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Additional costs

If the rent is not including energy costs and local taxes you will have to take care of this yourself. It is preferable to find a place to live where you pay a rent ‘including’ additional costs but not always possible.

If the rent is not including energy and local tax (ask the landlord and find out in the contract) and you pay costs like energy, water, electricity, local tax, internet, cable tv / radio yourself, please mind the following:

  • Living with several people in the house you share those costs. Energy companies usually make a contract with one person –  the ‘main tenant’ –  so agree (preferably in writing) with your fellow tenants about the division and the payment of the costs.
  • Keep an eye on your energy meters (gas, electricity, water). Write down the digits the moment you start living in your apartment and compare them with a final account or an annual check by the energy company.
  • Never ignore letters or invoices from companies like Eneco, Evides, CVZ, city hall etc. Most of the time they are important!  Find someone who speaks Dutch to help you translate; if it is not clear, ask the student counsellor for advice.


Municipal and water board taxes

International students renting their own apartment (usually not a room with shared facilities and inclusive rent) should expect two tax bills, to be sent to the main resident on a yearly basis: one for municipal tax (gemeentelijke belasting) and another one for water board tax (waterschapsbelasting).

Domestic waste tax (afvalstoffenheffing) is meant to cover the costs of collection and processing of domestic waste. This has to be paid by every household. Sometimes the owner has to pay, that depends on your rental contract.

Students in the Netherlands that are not able to pay their municipal or water board taxes, may be eligible for a full or partial remission (kwijtschelding). The municipality will assess whether or not a student qualifies for remission based on their income, property and valuables.

More information can be found on the website of the City Rotterdam:

You can apply for remission online or fill out the ‘kwijtscheldingsformulier’.

Water board taxes are levied by the Regional Tax Group (Regionale Belasting Groep). International students can also apply for remission (kwijtschelding) of the water board tax upon receipt of their tax bill.

More information in the website of the Regional Tax Group:
Overview of taxes - Regionale Belasting Groep Personal (derbg.nl)