
During the viewing:
- Per wanneer is de woning beschikbaar? — From when is the home available?
- Hoe lang is het huurcontract? — How long is the rental contract?
- Zijn huisdieren toegestaan? — Are pets allowed?
- Hoe wordt de woning verwarmd? — How is the home heated?
- Wat is het energielabel? — What is the energy label?
- Mag ik me op dit adres inschrijven? — Can I register at this address?
That last question is important. In the Netherlands you generally have to register your address with your municipality (je inschrijven bij de gemeente), and many things — your BSN, your doctor, your post — depend on it. If a landlord says you can't register, ask why and check the rules with the municipality before you sign anything.
- Ik heb me ingeschreven bij de gemeente. — I've registered with the municipality.
The contract
Het huurcontract (or, more formally, de huurovereenkomst) is the rental contract. Read it carefully before you sign, and use a translation tool or ask someone you trust if you don't understand something.
- Kunt u het contract per mail sturen? — Could you send the contract by email?
- Wat betekent dit artikel? — What does this clause mean?
- Ik wil het contract eerst goed lezen. — I want to read the contract carefully first.
Other words you'll meet: ondertekenen (to sign), de huurtermijn (rental period), opzeggen (to give notice), de sleuteloverdracht (handing over the keys), and het opleveringsrapport (report on the condition of the home when you move in or out). Taking photos at the start is a good habit.
Reporting problems
Something broken? Het doet het niet ("it doesn't work") works for almost everything. Here are more specific phrases:
- De verwarming doet het niet. — The heating isn't working.
- De cv-ketel is kapot. — The boiler is broken.
- Er is een lekkage in de badkamer. — There's a leak in the bathroom.
- Er zit schimmel op de muur. — There's mould on the wall.
- De wc is verstopt. — The toilet is blocked.
- Er is geen warm water. — There's no hot water.
- Wanneer kan er een monteur langskomen? — When can a repairman come round?
A short message to your landlord could look like this:
Beste meneer Jansen, de cv-ketel is sinds gisteren kapot en we hebben geen warm water. Wanneer kan er een monteur langskomen? Met vriendelijke groet, Sarah Brown
Which repairs are the landlord's responsibility and which are yours depends on the rules and your contract; the government website explains the general division. See also Dutch emails for more email phrases.
Quick summary
- Huren = to rent; verhuren = to rent out; de huurder = tenant, de verhuurder or huisbaas = landlord.
- Kale huur = basic rent without service charges; ask about servicekosten and g/w/l.
- Kaal = bare (maybe no floor!), gestoffeerd = floors and curtains, gemeubileerd = furnished.
- At a viewing ask: Mag ik me op dit adres inschrijven?
- Report problems with … doet het niet or … is kapot.
- Rules change: check rijksoverheid.nl, the Huurcommissie or the Juridisch Loket.
Practise it
Learn the rooms and furniture in At home, get things fixed in Repairs, and register your address in At the municipality.