Rental Process: What step-by-step looks like?

1. See an apartment you like
2. Request a viewing
3. Attend a viewing (We attend on your behalf)
4. Make an offer to rent
5. Get accepted by the landlord
6. Receive a contract draft
7. Review the contract (We will review it)
8. Sign the contract (digitally)
9. Make the first payment
10. Set up check-in
11. Check in and get the keys 🔑

If you're planning a short-term stay in the Amsterdam Area (under five years), renting is your best bet. After all, contracts can be easily changed, and you're spared the effort of making major repairs or maintenance.

Relocify takes care of the whole process, and the only thing we need from you is a timely reaction to new rental offers that we send to you.

Sourcing

You will receive notifications from our web app and it will send you new offers daily from big rental websites such as Pararius, Funda or specific real estate websites.

Each offer will have actions such as "Schedule a viewing" or "Archive", please use them for accepting or rejecting offers.

Things to consider:

All prices will be excl. utilities, and including service costs unless otherwise stated. On the property page you will also see approximate cost of utilities next to the monthly rent.

Most apartments will have energy labels, from A++++ to G, and the cost difference per year is not massive. Ones with A, B labels have double glazing, so you spend less on heating, and the difference will be ~€15-20 per month.

Income Requirements

Landlords generally have income requirements that wary from 3x the monthly gross income to 4-5x, depending on the

Viewings

After you request a viewing, we will try to schedule it. Make sure to react to new offers as soon as possible so we get viewings for all properties you like.

As soon as viewing is scheduled we will send to you viewing details and on the viewing date you will receive video overview of the apartment or you can also join during the viewing if you are already in Amsterdam.

Most viewings last 5-10 minutes, and if you like the property, you can request to rent it.

Archiving Reasons

When the bot shows you an apartment you like, request a viewing. Sometimes, viewing the property isn't possible, and we archive it so it no longer appears on your dashboard. Here are some reasons for archiving:

• No longer available: An apartment may become unavailable if someone makes an offer before you request a viewing, the current tenant decides to stay, or the landlord rents it to an acquaintance.
• Viewing is full: Request a viewing quickly, as agencies receive many reactions. Viewings might be fully booked, especially for high-demand apartments. Agencies check candidates' information and invite suitable tenants.
• Location: We set up the bot based on your preferred areas, but we may suggest nearby neighborhoods to increase your chances of finding a home. If an area doesn't suit you, we archive the apartment.
• Amenities: We archive properties lacking the amenities you require based on your onboarding process and viewing feedback.
• No pets: In Amsterdam, pets are usually not allowed in furnished apartments or recently renovated unfurnished ones. You may be able to negotiate by offering an extra deposit or higher rent.
• No singles/couples/families: Landlords may have preferences based on the apartment's size, number of rooms, and past tenant experiences. Agencies can make suggestions, but the landlord chooses.
• Social housing: Apartments with rent €808.06 or less per month are social housing for low-income individuals. There is a waiting list and specific income requirements.
• Other: We will choose 'other' as the archiving reason for less common situations and provide details in the notes section.

Rent Request

We send only one offer at a time on your behalf. If the offer doesn't go through, we will continue a property search, but it's almost binding if the landlord accepts an offer; there are only a handful of cases when we can withdraw from the offer.

Contract Types

If the landlord accepts an offer, we will forward to you a draft version of the lease agreement, which we can negotiate on your behalf and which are generally:

Type A - Usually starts with a minimum 1 year, then continues for an indefinite period. Terminable by tenant: yes, per calendar month after the end of the fixed period (usually 1 year). Terminable by the landlord: yes, but in very rare circumstances. Cancellation is difficult and only for good reasons (e.g., the tenant does not pay, the tenant causes a nuisance, etc.).

Type B - Is a fixed defined period that lasts up to 2 years (24 months). Terminable by tenant: yes, the tenant can cancel during the entire rental period per calendar month. Terminable by landlord: no, the landlord must adhere to the agreed rental period. Since July 1st, 2024 type B contracts are only available to specific groups of people: students, people temporarily needing housing due to renovation and etc.

Type C - Is a fixed defined period, depending on the preference of the landlord, but usually for 1 year. Terminable by tenant: yes, the tenant can terminate per calendar month after the first fixed period. Terminable by landlord: no, the landlord must adhere to the agreed rental period. It is possible to extend the contract if the landlord decides to rent it for another fixed period. If not, the contract end after the defined period.

Contract Termination

As it's mentioned in the contracts section, some contracts will have a "notice period" which is typically one month and you can cancel it with one-month notice anytime during the rental period. If the agreement doesn't have a notice period, it will have a "diplomatic clause" which also allows you to terminate the agreement with one month's notice but only in case you resign, get fired or are relocated 75km from your current working location.

Process

After negotiating the agreement, we will explain the content and send it online to sign. In most cases agents will require you to sign a Dutch contract. An English translation is generally given, but only for translation purposes. After signing a contract, you will also receive an invoice from a rental agency, after which you will have to pay the first month's rent and the deposit (typically two months' rent). When your rental contract ends, and if you leave the property in good condition, the landlord must return a deposit within a month; otherwise, they will deduct all the reparation costs from it.

Overbidding and Deposits

Overbidding became popular in 2022 due harsh competition in the rental market. To increase your chances you can overbid by €50 or €100. If you have a pet, or you have a guarantor, you can also propose giving a 3 months rent as a deposit.

Check-in

When the check-in day comes, we will meet you at the property and conduct an inspection. The rental agent, representing the landlord, will be present as well, in some cases with the landlord, and we will make an inspection report together.

The report clarifies any damage to the rented accommodation and items at the check-in and check-out. If you discover damages after the check-in (such as a damaged wall or furniture), you will still have 2 weeks to report it to the landlord or the agent by sending a picture of it.