F.A.Q.
Here we give you answers to the most frequently asked questions. Click on a category below to jump right to your section.
- How does RentSlam work
- My search profile
- How to apply to rental listings
- How to get viewings
- Students
- The costs
How do I find a house for rent with RentSlam
We scan all reliable websites every minute, 24 hours a day, looking for new rental properties. So you no longer have to search online for hours a day. You just need to check your email. And because we do that so often, you will never be late to respond, ever again. We also search on more than 1,000 websites, which simply means that we find more listings than you possibly can. In addition, you do not have to pay us any commission.
RentSlam works throughout the Netherlands. So no worries, we will find you your home. But not every city has many properties for rent, so if you move to a place most people have never heard of, let us know. Then we can do our extra best to find all the properties for you there as well.
Thanks for asking, hopefully we can shed some light on that. On our blog you can find a lot of information about the average price per square meter in the cities we do. But beware, these are averages, sometimes you get lucky and find a bargain, but sometimes you have to be patient and be realistic. We have the average rental prices available per city:
Amsterdam
Rotterdam
The Hague
Utrecht
That’s right! There is no point in putting them on the website. Rental properties are rented out so fast that you are already too late when you find them. That is why we do not put homes on our site, instead we have created an active service that allows you to respond in time. We will send you all new rental properties via email as soon as they become available! Haven’t received rental properties yet? Send us an email to support@rentslam.com
That is probably the most frequently asked question! The answer depends very much on the circumstances. Many of our clients rent a house within a week, others take more than a month. The better your search criteria matches the offers on the market, the faster you will succeed. Below are the most important factors that influence how long it takes to find a rental property:
– Is your budget in line with the rest of your criteria?
– How quickly do you respond to the listings we send
– To what extent do you meet the requirements of the landlord
– How big is your search area
Funda and Pararius are very good sources, they have a lot of offer, but nevertheless there are still a lot of properties that never appear on these platforms. The competition for the listings on these platforms is also very strong, because everyone is looking there. We actively search more than 1,000 websites for houses that match your search profile. We literally do that every minute 24/7. This is something that you cannot possibly do yourself as a human being, only a search bot can do that. RentSlam therefore ensures that you get many more houses and can respond much faster.
Yes, landlords can offer their property for rent through our site completely free of charge. We do an ID check to protect you against fraudsters, so you don’t have to worry about that either. We find all the offer online and combine it with our own offer. It is therefore really impossible to find more homes than we do.
Finding a house for rent the right way
You’re not blind, that option isn’t available yet… Often these details aren’t clearly stated so it’s hard for us to find and share them with you, but I promise we’re working on it.
Pet filters are unnecessary. Nowhere in the law does it say that you can prohibit a tenant from bringing a pet. So even if the landlord does not want you to bring your playful dog, he cannot forbid you. The only exception is when it is stated in the articles of the agreement of the Owners’ Association. So you can ask about that just to be sure. Of course it is very different if your pet causes a lot of nuisance to the neighbors, then you may still have to leave the house with your pet after a long legal process.
Yes, that really sucks. But don’t give up, because that is certainly not the case with all rentals. Housing associations often ask that 3x the rent as gross salary. It is usually more flexible with private landlords or a real estate agents. Unfortunately, we have no control over this and we think it’s stupid just as much as you do.
No, for that you need to visit Woningnet Amsterdam or Woonnet Rotterdam etc. However, keep in mind that the average waiting time for social housing is over 10 years in the major cities, so you might as well look for a time machine.
Yes, you can create up to 4 different searches at once with 1 account. So you can, for example, search in 4 cities at once, or set up multiple bedroom and price combinations or even a mix of both.
Logical! We listened to your feedback and developed a BETA filter for income requirements. If this is clearly indicated in a listing, we will still send you the house, but with a notification that the income does not match, so you do not have to respond to it for nothing. Eventually we will also make available the option of not receiving these listings at all.
How do I apply for a rental apartment
When we send you rental properties that have come online, it is the intention that you respond directly to the provider. Click on the button ‘view listing’ and you will immediately go to the website where the house is offered. There you can immediately request a viewing or ask questions. This way you respond quickly and directly to the people offering the property.
You’re probably doing it right! But there are a few things you can look out for.
1- Are you really applying fast enough? Otherwise, turn on your “push notifications” for your email, then you can apply even faster.
2- Do you write the right things when you ask for a viewing? Less is often better. If you need help with this, let us know.
If you really are doing everything right, it is probably because real estate agents and other providers are so busy that they no longer respond to all emails. You can try to contact them by phone, but focus on responding as quickly as possible.
There is no perfect message, if there was we would of course give it to you! A good message is very personal and depends on your situation. But in general, the shorter the better, and only provide information that is requested. In some cases, the owners will want to know more about who you are, what you do and what hobbies you have, but that doesn’t happen often, so only mention it when asked. Do you need help writing a good message? Let us know, we’ll be happy to help you.
No matter how annoying it is to hear, Stadsgenoot will certainly not give you false hope! The registrations at Stadsgenoot will be closed immediately after a few applications. For that reason, there are many people who run into this problem. It’s not you and it’s not us!
How do I get invited for viewings
The most important thing is to respond to as many properties as possible. You are simply not invited to every one of them, so the more applications, the more viewings. And make sure you apply very quickly, then you will also get a lot more viewings.
It differs per provider, some agents are very progressive with this and even advertise that they do this. There are also agents who are a bit more old-fashioned and unfortunately only do physical viewings. Fortunately, we find listings from both types of real estate agents 😉 Having a friend do a viewing is of course always possible, but then you also have to trust their judgment about the house, and that is really something very personal.
If the provider of the house does not indicate in advance that you have to bring something with you, you can assume that this is not necessary. But, if you still want to put your best foot forward, bring an ID card (driver’s license or passport), an employment contract and pay slips.
Renting a house as a student
It is very annoying that some landlords do not want to rent to students. But the good news is that with perseverance and a little ingenuity and help you will definitely get there. Many students have already found a home with RentSlam. You just have to go a little further than others. For example, you can think of a guarantor, sharing with other students, involving your parents, etc.
As much as we would like it to, unfortunately not. We really only find independent houses. Studios, apartments, penthouses, lofts and full houses! We really find everything there is to rent on the housing market, but no rooms 😞. You can rent a house and share it with your fellow students, of course!
No Unfortunately not. We only find houses from €808 per month (the liberalisation limit) and for that reason you cannot apply for housing benefit here. The homes where this is possible are almost always social rental homes and they almost always go through the incredibly long waiting lists.
Wat do I have to pay to rent a house
No, you can find a house for rent with only a Rentslam subscription! If you want to have a better chance of renting a property, you can choose to activate “paid sites” in your search profile. As a result, you will receive more homes.
Ugh, this really annoys us too. When you hire a real estate agent to find a home for you, that real estate agent does a lot of work for you. They then of course have the right to charge you a commission for that, logical right? But if you find a home without a search with an estate agent, you do not have to pay a commission to the agent. If you have already paid it, you can get your money back. Read more here, and let us know if you need more help. Here a link to a form that you can use to get your money back.
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