General FAQ
1. Can you explain the total sum of the first payment I made when booking the room online?
The first payment consists of the deposit, administration fee and the rent, starting on the first day of the contract till the end of the month, plus the next month (when your contracts starts after the 24th).
2. How do I make the first payment?
The first payment can only be made by credit card during the booking. When you cannot make the payment by credit card, please contact us at reservations@lievendekey.nl. For all information about paying rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
3. When do I need to pay my rent?
The rent needs to be paid before the first of every new month. You will receive an email with a link to pay the rent (by credit card or iDeal) at the end of every month, to pay the rent for the next month. When the link isn't working, please try again later or pay another way (see information on "All about paying the rent" at the bottom of this page).
In your bank statements you can see if a payment was successful or not.
4. Are there pots and pans in the room?
There may be pots, pans and cutlery in the room. This depends on what is left by the previous resident as well. We always advise our future residents to first see what is there and then buy the items you are missing.
5. Are there towels?
No, there are no towels. Please bring your own or buy some.
6. Is there bedlinen in the room?
Yes, there is a 'Welcome in Amsterdam' box, that provides you a set of new bedding (like pillow, duvet and bedlinen) in the room.
7. Can I send a package before I arrive?
No, there won't be anyone to receive your package for you. You can send a package to your room when you are certain that you will be present in the room yourself.
Not home? The postmen will try to deliver it at a neighbor or take it back to the post office. In that case, the postman will leave a note where you can collect your package.
8. What about local taxes?
Local taxes are not included in the rent. You will be responsible for paying these municipal taxes, which the local authorities impose on all residents. There are two types of taxes: pollution levy and water tax. Most of you will receive a tax bill from Waternet or from the local City Council. Our advice is to pay the tax and then ask for a remission, depending on your financial situation. Your City Council can inform you on this matter. For all information about your rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
When you live in Amsterdam, call 14020 and press 2 for English.
When you live at Rode Kruislaan or Bergwijkdreef, call the office Gemeentelijke belastingen Amsterdam Amstelland at (020) 54 04 886.
9. Can I apply for housing allowance?
Yes, but only when your room is eligible and are 18+ years. Shared rooms are not eligible due to the lower rent. Private rooms with shared facilities only from a certain rent price. And completely private rooms are eligible.
Find out more about housing allowance.
Housing allowance is a benefit awarded by the Dutch government to those who have lower income and relatively high costs for renting their home. The allowance only covers a part of the monthly rent, the so called ‘rekenhuur’. This includes basic rent, caretaking facilities and electricity and cleaning in communal areas. More information about taxes, please check here.
10. Can I change my room?
No, you can't change rooms during the semester. When you are not happy with your current stay, ask for assistance from the RA and/or caretaker to help improve the situation. We recommend you to see the University's student counsellor and/or Housing Office when we can't help with your situation.
11. Can I shorten my contract?
Termination of/shortening of the lease is not possible, as we work with fixed lease periods for Short Stay. When you signed your rental contract, you agreed with the fixed rental period with a fixed end date.
As this housing is offered to you via your university here. These contracts can only be terminated early when you officially cancel your study enrollment. Sublet of a room is not allowed with Short Stay. Contract take over might be optional. Please contact your university for more information.
When you leave your room, you must follow the departure instructions stated in the Short Stay Student App and pay rent till the end of your lease.
[Note for Short Stay students]: leaving Amsterdam before the official end date of your (Erasmus) exchange period does not count as a cancellation of your study enrolment.
12. Can I extend my contract?
No, an extension is not possible. Short Stay allows you to rent a room for a maximum of one semester or two semesters. Apply for our Short Stay housing goes through the international office of your university, who decides on the offered lease terms.
If your current tenancy agreement is for one semester, we cannot offer you another term.
If you are planning to stay longer as student, please register with Studentenwoningweb.com as soon as possible to find yourself a room after your agreement ends.
13. Where do I need to leave my keys after the check out?
Please leave the keys(fob) at the location explained by the caretaker. This could be in the caretakersmailbox or left in the 'private' room. Please read the "Departure information" for your accommodation in particular or contact your caretaker.
14. Is there a fee when I did not pay my rent before the 1st of the new month?
No, there is no fee when you are late in paying the rent. When you didn’t pay, you will receive a first reminder around the 10th of the new month and a second reminder and last warning around the 20th of the month, around 25th, we will also inform the university, which can lead to further consequences at the end of the month when not coming to an arrangement or payment. For all information about paying rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
Attention! Possible consequences are that we are forced to outsource your case to our debt collector which leads to extra costs for you as tenant.
15 How do I file taxes?
16 How can I deregister?
17 What about house contents insurance?
18 Where can I stay after one year?
Through the UvA/AUAS you can apply for one or two semesters of Shortstay housing. After this one year (two semesters) you need to find housing yourself. When you arrive in Amsterdam for the Shortstay contract and you already know that you want to continue living in Amsterdam after the Shortstay, we advise you to register at:
The earlier you subscribe, the more chance of getting room after your stay with Lieven De Key Short Stay Student.
19. What is the difference between the housing fee I paid to the UvA/AUAS and the administration fee I need to pay for the Lieven De Key Shortstay
Below you can find the explanation of the different kind of fees you are required to pay.
