Housing in Maastricht: 9 useful tips and warnings
Source: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/housing-maastricht-9-useful-tips-and-warnings-0 Parent: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/study/student-life/housing-maastricht
Is there a housing shortage in Maastricht?
Are you coming to Maastricht and looking for a place to call your new home? Or are you already living in Maastricht and ready for an upgrade?\ \ Unfortunately, Maastricht University is unable to offer student housing. But we can give you a lot of good advice.
1. Maastricht Housing
There are many organisations offering student accommodation in Maastricht. You will find the most comprehensive search engine on Maastricht Housing. This platform offers rooms that are available through private landlords, housing corporations and the UM Guesthouse.
2. Facebook pages
A lot of students in Maastricht advertise rooms on Facebook. This is a popular way to find shared accommodation if you’re looking for a room in a student house. There are plenty of pages on housing but you may want to try the following Facebook groups first:
Rooms/Kamer/Zimmer M'tricht \ Maastricht Room Search
3. Alternative popular platforms
Pararius \ Rentals - Rental apartments in the Netherlands \ Kamernet \ Rent a room, apartment or studio
4. mymaastricht.nl
This website offers detailed information on everything you need to arrange before and after coming to Maastricht as a student, including tips for your housing search.
5. Fraud/scams
Every year, Maastricht Police receive many reports about housing-related scams and fraudulent activities. Don’t get scammed! Read the article on avoiding housing scams (or scan the QR code).
6. Hospi Housing
Staying with a host or guest family will provide you with a soft landing in town and is the perfect way to get in touch with the local culture and language. You’ll have your own private room and shared facilities, like a kitchen and bathroom. \ \ Hospi Housing works together with the Maastricht municipality (gemeente) and Maastricht University, and has a big network of verified hosts and guest families. They can help you get in touch and provide you with all the advice you need! \ \ Register and apply for free
7. Rental contracts and red flags
Rental contracts are subject to Dutch law. Overall, they provide good protection for students. However, Dutch law is complicated and foreign students are easy targets for fraudulent activities. These may include illegal additional costs like mediation or administration fees. Learn more about red flags of rental contracts (or scan the QR code).
\ Good to know: the Rental Team South Limburg offers a free service to check your contract before signing. They can also help you out - free of charge - with any other legal issues you may have with your landlord.
8. Nearby towns and cities
Many towns and cities close to Maastricht are home to UM students and staff. Most are within easy commuting distance. Towns like Lanaken, for example, are just across the border and easily reachable by bike. Other nearby cities like Heerlen and Sittard have excellent train or bus connections with direct routes to Maastricht. Possibilities for discounts: Student Mobility. \ \ With an OV-chipkaart and discounts available, public transport doesn’t have to be all that expensive. Of course, if you consider a location outside Maastricht, make sure to check your commute and public transport beforehand.
9. Uni View
Cannot physically attend the housing viewing? A local does it for you.\ \ Uni View is a professional property viewing service for students and internationals moving to the Netherlands. They connect you with local representatives who provide live online viewings of potential homes. This way you can make sure the housing is what it appears to be and you are not getting scammed.