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WE4EXPATS Blog

Housing in Utrecht

Do you find Amsterdam too crowded? Want to live in something a bit less touristic and a bit more original? A city with the same international feel, the same iconic canals and (almost) the same nightlife? Take a look at housing in Utrecht. This city lies in the heart of the country, only 40 kilometres from Amsterdam. It is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, built by the Romans as the border of their empire in 50 AD. You can still see this border on the square next to the famous Domtower. A 13th century church tower of 112 meters high. 

Utrecht has been recently discovered by expats as a pleasant city to live. It has all the benefits of Amsterdam, but has a different kind of ‘feel’. Where Amsterdam aspires to be a global village, Utrecht prefers to remain a city that feels like a local village. It is more quiet, more intimate. One of Utrecht’s secrets to achieve this is to create lively cultural centers all over the city, not just in the center. It doesn’t matter where you live, there is always a place to meet nearby. Think of Rotsoord, Werkspoor and the Uithof. 

This city has a big university and was long known as just a student Valhalla. Those days are gone. The students of old remained and the city has now something to offer for everyone. Though Utrecht University and Hogeschool Utrecht still remain important progressive motors of change and vibrant life.

Why would you want housing in Utrecht?

Utrecht has a lot to offer in culture (Dutch Film Festival, Nijntje museum, conservatory, Tivoli and University of Arts), has the best public transport network accessibility in the country and is considered the safest and most quiet out of the four big cities that form the ‘Randstad’. A perfect city for children to grow up. Moving to Utrecht is a choice for the future. Being near the highways to Amsterdam (A2) and Rotterdam and The Hague (A12) means that you can switch jobs without having to move. Last but not least, the city center has a high volume of beautiful (and still active) old churches with many different active religious movements. 

Popular neighborhoods & towns

  • Popular neighborhoods: Wittevrouwen, Buiten-Wittevrouwen, Wilhelminapark, Rijnsweerd, Oog in Al, Tuindorp, Lunetten, Vogelenbuurt
  • Upcoming neighborhoods: Lombok, Zuilen, parts of Overvecht, Rotsoord, Hoograven, Dichterswijk
  • Affordable neighborhoods:  Kanaleneiland, parts of Overvecht, Transwijk, Zuilen
  • Popular nearby towns: Bilthoven, Zeist, Houten, Soest, Bunnik
  • Other nearby towns: De Bilt, Maarssen, Nieuwegein, Ijsselstein, Driebergen, Groenekan

If you decide you want to move to Utrecht, please feel free to contact us to help you on your quest. The housing market in Utrecht is a challenging one, but thanks to our vast network we manage to find houses before they are published to channels such as Funda.nl. Use our services to get a head start in finding your dream property in Utrecht. We have helped hundreds of expats immigrating and purchasing a house and we are happy to help you as well!

By Nick Wildschut

How to leave the Netherlands stress free: 7 steps

  1. Cancelling the rental agreement

When we realized that our signed contract was fixed until the end of the year, we knew that the landlord can hold us to our word. We thought there was no way out. Until WE4EXPATS saved us from our obligations using their knowledge of the Dutch juridical system. Liga reached out to the landlord`s agent and succeeded to obtain a friendly and fast termination of the rental agreement.

  1. Lease termination notice

We had no idea how to end the lease or what that would even entail. But Liga had our back and gave us a template for our letter. Within 24 hours we got a positive response. And just two days ago we thought we would be staying till the end of the year!

  1. House cleaning service and personal items

Due to the government informing us about closing borders, we had to rush out of the country. This meant that we couldn’t clean our apartment before leaving. WE4EXPATS offered to arrange the final cleaning whilst also packing and storing our personal belongings within just two days. The cleaning and moving crew were professionals which followed the maintenance rules and got us our deposit back easily.

  1. Check out procedure

WE4EXPATS took care of our check out procedure without us needing to lift a finger! Because of them, we had photos, videos of the apartment while moving in and out so we were safe from any damage claims. This alleviated a lot of potential worries and would highly recommend doing this.

  1. Utility cancellation

This was the worst. After reaching out to what felt like 100 different providers and websites, we were losing it. We managed to cancel the internet deal but that was it. Liga did her magic and we had all our contracts cancelled without a single fine! Another small tip: have meter readings ready for cancelling the utilities (gas, electricity etc.)

  1. Deregistering from the Netherlands

The relocation team informed us that you can de-register online. This is vital for cancelling utilities without getting fined. If you end a binding contract without having the proof that you are deregistered, utility providers will most likely charge you for the remaining months. The team made sure everything was attached and smooth sailing.

  1. International student bank account

In the Netherlands, bank accounts for students who are enrolled at a Dutch university or college (hogeschool) are free of charge. We will keep our bank accounts since we are moving back to the Netherlands after this COVID-19 lockdown is over.

And that is it! We are very grateful we met Liga from WE4EXPATS. She has not only helped us with relocation into The Netherlands but also with getting back home during these crazy times. We were provided with flexible, creative, dedicated and efficient work. I am writing this from back home, without any loose ends or housing problems to worry about. Basically, a fairy godmother!

Credit to this article: Aksels Strelcs (Rotterdam Business School)

 

 

 

By admin

No loose ends: Leaving The Netherlands during COVID-19

There is only one thing people in Holland love more than deep-fried delicacies, and that’s the sun! After a long dreary winter, the sun finally shines. However, as the grey clouds start to fade, the sun is not the only thing on everyone’s minds. COVID-19.

After making countless plans for the summer of 2020, us along with many other expatriates have had our plans ruined by the coronavirus. Leaving us with two options. Should we stay or should we go?

After debating on what we should do, we know that we can always reach out WE4EXPATS. A company that helped us out massively whilst we were moving to The Netherlands. During these hard times, we kept the Dutch saying in mind “Oost west, thuis best (East, West, home is the best). Although this saying spoke deeply to us, we knew that during the pandemic leaving the country would be a lot easier said than done. Liga from WE4EXPATS gave us the best legal solution and a clear plan on how we can move back home with minimum loss: rental contract, utility cancellation, de-registration and bank accounts.

Credit to this article to WE4EXPATS client: Aksels Strelcs (Rotterdam Business School)

By admin