Why is there a UvA/AUAS fee?
The housing market is very tight in Amsterdam, and even Dutch students have great difficulty in finding a room. However, for international students it is even more challenging to find a suitable place to live in the general housing market. Therefore, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) provide a housing service that offers international students an opportunity of one year of housing in Amsterdam. Participating in the housing programme is voluntary, but highly recommended to all visiting students. To be eligible for a room through the housing office of the UvA/AUAS, students will have to pay a UvA/AUAS fee. This fee is necessary to cover the extra costs that come with providing international students the advantaged service of an immediate room upon arrival in Amsterdam. The costs that are connected to providing this housing service have to be paid by the students who choose to use it, since these costs legitimately cannot be covered by university funds that are meant for academic purposes.
The costs of the housing service has various components: first of all, a large number of rooms, around 3000, have to be reserved and rented for the entire calendar year from Amsterdam’s housing corporations, and various other housing partners. However, during change-overs, cleaning days, and summer, a number of rooms are unoccupied, but do need to be paid for. This loss of rent revenue is covered by the UvA/AUAS fee. Secondly, the housing programme has certain running costs which vary from acquiring and paying in-house residential assistants throughout the year, to office costs and (credit card) payment services. Thirdly, the housing fee is required to fund all sorts of incidental costs, such as loss of rent due to illness, insufficient study results, psychological issues of students, determination of programmes, early departure of students (for various reasons), etc. Lastly, the UvA/AUAS is constantly seeking new locations and possibilities to house more students in the following academic year. In order to make certain locations (temporarily) suitable for students to live in, some costs in advance are unavoidable. One would then have to think about cleaning, removing old furnishings, security, etc.
For clarity: the UvA/AUAS fee is not the same as the administration fee which is charged by the housing corporation.
Why is there an administration fee of the Housing Corporation?
Housing corporations Lieven De Key, and other partners require tenants to pay an administration fee when they make their first bookingpayment to confirm the room offer.
Corporations Lieven De Key, and other partners provide short stay accommodation to international students. Renting out this type of accommodation requires a different service than is required for standard accommodation rented out to Dutch tenants.
Short stay tenants rent accommodation for a relative short period (average 8 months). Therefore, a welcome package with bedding is provided.
The housing corporations also provide customized services that are tailored to the tenants’ needs, and all communication and information is provided in English. The information and assistance provided by Lieven De Key, and other partners, is very wide-ranging and covers the period both before/during and after the accommodation is rented out.
Why is there a deposit of the Housing Corporation?
For international students, we provide furnished rooms. These tenants at the housing corporation Lieven De Key and other partners pay a deposit. This deposit is refunded after the lease ended. If the room is left clean, tidy and without damages.
20. What is included in the monthly rent?
In your monthly rent, you pay for the use of water, electricity and internet (cabled). You can also find a rent breakdown on your Lieven De Key Account. For all information about paying rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
21. Can I have a visitor in my room?
You can have a visitor up to seven days in a row, when you are in a shared room or a room with shared facilities. Please talk to your roommate about this as well. Please report a visitor here.
22. Is cleaning included?
Cleaning of the common areas is included. In the common kitchens, only the floor will be cleaned. You and your flatmates need to take care of the hygiene in the kitchen. Set up a cleaning plan together.
23. What if I want to leave before the end date of my contract?
You can leave on any day and time before the end of your tenancy. Make sure to return keys(fobs)! Rent obligations continue till the end of your tenancy (or till the corrected end date, when we confirmed an alteration). It is only possible to change your lease under special circumstances with approval from the universities housing office. As we work with fixed semester contracts.
24. Can I pay (in cash) at the office?
No. It is not possible to pay (in cash and not by debit card) at our office. For all information about paying rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
25. What payment types do you accept?
We accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard), Dutch debit cards, IDEAL. We do not accept PayPal or VISA electron. For all information about paying rent, check out the "All about paying the rent"-link at the bottom of this page!
26. What items are in my room?
All rooms are basically furnished and have a bed with a mattress, a desk and desk chair, a closet, and a bookcase. See the inventory list for details here. You may contact your caretaker and/or RA for the specifics.
27. When do I receive my deposit?
We process all deposit refund after check out - within the time that is stated in your tenancy agreement. According to the tenancy agreement we have 90 days to do so. We start two weeks after the final (corrected) lease date and tenants may expect within 4 - 8 weeks in our account.
Please check out the "Deposit refund"-page at the bottom of this page.
28. Why do I receive mail from previous residents and what should I do with this?
When you receive mail, addressed to previous residents, you can write ‘return to sender’ on the envelope and put the letter in any red or orange mailbox on the street.
29. Subletting is not allowed!
Tenants may not use their rented housing for a purpose other than living there themselves -or make their rented housing available for use by a third party (any contacts - family, friends, neighbours or unknown people). If these rules are found to have been violated, the tenant will be liable for a penalty to be paid immediately amounting to € 100,- for each day that the violation has taken place. He or she shall also continue to be subject to the terms of the agreement and without prejudice to the landlord's other rights to compensation.
Your caretaker or RA can help in case rules and regulations are violated by others around you.