Moving checklist

You found a home. Now what?

Fourteen steps, in the right order.

The hard part is over. Now comes the admin: giving notice, registering, reading meters and handing over. Everything below is in order, from four weeks before you get the keys to the weeks after. Work from top to bottom and you will not forget anything.

The three things that go wrong most often

Ordering internet too late. Delivery takes 2 to 3 weeks, up to six for a new connection. Start here.
No photos of the meter readings. Without them you cannot dispute an incorrect final bill.
Not completing the inspection report together. This is the number one reason deposits do not come back in full.

Step 1 of 15

4 weeks before

Read the lease, give notice, book transport

Step 1 / 15

Read your lease line by line

Never sign what you have not read. Pay attention to service charges, the notice period and the deposit. Those are the three points tenants run into later.

Service charges: does it state exactly what is included (water, gas, electricity, cleaning of shared areas)? Is it a fixed amount or an advance? With an advance you get an annual settlement and you are entitled to a breakdown.
Notice period: for tenants it equals the payment period, so usually one month. You may give notice on any day of the month. If the contract has a minimum term, you cannot leave before that date.
Deposit: under the Dutch Good Landlordship Act it may not exceed two months of base rent, and it must be returned within 14 days after the tenancy ends (30 days if costs are being settled).
Obligations: many leases require contents insurance, ban subletting or pets, or demand you return the property in its original state. Know this before you start renovating.

Step 2 / 15

Give written notice on your current home

Verbal notice does not count. Send an email or registered letter with your name, address and the intended end date, and always ask for written confirmation.

Keep the confirmation stating the end date. Without it you have no proof and the tenancy may simply continue.
Plan one or two weeks of overlap between both homes. It costs extra rent, but gives you time to move, clean and hand over the old place properly.
Ask straight away when the final inspection is and what is expected of you: filled holes, flooring removed, blinds left behind?

Step 3 / 15

Arrange transport: movers or drive it yourself

Book early. Month-end and the last Friday of the month are the busiest moments in the moving business, and by then there is little left to choose.

Rule of thumb: ground floor or a lift plus few belongings? Do it yourself with a van. Third floor without a lift, a piano, a washing machine or a family household? Hire help.
Always get three quotes. For exactly the same job the difference between movers is easily a few hundred euros.
Using a furniture lift or a large van in a city? Apply for a parking permit at the municipality. In many places this is mandatory and takes a few working days.

2 weeks before

Internet, energy and insurance at the new address

Step 4 / 15

Order internet: start here, do not finish here

Internet delivery normally takes 2 to 3 weeks. If a new connection is needed or an engineer has to visit, it runs up to 4 to 6 weeks. This is by far the most common moving mistake.

First check by postcode and house number which providers actually deliver. Not every network reaches every address.
Already have a subscription? Choose “move” instead of “new subscription”. You keep your email address and usually skip installation fees, but your contract term continues.
Bridge the first days with a mobile hotspot or a 4G/5G router. Assume you will be without a fixed line in week one.

Step 5 / 15

Arrange an energy contract at the new address

Register with a supplier at least a few days before you get the keys. If you do not, your supply falls back on a default rate that is almost always more expensive.

Renting all-in (utilities included)? Then you arrange nothing, but check what is covered and whether a usage cap applies.
Cancel your old contract or transfer it. Forget this and you will be paying at two addresses.
On handover day, submit meter readings to both suppliers, old and new address.

Step 6 / 15

Arrange contents insurance

It is not required by law, but nearly every lease demands it. It also covers tenant improvements you added yourself, such as flooring, a kitchen or blinds.

Start the cover on the day you receive the keys, not the day you move your things. Damage in an empty home is still damage, and it is already your responsibility.
Already insured? Report your new address. A different size or postcode changes the premium, and an unreported move can void cover.
Check that your liability insurance still matches your new situation, especially if you are moving in together.

1 week before

Municipality, mail and meter readings

Step 7 / 15

Report your change of address to the municipality

This is a legal obligation. You may report your move from 4 weeks before the moving date up to 5 days after. Report later and the day of notification counts as your official moving date, with a possible fine.

Arrange it online with DigiD on your new municipality’s website. Moving within the same municipality uses the same form.
If your whole household moves, one notification covers everyone. Moving in with someone may require the main occupant’s written consent.
The municipality automatically shares your address with the tax authority, the vehicle agency, your health insurer and pension funds. Not with your employer, bank, telecom provider or subscriptions. Those are on you.

Step 8 / 15

Forward your mail and list who you must inform yourself

PostNL’s forwarding service redirects mail still sent to your old address. Allow a few working days for processing, so arrange it before you move.

Inform yourself: bank, employer, health insurer, GP, dentist, pharmacy, school or daycare, sports club, and every webshop with a saved address.
Do not forget subscriptions: newspapers, meal boxes, parcel deliveries and anything that keeps arriving at your old address.

