• The ASVA Student Union provides general information on renting a room in Amsterdam, and also acts as a mediator between students and landlords. www.asva.nl

• Amsterdam's International Student Network (ISN) has a ‘live and work' forum where you can place an ad if you are looking for a room or roommate. www.isn-amsterdam.nl

• The SRVU is a student union based at the VU University Amsterdam, of which UvA students can also become members. The SRVU offers the same student/landlord mediation service as ASVA.       www.srvu.org (in Dutch only).

• The Foreign Student Service provides international students with assistance in finding accommodation.  www.foreignstudents.nl

• Kamernet.nl is a website with extensive online room listings, on which you pay in order to be able to contact the landlords of rooms listed (EUR 12.95 for 20 contacts). Once you have contacted a landlord, no further commission is charged. www.kamernet.nl (Dutch only, but they provide an English explanation of their services).  www.studentenkamers.nl provides similar services.

• Amsterdam’s Steunpunt Wonen (ASW) provides useful information on housing in Amsterdam.  www.huurders.info

• Students for Students provides listing of rooms owned by private landlords. www.sfshousing.nl  

•   Direct Wonen is a commercial agency that offers housing in a higher price category. www.directwonen.nl

• StudentenWoningWeb is a student housing website run by the three housing corporations De Key, Duwo and Ymere. This site works on a waiting list system, so if you are going to stay in Amsterdam for longer than a year, register at the beginning of your stay so that you can accumulate some waiting time by the time you need to look for housing for your second year. Registration costs EUR 30. Their website is in Dutch, but provides English summaries of important information. See www.studentenwoningweb.nl, or if you have questions send an email to info@studentenwoningweb.nl.

The ASVA and SRVU room agencies are the only housing agencies in Amsterdam run on a non-profit basis. All the other room agencies in the city are commercial, which means that they capitalize on the major housing shortage. All commercial housing agencies must be registered with the municipal authorities. They are allowed to ask a reasonable registration fee. They have to offer you a house or room within four months or you are entitled to a refund. If they do find you a room, they charge you a commission when you sign the lease. Legally, this must be a reasonable fee, and should usually not exceed more than one month's rent. Furthermore you must expect to pay contract-fees (EUR 200) and deposits (usually two months’ rent).

As an international student, you can also find a room on the private market by checking the local papers, or advertisements in the grocery store. Before you go and look at a room, it is important to prioritise in terms of what you are looking for (i.e. price, location, size, etc.). During the viewing, look carefully at the condition of the room--check for proper insulation, possible mould/water damage, signs of vermin--and the facilities available--heating, kitchen, bathroom, etc.--in order to determine if it meets your needs. Unfortunately, untrustworthy landlords are common. Therefore, do not go to a viewing alone, and do not pay anything before you have made clear agreements in writing. Because illegal subletting of social housing is practiced, it is important that you confirm that you are able to obtain an official contract with which you can register at the municipality.

You should always be very careful when you apply to a commercial agency or rent a room from a private landlord. If you have questions, you can visit the Amsterdams Steunpunt Wonen (ASW) office for information and advice.
Tips:

ASVA Student Desk and Housing Raffle

The ASVA Student Desk provides students with information on how to find a room in Amsterdam and offers rooms to students on a weekly basis.

The ASVA Room Office is a non-commercial agency that works on a raffle system. The results are completely non-discriminatory and there are no waiting or priority lists. The rooms available in the raffle are posted weekly on the ASVA website. In order to enter the raffle, you must become an ASVA member.

In addition, every Thursday at 12:30 the Student Desk holds a bicycle sale, at which ASVA members can buy a bicycle for just EUR 45 (which is cheap). You can also turn to ASVA for free legal advice if you have legal problems during your stay in Amsterdam. ASVA also has a guide on studying in Amsterdam for international students, which you can pick up for free at the Student Desk.

Non-commercial housing agencies:

ASVA Student Union
Service & Information Centre
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, desk 7
1012 ZA Amsterdam
T: +31(0) 20 525 2926
E: studentenbalie@asva.nl
www.asva.nl

For legal advice, email rechtsbureau@asva.nl

Amsterdams Steunpunt Wonen
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 32
1012 RZ Amsterdam
T: +31 (0) 20 5230130
E: info@steunpuntwonen.nl
www.huurders.info
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 12:30 - 16:00, Thursday, 12:30 - 18:00.

Source: International Student Affairs
info@uva.nl