Private rental agencies are a popular option for finding housing in Maastricht. The easiest way to look at all the rooms on offer is Pararius.nl. The website gives an overview of what the local agencies and estate agents have. Some of the rooms are good, but they’re less thoroughly checked than the rooms available on Maastricht Housing, so be careful! You can also find a list of local agencies here.
There are other comparison websites, though pararius.nl is the most commonly used in Maastricht. The other options are: Kamers in Maastricht, Funda, Huurwoning, and Direct Wonen.
Often, the housing offered by private agencies is more expensive than the housing offered at Maastricht Housing. Always check for hidden costs like mediation or administrative fees, which are illegal in the Netherlands. In addition, make sure your agent complies with the Dutch regulations about rental prices and deposits.
Agency fees
Many apartments or rooms that are rented out to international students are found through agencies. Agencies often ask tenants to pay a fee to them but according to the Dutch law in most cases this is not permitted. If a tenant does not pay the fee, often they are refused as a tenant. So a lot of tenants pay those fees to secure a contract. If you have paid a contract fee, you can contact Huurteam Zuid-Limburg to reclaim this back.
If a house is advertised by an agency there is the assumption that the agency is working for the landlord. Because there is a conflict of interest between the landlord and the tenant, the agency can not represent both parties and therefore it is not allowed to ask for an agency fee.
Sometimes agencies refer to an agency fee as contract costs, administration costs, administration fees, etc. This is also not allowed and you can claim back these costs. If you rented the apartment through an agency, you can start a process against the agency if they are working for the landlord and advertised the apartment or room. To start a procedure to claim back these costs you need to start with a letter to the agency.
This letter needs to include the following information:
- The agency was working for the landlord and therefore you were not obliged to pay an agency fee.
- You want a refund within 15 days of the date on your letter.
- If the agency does not comply you can start legal procedures, taking the matter to court or send in a complaint to the municipality (via Huurteam Zuid-Limburg).
How to be careful renting with private agencies
To recap, here are the most important things to look out for when renting out from private agencies:
- Contract fees, or agency fees are illegal in the Netherlands. If you have paid those, make an appointment at Huurteam Zuid-Limburg for more information on how to get those fees back.
- Check your rent. In the Netherlands, rent prices are fixed according to a point system. Points are given for facilities. This means that you don’t pay more for things such as location or nice looks! If you need help with your rent check, contact the Huurteam Zuid-Limburg for free advice.
- Get your contract checked by Huurteam Zuid-Limburg.
