The rental price you see in the advertisement generally excludes the price of the utilities. It means that the cost of the utilities such as electricity, gas, water and internet will lay on you. In some cases, the cost of the utilities can be included in the rental price. Unless this is specifically mentioned, it is safer to assume that the cost of the utilities are excluded.****
In the Netherlands, regional companies are responsible for energy transportation. Gas and electricity are both supplied by the same provider.
In most cases, gas & electricity will already be available in your apartment, and you will have to transfer accounts to your name. However, the power is switched off when the previous occupants close their account. Therefore, it is crucial to arrange gas and electricity in your new apartment quickly.
Once you have your gas & electricity, you pay monthly installments directly to your energy supplier based on expected annual energy costs. Occasionally, in short-term, furnished apartments landlord will pay energy costs on your behalf.
<aside> ⚡ The amount you pay each month is not necessarily the actual cost. If you use more electricity than indicated, you will have to pay extra at the end of the year; if less, the difference will be refunded after the supplier has calculated the final amount.****
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Most accommodation is already connected to the water supply of the drinking water provider. Although you can choose your energy provider, you cannot choose your water supplier. Each city has its provider - in Amsterdam, Waternet. The water can be used immediately and the water meter in your apartment measures consumption.
Many Internet providers in the Netherlands offer Internet via cable, ADSL/VDSL, and fiber optics, which may be determined by where you live and as you might expect prices depend on the speed of the package you go for.
You can choose between a contract (Abonnementen) or a prepaid card.
Prepaid card providers offer cheap packages including the option to keep the same number without charge. On the other hand, it would be wiser to sign a contract if you use your phone for national calls.
For all tenants within the Amsterdam region, two municipal taxes apply. In principle, these amounts are directly paid by the tenant to Waternet and the municipality. Once you are registered at the municipality, you will be in their system. The municipality will send you a letter about it around April-May.
Water authority tax: As a tenant, you pay for the purification of water. Tenants receive a tax assessment from Waternet.
Waste collection tax: The tenant pays this tax to the municipality for the collection and processing of household waste. This tax is calculated on the basis of the number of people living in the rented property and the location of the property.
Once you have your lease agreement, we will make our partner company email you so you can schedule a call with them. Then, they will call you at the agreed date and time to explain how energy contracts work, answer all your questions and find the best deals for gas and electricity.