Question 1

Which Extra Costs Can I Expect With An Excl. Rate?

Accepted Answer

When the price is exclusive (excl), it means that only the monthly flat rate is shown. This is the basic rent price for the accommodation. Additional costs for furniture, utilities, internet, and other amenities are not covered. A break-down of these costs can be found in your rental agreement.

NON-SHARED RENTAL

When renting a non-shared accommodation, please note that there will be additional costs of approximately 470 EUR per month. These costs are a (advance) payment for the utilities such as gas, water, electricity, internet, and other possible amenities. The actual costs can differ, it depends on your usage and the energy-label of the accommodation.

➡️ When renting an apartment with students, you may be eligible for municipality tax exemptions 🙌🥳. This could save you approx. €25 per person per month.

LONG-STAY ROOM RENTAL

For private bedrooms in shared accommodations (rooms), you can expect an additional amount of approximately €219.50 per month. These costs are a (advance) payment for the utilities such as gas, water, electricity, internet, and other possible amenities. The actual costs can differ, it depends on your usage and the energy-label of the accommodation.

SHORT-STAY ROOM

However, when renting a short-stay room, please note that the additional amount is approximately €192.50 per month. This cost is lower because there are no taxes involved when booking a short-stay.

HOMESTAY

All mentioned rental prices for homestays are inclusive of the total rent. There are no additional charges for utilities or other amenities. Fair-use policy applies.

Important Information; 💡 (NOT APPLICABLE TO HOMESTAYS)

At the end of your stay, or annually, you will receive a settlement for all advance payments. The actual costs will be based on your actual usage. If your usage exceeds the advance payments, you will need to cover the difference. Conversely, if your actual costs are lower than the advance payments, you will receive a refund.

Question 2

How Does The Booking Process Work?

Accepted Answer

Booking process

The booking process consists of the following steps. These steps can be completed within a day (depending on how fast you respond).

Start Booking To initiate the booking process, simply click the 'start booking' button. You can find this button either on the general listing page under the accommodation or directly on the listing page of the specific accommodation. You will open the take-in form in a new tab.
Take-in Form You can fill in the form through your web browser. By filling in this form, neither you nor Student Housing The Hague is committing to any legal agreement. This form is only for preliminary reasons. At the end of the Take-In form, you will be requested to make a one-time-payment. If booking as a group, ensure all members complete the form within 24 hours. Failure to do so may result in the contract being sent only to those who initiated the booking or not at all. For subsequent bookings, new forms may be required, and previous payments will not be refunded.
General Terms & Conditions Shortly after you have finished the Take-In form, we will start validating the provided documents. In the meantime, you will receive an email with important documents including the General Terms & Conditions, House rules, and other annexes to the tenancy agreement.
Draft Contract Once the provided documents and data have been checked, your tenancy agreement will be sent to you digitally, along with the request to read it carefully and if you agree with its contents, sign digitally.
Finalising Once the contract has been signed by you, the following steps have to be completed in order to finalise the contract:

The Deposit must be paid immediately. You will receive the deposit invoice from Vivet Associates.
Your guarantor will receive a guarantor form to complete. Once the necessary documents are provided, they will receive a Guarantor Agreement for signing;
Single User's Statement needs to be signed (only if applicable).

Signed Contract Once the above-stated steps have been completed, you will receive a signed copy of the tenancy agreement per email.
Rent Payment Upon completing the processing of your tenancy agreement in our system, you will promptly receive an invoice for the rent from the management party. As soon as we confirm the receipt of your rent payment in our bank account, we can proceed to schedule your check-in.

Click here to read the terms of cancellation and reimbursement

You hereby commit to sign or cancel the contract within 72 hours after you have received the contract. Kindly note the following;

Should the booking process be cancelled by us before the 72 hours have expired (e.g. accommodation no longer available), the €85,-- EUR one-time-payment will be refunded within 14 business days after the cancellation takes place.
Should the booking process be cancelled by you, no refund will take place and the one-time payment will be collected on behalf of the landlord as administrative costs.

*** If your group does not complete and submit the take-in form within 24 hours, no refund will be provided if the accommodation is rented out after this time period.***

Question 3

How Does "The Welcome To NL"-Booking Process Work?

Accepted Answer

Booking Process

The booking process consists of the following steps. These steps can be completed within a day, depending on how fast you respond.

Start Booking:

To initiate the booking process, click the 'start booking' button. You can find this button either on the general listing page under the accommodation or directly on the listing page of the specific accommodation. This will open the take-in form in a new tab.

