Layout of housing
When you are renting a house in the Netherlands, you can find several types of housing and contract forms. Below you will find a list of the different level of deliveries.
Shell ("Kaal")
When you rent a house as shell, it means that inside you will only find a fixed kitchen and an (often basic) bathroom. These houses therefore come without carpet or similar flooring, wall covering and light fixtures.
Semi-furnished ("Gestoffeerd")
Renting a semi-furnished house or apartment means getting it with floor, wall and window covering, as well as light fixtures. In some cases, you will find partially furnished houses. These are houses where for instance window covering or light fixtures are missing. In the Netherlands, a semi-furnished house does not come with a washing machine.
Furnished ("Gemeubileerd")
A furnished house comes with a complete inventory on top of the semi-furnished option. This means, you basically only have to bring your clothing and personal items!
Furniture ("Meubels")
If you rent a semi-furnished house or apartment, but actually need a fully furnished one, there are two options:
Option 1: Leasing furniture
There are several companies offering furniture for rent. They will install and later pick up the furniture again. Be aware that this is however a costly option. For a two-bedroom apartment and with a contract up to twelve months, costs can run up to € 600,00 per month. If you rent for a longer, fixed period, those costs do go down.
Option 2: Buying furniture
Of course, you can buy a new inventory and have it assembled, for instance by Ikea. You could however also opt for second-hand furniture from for instance “Het Goed”. This is an organization specialized in selling used goods. They have a large store in Nijmegen located at the Industrieweg 50. Be aware: you will need to provide your own transportation! Another option would be buying used furniture online. In the Netherlands, the website “Marktplaats.nl” is particularly suited for that.
Housing corporations
Housing corporations mostly offer social housing (shell) in lower price categories, though sometimes they also have a portfolio on the regular market. To apply, you will need to sign up; for social (non-profit) housing the waiting time is often more than ten years however. At the commercial housing corporations, you often only can apply for a viewing once you registered and handed over 3 payslips (and sometimes even additional information). If you do, you might be invited on a viewing, together with multiple other people interested. Furthermore, these corporations often offer you a rental agreement without a diplomatic clause or any possibility to terminate within the first year.