Rental conditions

General information
After accepting our offer for accommodation in the private sector you will receive an e-mail from us with all necessary details of your landlord. Your landlord will receive your details as well so you can contact each other.
Please contact your landlord as soon as you can after you have accepted the accommodation to inform him about your arrival plans.

Although you have paid a deposit to Housing Office you need to pay a second deposit to your landlord. When you need to pay this will depend on what your landlord requests. Sometimes you need to do this before your arrival in Groningen and sometimes you have to pay it in cash upon your arrival. The same situation applies with your rent payment.
 
Keep in mind that your accommodation is available from the date you have accepted it. It might not be possible to arrive earlier. Discuss this with your landlord when necessary. When it is not possible to arrive earlier then your agreement starts, you might need to book a hotel. You need to make an appointment with your landlord on your arrival day in order to receive the keys and to sign the rental agreement.

If your arrival plans change and you arrive later than your offical arrival date please always inform your landlord, your contact person at the university and Housing Office. Keep in mind that your rent will start from the beginning of your rental agreement even if your late arrival is due to visa problems.

If you don't show up or cancel your accommodation after acceptation, you will loose your deposit of € 375,- you have paid to the Housing Office. This amount will then cover the loss of income of your landlord keeping the room reserved for you.

Rental agreement
When you arrive in Groningen at your new room/apartment or house you will sign a rental agreement with your landlord. Keep in mind that Housing Office is purely a mediator and we don't have any role with the conditions of the agreement of the private landlords. Always carefully check the rental conditions of the agreement. What is the current length of the agreement? Is there a minimum and/or a maximum stay. Can your departure date be changed and if so how may months do you have to give notice.

Most landlords charge an inclusive rent price but the costs for water, electricity, gas and local taxes are may also be separated from the basic rent. The landlord needs to inform you on forehand of the estimated costs and the procedure if you use more then normal.

When you sign the agreement your landlord will inform you how to pay your rent. It is common in the Netherlands to pay your rent on the first of the coming month.

Deposit
Since you have also paid a deposit to Housing Office you need to receive this back from us. After you have signed the rental agreement with your landlord you will be able to receive your deposit back. In order to do so you need to show us in person or by e-mail your signed rental agreement and a copy of your passport. We will send you an e-mail asking for your banking details so we can refund the deposit of € 375,- back to you by (international) bank transfer within two weeks.

Departure
At some point your experience in Groningen will come to an end and it will be time to leave your room, apartment or house and the city. When this is coming you need to make an appointment with your landlord. Together you will check your room to see if nothing is missing or broken and that the room is clean to their standards. Ask your landlord how to receive your deposit back. Make sure that you paid all the rent when you leave your room. Otherwise your landlord can't refund the deposit to you.

Some tips about how to leave your room, apartment or house
• Make sure you don't leave any personal items
• Make sure nothing is broken (if so, please let your landlord know)
• Remove all waste of personal things you are not going to take with you
• Vacuum or mop the floor of your room
• Do not leave your bicycle in the bike shed or anywhere else nearby the house
• And most important of all return the keys to your landlord!

Questions, requests or complaints
If you have any questions, requests or complaints always go to your landlord first. If you are not satisfied with the way your landlord deals with your questions, requests or complaints you can send us an e-mail or come to our office at Friesestraatweg 18. Our office is open on working days between 9.00 - 16.00 hours.

The Housing Office is able to mediate between you and your landlord. Bear in mind though that we are no legal party as far as your rental agreement with your landlord is concerned. Make sure you check all rental conditions carefully before you sign your rental agreement with your landlord.