The rental viewing checklist for the Netherlands: 24 checks and 10 questions

Before you go

Bring your phone charged, with the flashlight working — corners, the meter cupboard and the space under the sink are dark. Ask the agent at the start whether you may open taps, cupboards and the meter cupboard; almost all say yes, and asking first keeps the visit friendly.

Film a slow walkthrough of every room, including ceilings. Two weeks and ten listings later, you won't remember which flat had the stained ceiling, and the video will.

Sending someone in your place? Tell the agent in advance — unannounced representatives are the main reason a viewing falls through.

Damp, heat and energy

Dutch homes are old, small and humid. Most problems that make a rental miserable in winter start here, and most of them are visible if you know where to look.

• Mould / damp — walls, ceilings, corners, windows

  Look in the corners of ceilings, behind curtains, around window frames and in the bathroom grout. Black spots, peeling paint or a musty smell mean a moisture problem that a coat of paint won't have fixed. Fresh paint in one corner only is worth asking about.

• Heating — boiler (CV-ketel) age, all radiators work

  The CV-ketel is the gas boiler that heats the radiators and the water. The year is on a sticker on the unit; one older than about 15 years is near the end of its life. Turn a few radiators up and feel whether they warm.

• Double glazing (HR++) on all windows

  HR++ is the standard for insulated double glazing. Look at the edge of the pane: two layers of glass with a spacer between them. Single glass means higher bills and condensation on the inside in winter.

• Draft / cold spots near windows & doors

  Hold the back of your hand near closed windows and the front door. A noticeable draught usually means worn seals — cheap to fix, but only if the landlord agrees to.

• Energy label (energielabel)

  Landlords must provide a valid energy label when they rent out a home. A to C is reasonable; E to G means high heating costs, which matter most when gas and electricity are not included in the rent.

Water and electrics

• Water pressure (kitchen + shower)

  Open the kitchen tap and the shower at the same time. Weak pressure on the top floor of an old building is common, and it doesn't get better after you sign.

• Hot water response time

  Time how long the shower takes to run hot. Over a minute usually means a long pipe run or a struggling boiler — and higher gas use.

• Leaks under sinks, toilet, shower

  Look and feel under the kitchen sink, behind the toilet and around the shower tray. Water stains, swollen chipboard or a bucket in the cupboard tell you what the listing doesn't.

• Fuse box (groepenkast) condition

  The groepenkast is the fuse box, usually in the meter cupboard near the front door. A modern one has several groups and earth-leakage switches (aardlekschakelaars); a few old screw-in fuses suggest wiring that hasn't been updated.

• Bathroom ventilation (window or mechanical)

  A bathroom without a window needs working mechanical ventilation. Hold a sheet of toilet paper to the vent: if it isn't pulled in, steam stays in the room and turns into mould.

Appliances

• White goods included (oven, fridge, dishwasher)

  Write down which appliances stay. 'Kitchen included' can mean a hob and nothing else. In shared houses, look at fridge space per person.

• Washing machine connection

  Many Dutch flats have no room for a washing machine, or one connection shared by the building. Find the tap and drain before you assume you can bring one.

Light, noise and access

• Natural light + window orientation

  Note which way the main windows face. South and west get afternoon sun; a north-facing flat on a narrow street can need the lights on at noon in winter.

• Floor + lift availability

  Dutch stairs are famously steep and narrow, and most older buildings have no lift. Walk down them, not just up. Think about move-in day and about carrying shopping to the third floor every week.

• Street noise (traffic, tram, bars)

  Stand by an open bedroom window for a minute. Trams, bars and delivery traffic are often outside the photo frame.

• Neighbour sound insulation

  Knock on a shared wall and listen for footsteps upstairs. Wooden floors in older buildings carry sound, and some leases include house rules about noise.

Space and outside

• Storage / berging / attic (zolder)

  A berging is a separate storage room, often in the basement or at street level; a zolder is an attic. Both are worth a lot in a small flat. Ask whether it's lockable and whether it's yours alone.

• Bicycle storage (fietsenstalling)

  A fietsenstalling is bike storage. In a Dutch city you will own a bike, and one left on the street gets stolen or rained on. Check whether it's covered, locked and has room.