Take-in Form (LINK):

Fill in the form through your web browser. By completing this form, neither you nor Student Housing The Hague is committing to any legal agreement. This form is for preliminary purposes only. At the end of the Take-In form, you will be requested to make a one-time payment. If booking as a group, ensure all members complete the form within 24 hours. Failure to do so may result in the contract being sent only to those who initiated the booking. For subsequent bookings, new forms may be required, and previous payments will not be refunded.
Your appointed guarantor will receive an email notifying them of their appointment as your guarantor.

General Terms & Conditions SHH:

Shortly after you complete the Take-In form, we will start validating the provided documents. In the meantime, you will receive an email with the service agreements from Student Housing Hunter (SHH).

Sign Service Agreement SHH:

You will receive the service agreement from SHH with a signing request. The prices mentioned are included in the advertised price shown on the website of SHTH listings.

SHH Service Fee Payment:

The one-time payment fee requested by the agency for offering this accommodation to students through SHTH is not included in the advertised price. Click here to read more about the SHH service fee. (LINK)

Draft Contract:

Once SHH informs SHTH that the service agreement is signed and we have checked your provided documents and data, your tenancy agreement will be sent to you digitally. Read it carefully and if you agree with its contents, sign digitally.

Finalising:

Once the tenancy agreement is signed by you, the following steps need to be completed to finalize the contract:

Sign POA and Single User's Statement (if applicable):

You will receive a signing request for the Power of Attorney (POA) of SHH/Single User Statement (SHTH).
By signing the POA, you authorize SHH/SHTH to perform services on your behalf, including exchanging contact information and communicating with your management company or us.

Your Guarantor:

Your guarantor will receive a guarantor form to complete. Once the necessary documents are provided, they will receive a Guarantor Agreement for signing.

The Deposit:

The invoice and instructions for the payment will be received by email.

Signed Contract:

Once the above steps are completed, you will receive a signed copy of the tenancy agreement by email.

Rent Payment:

Upon completing the processing of your tenancy agreement in our system, you will promptly receive an invoice for the rent from the management party. As soon as we confirm the receipt of your rent payment in our bank account, we can proceed to schedule your check-in.

IMPORTANT NOTES:Click here to read the terms of cancellation and reimbursement (LINK)

You must finalize or cancel the booking within 72 hours after receiving the first agreement:

If the booking process is canceled by us before the 72 hours have expired (e.g., accommodation no longer available), the €85 one-time payment will be refunded within 14 business days after the cancellation.
If the booking process is canceled by you, no refund will be provided and the one-time payment will be collected on behalf of the landlord as administrative costs.

If your group does not complete and submit the take-in form within 24 hours, no refund will be provided if the accommodation is rented out after this time period.

Question 4

How Can I Dispose Of My Household Waste?

Accepted Answer

If there are underground containers close by your accommodation (less than 5 min. walk), you can dispose of your household waste in these containers. You can locate underground and other recycling containers in The Hague using this interactive map. If there are no underground containers close by, you can put out your garbage bag, wheelie bin, or old paper outside on the designated collection day.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/N5UzFjSkgD/resources/BeDvdNka4W/wheelie%20bin.png (wheelie bin.png)

The Hague

More information about how and when the municipality of The Hague will collect the garbage, what is and what isn't allowed, and other information can be found here. You can see when the municipality will collect the garbage with this link. Just fill in your postal code and house number as shown hereunder.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/N5UzFjSkgD/resources/Lumi565eVm/Zipcode.png (Zipcode.png)

The zip code contains four numeric and two alphabetic characters, which can be found in your contract. Unfortunately, the waste collection schedule of The Hague municipality is only provided in Dutch at this moment.

Private container

As a resident of The Hague, you can order your own mini-container (maximum 1 per household) for absolutely free(!). For more information and to order one, please check this link.

Rotterdam

More information about how and when the municipality of Rotterdam will collect the garbage, what is and what isn't allowed, and other information can be found here. You can see when the municipality will collect the garbage with this link. Just fill in your postal code and house number as shown hereunder.

Question 5

Are Viewings Possible?

Accepted Answer

Viewing Options and Policies:

Please note: We do not conduct viewings while properties are occupied. Viewings are scheduled only when the properties are vacant.

How can I view the properties?

Watch a Video Tour: These are available on our website and provide a convenient and detailed overview of the property from any location.
Request a Personal Viewing: This option offers a deeper, more personalised look at the property, available either in person or digitally.

Are personal viewings always possible?

Viewing Commitment Fee Explained:

We have introduced a commitment fee of €50 (per viewing, per person) to enhance the arrangement and execution of viewings. This fee signifies the serious interest of potential tenants and ensures each viewing is well-organized and meaningful.

