SETTING UP HOME

DUTCH REGULATIONS MAKE IT EASY FOR RESIDENTS TO CHOOSE AND CHANGE SUPPLIERS

UTILITIES

• If you are paying an inclusive rent, check your contract carefully for what is covered in the monthly sum. • In many cases, the utilities (gas, water and electricity) will already be connected to your home and you just need to transfer them into your name. • You can connect all your utilities online at www.mijnaansluiting.nl (in Dutch), or www.utility-provider.nl offers a free service to connect expats with the best deal (in English).

WATER

• There are two elements of water payments: a consumption charge based on actual water usage (which is estimated if you don’t have a meter) and a municipal tax for services (sewage, maintenance, etc.). • To see which water company covers your area, visit www.vewin.nl and enter your postcode in the box, or ask at your local gemeente. • Amsterdam: Waternet 0900 9394 • Den Haag/Leiden: Dunea 088 347 4747 • Rotterdam: Evides: 0900 0787 • Utrecht: Vitens 0900 0650 • North Holland: PWN Waterleidingbedrijf 0900 405 0700

ELECTRICITY AND GAS

• The energy market is liberalised, so you are able to choose (or change) suppliers. • Energy companies now have “green” options, where energy is bought from alternative sources such as sun, wind, water and biomass. • The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (www.acm.nl) provides a list of gas and electricity suppliers on their website, or you can use their consuWijzer (www.consuwijzer.nl) to compare prices or seek advice. • On www.energievergelijken.nl, you can compare prices in

English and connect your services online.

MAIN SUPPLIERS:

• Budget Energie: www.budgetenergie.nl • Engie Energie: www.engie-energie.nl • Eneco: www.eneco.nl • Energie Direct: www.energiedirect.nl • Essent: www.essent.nl • Greenchoice: www.greenchoice.nl • Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij: www.nle.nl • Vattenfall: www.vattenfall.nl • Oxxio: www.oxxio.nl

COMMUNICATIONS

• There is a huge range of options from many suppliers with combination deals for telephone (bellen), internet (surfen) and TV, charged under a single monthly fee.

TELEPHONES

• There are two main suppliers for landlines and phone connection via cable networks: KPN and Ziggo/Vodafone. • Often the easiest way to connect a landline is to visit a shop (winkel) of those suppliers with appropriate identification and they can set it up, while some cable networks allow you to sign up online. • There are many additional services such as discounts for favorite numbers, or combination deals with internet and TV.

• The cheapest deal for a mobile is via a contract (abonnementen) with one of the main suppliers. You can compare the latest rates on www.bellen.com (in Dutch). • You’ll need proof of identity, address, income and a bank account to sign a deal. A prepaid phone is more expensive but easier to get; you can top it up with cards from supermarkets. • If your phone is unlocked, you can buy a Dutch SIM card.

Every phone has a unique IMEI serial number (enter *#06# to find out yours). You’ll need this when reporting a stolen phone. • Calling 0800 numbers are toll free, whereas 0900 numbers are charged (per call or minute, depending on the business).

INTERNET

• Connectivity in the Netherlands is among the highest and fastest in Europe. • ADSL and cable options are available, and can be combined with telephone and TV deals. • Fiber cable (glasvezel) is available, but you may need to get your building connected; carriers generally install it free. • Compare prices and packages at www.internetten.nl (in

Dutch). It is possible to opt for a TV option from one supplier and telephone/internet from another.

TELEVISION

• Post offices are marked with an orange sign that says postkantoor or PostNL, and are generally located inside shops, newsagents or tobacconists (postagentschap). • Stamps (postzegels) can be bought in all of the above places and in some of the larger supermarkets, or printed online at www.postnl.nl. • Post-boxes are orange and scattered throughout shopping areas and neighbourhoods. On the post-box there are two slots: the right (streekpost) is for “local” delivery and you’ll see a list of postcodes that indicate the areas included; the left (overige bestemmingen) is for everywhere else, including international destinations. • PostNL aims to deliver locally within 24 hours, otherwise spoedservice guarantees local delivery by 10am the next day and next day delivery to Europe. • See www.postnl.nl for online postal services, or call 0900 0990 (45ct) for customer service.

FURNISHING YOUR HOME

• The company Furniture Lease: Meubelverhuur can help you make your new house feel like home, with their furniture rental services. Hema (www.hema.nl) is a Dutch institution for all household matters. Blokker is cheap (www.blokker.nl) and Ikea (www.ikea.nl) has many branches across the country.

USEFUL WEBSITES

• Advice: www.access-nl.org • Film: www.filmladder.nl • Government: www.government.nl • News, information, community: www.Expatica.com • Opera: www.dno.nl • Restaurants: www.thefork.nl • Royal family: www.koninklijkhuis.nl • Telephone directory/Yellow pages: www.detelefoongids.nl • Tourism: www.holland.com • Weather: www.weeronline.nl • Website links (by category): www.startpagina.nl

• Cable TV is cheap and main providers include Ziggo/

Vodafone and KPN. Included in the standard package are BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC World, and CNN alongside Dutch channels, which include the government-owned

Nederland 1, 2 and 3 and RTL 4, 5, 7, and 8. You’ll also receive Veronica and Net 5 (quality films and drama including popular US serials), plus National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and popular children’s channels.

Local TV channels are another option. • Subtitling, rather than dubbing, is used except for children’s TV. For more films, sport or other interests, you can select different options for extra payment. • You get a media box and then pay for your chosen option.

INTERNET / PHONE / TV SUPPLIERS

• KPN: www.kpn.com • Online.nl www.online.nl • Tele2: www.tele2.nl • T-mobile: www.t-mobile.nl • Vodafone: www.vodafone.nl • Ziggo: www.ziggo.nl • Prijsvergelijken: www.prijsvergelijken.nl/compare-broadband/

SETTING UP HOME

ADVICE AND INFORMATION

GoToThisGuy | 31 (0)20 77 239 15 | info@gotothisguy.com | www.gotothisguy.com Wittenburg | Nieuwe Keizersgracht 760, 1018VG Amsterdam | www. thewittenberg.com | +31 (0)20 8084 006 | bookings@thewittenberg.com

COMMUNICATIONS

KPN: www.kpn.com Ziggo: www.ziggo.nl ENERGY & GAS | www.gaslicht.com

FURNITURE RENTAL

Furniture4Rent | P. Hans Frankfurthersingel, 1060 TR Amsterdam | +31 (0)6 1079 8735 | info@furniture4rent.nl | www.furniturerent.nl