• Balcony / garden / terrace

  Ask whether outdoor space is private or shared, and who maintains it. A shared garden can come with a schedule.

Safety

• Smoke detector present

  Smoke detectors have been mandatory in every Dutch home since July 2022, on every floor with a living room, bedroom or kitchen. Look at the ceiling; press the test button if you can reach it.

• Pest signs (mice, cockroaches)

  Droppings in kitchen cupboards, gnaw marks on skirting boards and traps behind appliances. Ground-floor flats near canals and restaurants are most exposed.

Internet and parking

• Fiber internet (glasvezel) availability

  Glasvezel is fibre. Look for a fibre socket near the front door or in the meter cupboard, and run the postcode through a provider's availability check before you sign.

• Mobile signal inside

  Make a call from the bedroom. Thick walls and basements can kill reception, and you'll notice it on your first video call home.

• Parking / parkeervergunning situation

  In most Dutch city centres you need a parkeervergunning (resident parking permit), and in busy areas the waiting list can be long. If you have a car, ask the municipality — not the agent — how long the wait is for that street.

10 questions to ask the agent or landlord

These are the questions our viewers ask on the renter's behalf. The answers decide whether a flat that looks right is actually rentable for you, so write them down word for word.

• Is registration at the address (inschrijving) allowed?

  You must register at your address with the municipality (inschrijving in the BRP) — you need it for your BSN, bank account and health insurance. A landlord who says registration isn't possible is a reason to walk away.

• Is the rent within legal limits (WWS points / huurprijscheck)?

  Rent for most homes, rooms included, is capped by the WWS points system. The Huurcommissie's free huurprijscheck tells you whether the asking rent is within the limit.

• What do the service costs (servicekosten) cover?

  Servicekosten (service charges) are added to the basic rent and must be itemised once a year. Ask what they cover — cleaning, internet, furniture, energy — and get it in writing.

• Are gas / water / electricity included? Average monthly cost?

  Utilities can add a lot to the monthly cost. If they're not included, ask what the current tenant pays per month.

• How many months deposit, and refund conditions?

  Since July 2023 a landlord may ask at most two months' basic rent as deposit (borg), and must return it within 14 days of the tenancy ending — 30 days if they deduct costs. Anything above that is a red flag.

• Furnishing: gemeubileerd / gestoffeerd / kaal?

  Kaal means bare — sometimes not even flooring. Gestoffeerd means floors, curtains and light fittings. Gemeubileerd means furnished. The difference is hundreds of euros on move-in.

• Contract type and length, minimum stay, notice period?

  Ask whether the contract is temporary or indefinite, the minimum stay, and the notice period on both sides.

• Pets / smoking / sharing allowed?

  Get house rules on pets, smoking and subletting in writing, not as a nod.

• Move-in date?

  A move-in date that doesn't match your arrival is the most common reason a good flat falls through.

• How many other applicants?

  This tells you how fast to decide and whether to send your documents the same day.

What this looked like at a real viewing

At our pilot viewing — a room in a four-person student house near Delft, August 2026 — the listing showed a bright room on a quiet street. Both were true. The checklist found the rest: very steep, narrow stairs to the upper floors, uncovered bike parking, weak sound insulation between rooms, one shower for four people and a small fridge for the whole house. At least six people viewed for two rooms.

None of that was a dealbreaker on its own. Together it was a 6 out of 10 — a reasonable choice for the location and the two-year contract, with eyes open about the rest. The full report, videos and photos are public.

Red flags that end a viewing

• You're asked to pay before you've seen the home

  A 'reservation fee' or deposit before a viewing, or a landlord who is abroad and will post the keys, is the classic rental scam pattern in the Netherlands.

• Registration at the address isn't allowed

  Without BRP registration you can't get a BSN-linked bank account or insurance, and it often means the rental itself isn't legal.

• No written contract, or payment to a non-Dutch account

  The legitimate order is: view, sign a written contract, then pay by bank transfer to an account in the name on the contract.

• The person showing it can't answer basic questions

  If they don't know the energy label, the service costs or who the owner is, ask who does — and get it in writing before you commit.