Upon Successful Viewing and Booking: If you decide to proceed with a booking after your viewing, the €50 commitment fee will be fully refunded after finalising the booking.
If Someone Else Books the Accommodation: If another party finalises the booking for the property, we will refund your commitment fee, recognizing that you can no longer finalise the booking process due to the accommodation already being taken.
If You Did Not Show Up for the Viewing But Decide to Proceed with the Booking: If you miss the scheduled viewing but later choose to proceed with the booking and finalise it, the commitment fee will be refunded. This ensures that your commitment to the property is acknowledged, even if unforeseen circumstances prevented your attendance.
Decision Not to Proceed After Viewing: If you choose not to proceed with the booking after the viewing, a partial refund of €25 will be issued. The remaining €25 covers the administrative costs of arranging the viewing and the transaction fees of the payment provider.
In Case of No-show Without Follow-Up: If you do not attend the scheduled viewing and do not proceed with a booking, the commitment fee will not be refunded. This policy encourages responsible scheduling and values the preparation involved.

Cancellation Policy*

Full Refund: Cancelling viewings with a full refund is permitted if the cancellation is made at least 24 hours before the scheduled viewing time. A €5 fee will be charged to cover the transaction fee from the payment provider.
Partial Refund: Cancelling viewings with €25 is permitted if the cancellation is made at least 3 hours before the scheduled viewing time.
Decision Notification: Inform us within 24 hours of your viewing decision to qualify for full/partial refund. Decisions made after 24 hours do not qualify for any refund.

How to Request a Viewing

To schedule a viewing, please reach out to us by email at help@shth.nl or via WhatsApp at +3175680708, providing:

Your full name
Your email address
Your phone number
The address or name of the property you’re interested in
Preferred dates for the viewing
Preferred times for the viewing

This allows us to tailor the viewing to your needs. After we process your request, a link to pay the commitment fee will be sent to you.

Tenant-Requested Viewings:

Important Note: Viewing requests should be made individually. If multiple requests for the same property are received, we may organize a group viewing to accommodate all interested parties, ensuring a fair and efficient process.

Introducing a commitment fee for viewings aims to optimize the process, focusing our attention and resources on those genuinely interested in finding their next home with us. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and look forward to helping you find the perfect property.

*Cancellations needs to be done in writing by e-mail to help@shth.nl

Question 6

What Are The Extra Fees With Rooms For Stays Shorter Than Twelve Months?

Accepted Answer

All stays shorter than twelve months are subject to additional fees

The following rates and price plans apply to the rental periods of Dependent Living Accommodations (DLA) such as rooms.

All additional fees are processed monthly

Short stay accommodations:

4 months: + €50,00 p/m
3 months: + €60,00 p/m
2 months: + €80,00 p/m
1 month: + €120,00
less than 1 month: + €240,00

Long stay accommodations:

12 months: the standard rate as mentioned in the advertisement
11 months: + €12,00 p/m
10 months: + €16,00 p/m
9 months: + €20,00 p/m
8 months: + €25,00 p/m
7 months: + €30,00 p/m
6 months: + €35,00 p/m
5 months: + €45,00 p/m

Note: The total amount of months are rounded down. If you are staying e.g. 4 months and 20 days, the additional fee will be calculated as 4 months.

Question 7

How Can I Secure My Booking? / What Does Reserved Mean?

Accepted Answer

To ensure you secure your preferred accommodation swiftly and smoothly, we offer a Booking Assistance to give you a competitive edge and peace of mind during the booking process.

Keep in mind: It is still possible to book any accommodation on our website without using the booking assistance, but the regular first-come, first-served policies apply.

Booking Assistance:

Cost: €650 (non-refundable)
Personal Assistance: Support from a dedicated booking assistant.
Exclusive Offline Status: Your chosen listing will be marked as unavailable to other applicants.
Guaranteed Booking: Secure the booking of your selected accommodation.
Decision Time: Complete your booking within 72 hours.

Want to Use The Booking Assistance?

Is Your Desired Booking Already Reserved?

If you find that the accommodation you applied for is currently reserved, you still have the opportunity to finalise your booking and be placed on the reservation list. If the tenant who reserved the accommodation does not finalise within their given timeframe, the property will become available to the next in line. Should you decide to withdraw, we offer a refund of the one-time payment from the take-in form if you cancel within three days of initiating the booking.

These tailored services are part of our commitment to providing you with a streamlined and supportive booking experience. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Note: The Booking Assistance does not include the one-time form fee.

Question 8

What Is The "Welcome To NL" Offer?

Accepted Answer

The "Welcome to NL" offer provides students with exclusive housing solutions and additional services, in partnership with Student Housing Hunter.

What services are included in the "Welcome to NL" offer?

The "Welcome to NL" offer includes the following services:

1. Coordination with the landlord: This involves communicating and working with the landlord to address any issues related to the rental property, such as lease agreements, maintenance, or any other landlord-tenant matters.