Step 9 / 15

Photograph the meter readings in both homes

On handover day, photograph gas, electricity (day and night tariff separately) and water in both the old and the new home. Without photos you have no case if a final bill is wrong.

Make sure the meter type or EAN number is legible, so you can prove which meter it was.
Photograph the whole meter cupboard, not just the display. With a smart meter, capture the serial number too.
Store the dated photos in a separate folder, together with your lease and the inspection report.

Moving day

The inspection report: this decides whether you get your deposit back

Step 10 / 15

Complete the inspection report together with the landlord

This is the most underestimated item on the entire list. The inspection report records the condition in which you found the property. Anything not listed can end up on your bill when the tenancy ends.

Walk through room by room and note every defect: scratches, stains, a cracked tile, a door that will not close, a dripping tap, a jammed window.
Photograph everything yourself, including what is not in the report. Use an app that records date and time.
Only sign once everything you saw is included. Do not let yourself be rushed: a signature is final, an addition afterwards is an argument.
Ask for a signed copy and keep it with your lease. If the landlord refuses a joint inspection, make your own dated photo series and email it the same day. A timestamped email is evidence.
Do exactly the same at the final inspection of your old home. Ask on the spot what still needs doing and have it recorded that the rest is in order.

Step 11 / 15

Count the keys and test the installations

Note how many keys you receive and for which doors. You must hand back exactly the same number; a missing key often means a new cylinder at your expense.

Test straight away: boiler, thermostat, hot water, mechanical ventilation, smoke alarms, and every socket and light switch.
Something broken? Report it in writing within days. A defect reported immediately is landlord maintenance; the same defect six months later is a dispute.

The weeks after

DigiD, health insurance and rent benefit

Step 12 / 15

Check your address with DigiD and official bodies

Your address in DigiD and MijnOverheid follows the population register once the municipality has processed your registration. Check it anyway, especially if you expect mail from the tax authority.

Enable Berichtenbox notifications in MijnOverheid on an email address you actually read. Much official mail is digital now.
You do not need to update your driving licence or vehicle registration; the RDW receives your new address automatically.

Step 13 / 15

Check your health insurance

Your health insurer receives the address change automatically, but not the consequences. Moving to another region can change your premium and which hospitals are contracted.

Check whether your current GP and pharmacy are still practical, and register with new ones in time. In big cities practices are often full.

Step 14 / 15

Apply for rent benefit at the tax authority

Apply immediately, even if you doubt you qualify. Rent benefit starts from the month of application. Wait six months and you lose those six months.

Roughly four conditions apply: you rent self-contained accommodation, you are registered at the address, the rent is below the ceiling, and your income and assets stay under the limits.
The exact amounts change every year. Always run the trial calculation on belastingdienst.nl instead of relying on last year’s figures.
Income going up, or someone moving in? Report it straight away. Benefits are settled afterwards and a reclaim always comes at a bad moment.

Step 15 / 15

The small things everyone forgets

None of these is big, but together they cause most of the irritation in month one.

Name tag on the doorbell and letterbox. Without it your mail is regularly returned.
Request a waste pass or container from the municipality, plus a resident parking permit if your street requires one.
Municipal taxes arrive automatically, but check you have no outstanding assessment at your old address.

Frequently asked questions

When must I report my move to the municipality?

You may report the change of address from 4 weeks before the moving date up to 5 days after. If you report later, the day of notification counts as your official moving date and the municipality may fine you. Registration is mandatory and is arranged online with DigiD.

How long does it take to get internet at a new address?

Expect 2 to 3 weeks. If a new connection or an engineer visit is needed, it can take 4 to 6 weeks. Order internet first, about two weeks before you get the keys, and bridge the first days with a mobile hotspot.

What is an inspection report and why does it matter?

The inspection report describes the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy, completed and signed by tenant and landlord together. At the end of the tenancy the property is compared against it. Damage not listed is treated as caused by you and can be deducted from your deposit.

How much deposit may a landlord ask, and when do I get it back?

Under the Dutch Good Landlordship Act the deposit may not exceed two months of base rent. After the tenancy ends the landlord must return it within 14 days, or within 30 days if costs are being settled, and those costs must be itemised.

Am I required to take out contents insurance as a tenant?

Not by law, but nearly every lease requires it contractually. It also covers tenant improvements such as flooring, a kitchen or blinds. Start the cover on the day you receive the keys.

When can I apply for rent benefit after moving?

As soon as you are registered at the new address. Do it immediately: rent benefit only starts from the month of application, so every month you wait is a month you miss. Applications for a given year can be filed until 1 September of the following year.

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Unclear terms in your lease? Read the glossary for tenants.