**2. Furnishing process: **This refers to overseeing or arranging the furnishing of the rental property, which could include selecting, purchasing, and placing furniture and other necessary items in the property.

3. Translation Support: We provide Dutch tenancy agreements and terms for legal reasons. Student Housing Hunter (SHH) can assist with translations to ensure you fully understand the terms. Please note that Dutch contracts remain legally binding.

4. Registration Support: Assistance with the registration process and support with tasks such as banking, finding a family doctor, obtaining a Dutch SIM card, etc. SHH also guides you through de-registration processes when necessary.

5. Additional Assistance: Apart from translation and registration support, the package may offer further assistance tailored to the needs of international students. For specific details, please refer to the Student Housing Hunter website.

Are there any additional costs associated with the "Welcome to NL" offer?

While the advertised price for the "Welcome to NL" offer includes the Student Housing Hunter fee, additional charges may still apply for furniture, utilities, internet, and other amenities. These costs are not included in the advertised price, on the SHTH-website, and will be specified separately in the tenancy agreeement, as with regular offers. For an estimated breakdown of these extra charges, please visit our FAQ page here.

Note: The one-time fee for Student Housing Hunter is not included in the advertised price and is required per person, not per accommodation.

Question 9

At What Date And Time Is The Check-In Scheduled?

Accepted Answer

Check-ins take place between 13:00 - 16:30 on office days, 14:00 - 16:00 on Saturday, Sunday, or holidays.

Kindly take the following into account:

If your tenancy agreement is set to start on a future date, your check-in will always occur on the contract's starting day, even if it falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday. However, if your agreement starts today/in the past because the accommodation is/was available immediately you can find more information regarding this here: https://faq.shth.nl/faqs/when-is-the-deadline-for-the-first-term-rent-payment

In case you wish to reschedule your check-in for a later date than initially specified in your contract, it can only be arranged on a business day. The specific date and time will be subject to our availability and may incur additional charges. Please note that, especially in co-living arrangements, check-ins must be within reasonable hours to respect the privacy and comfort of your housemates.

If you require a quicker process for your tenancy agreement and check-in, you can request our priority service where we coordinate this with the management party. This service ensures that your check-in occurs sooner than our regular next business day timeframe (applicable when the booking is finalized within 4 days). An example scenario could be needing the check-in on the same day as your rent payment, especially if the next day is a weekend. Please be aware that check-in times outside the standard practice and hours, as mentioned above, will incur an additional fee of 250 EUR excl. VAT, subject to the availability of the management party.

Please note: The planning department is closed on business days from 3 PM.

Question 10

Can I End/Terminate My Contract?

Accepted Answer

Depending on your type of contract and the agreed conditions, you may or may not have the option to terminate your contract before the end date. Please contact us, and we will review your contract and provide you with the relevant information.

Fixed-Term Contract

We offer fixed-term contracts with a maximum duration of 12 months. A fixed-term contract is a legally binding agreement with a predetermined timeframe that cannot be terminated prematurely, except by mutual consent through a termination agreement. This arrangement provides clear and stable terms for both tenants and landlords throughout the specified duration. It's crucial to distinguish between a fixed-term contract and a definite contract; the former cannot be terminated by either the tenant or the landlord before the contract's end date. If you wish to terminate a fixed-term contract prematurely, it can only be done through a termination agreement, which may involve administrative costs.

What Is A Termination Agreement?

A termination agreement is a mutually agreed-upon agreement between the tenant(s) and the landlord to end the tenancy agreement before the specified end date. It outlines the terms and conditions of the early termination, including any obligations, responsibilities, and potential costs involved. The termination agreement provides a formal and legally binding framework for both parties to terminate the tenancy agreement in a mutually agreed manner.

What Do You Need To Mention In Your Registered Letter?

If your contracts needs you to terminate by registered letter, you can find the information regarding the registered letter here:

To terminate the rental agreement, you must submit a notice of termination in the form of an "aangetekende brief" (registered letter). According to the law (link), this is the only valid method of giving notice to your landlord. The registered letter provides evidence of delivery and ensures that your notice is legally recognized and binding.

Mention the following in your registered letter:

Date per when you'd like to terminate.
Signature of all tenants in case you rent an entire apartment, otherwise only your signature of your renting an individual room.
The address of the accommodation in question.

Other information

Please take into account that we plan the pick-up of the letters, once, at the end of every month (the last day); this is to prevent missing out on registered letters coming in right after we picked it up.

In case Student Housing The Hague is the contract manager, you must send the registered letter to the following address:

Box G9200 (very important to mention this!!)

Gravin Juliana van Stolberglaan 31

2263 AB Leidschendam

Nederland