Housing in Maastricht
April 2023 — by Sophie Jacobs
Are you currently in the process of searching for a room in Maastricht? Do you feel unsure about where to begin or need some assistance with your housing search? Don’t worry, as we are here to provide you with guidance and support.
The purpose of this blog is to provide you with extensive information on how to find a room in Maastricht. We will offer you a range of useful tips, including information on locations, Facebook groups, agencies, and rental subsidies. Our aim is to assist you in your housing search, minimize stress and save you money, and ultimately help you find a suitable accommodation. So, read on to benefit from our helpful tips!
#1: Start your search early!
We cannot emphasize this enough: starting early allows you to avoid a great deal of stress and gives you more control over where you choose to live. It is absolutely in your best advantage to give yourself the time to get acquainted with the system of finding a house and to explore your possibilities because the housing market in Dutch (student) cities is rather crowded at the moment. Consequently, we advise that you begin your search at least a few months before your arrival date!
#2: Know your budget!
When you move to a new city, it is always difficult to determine what your expectations should be in terms of rental prices. In Maastricht, you can find accommodations that can go from €350 for a room in a student house and up to €900+ for an independent studio per month. This all depends on things like how many people you would like to live with, location and the size of the room. As said before, the housing market here in Maastricht is quite crowded. Therefore, some people dare to charge extremely high prices for average rooms, so try to stay critical and compare different rooms before making your decision!
#3: Know your area!
As you might know, Maastricht is not a very big city and almost everything is within a 15-minute bike reach. However, there are certainly some areas that are more popular among students than others. For instance, living in the city centre means you are close to where everything happens and the SBE faculty. Cheaper options include the neighbourhoods Emmaplein, Brusselsepoort, and Mariaberg. These are a bit further from the centre and SBE faculty, but still relatively close and therefore highly populated with students.
If you don’t mind a longer bike ride, and you already know that you will be spending a lot of time at the gym, then you should also consider accommodations on the East side of the Maas, specifically around the neighbourhoods of Wyck and Randwyck. These districts also have a lot of nice shops and bars and should therefore not be dismissed too quickly!
In any case, make sure to always check the location of your prospective accommodation on Google maps, and its distance from the SBE buildings in Tongersestraat 53 and Tapijnkazerne 11. You can even check how long it will take you by bike — the indication is usually quite accurate.
We will write a post about the areas of Maastricht tomorrow, so be sure to check that out for more information!
#4: Join Facebook groups
It is very common to find your room through Facebook groups here. We recommend you the following groups: “rooms/ kamer/ zimmer in Maastricht”, “Kamers, studio’s en appartementen huren in Maastricht” or “apartments and rooms Maastricht”, or “Flat hunting Maastricht…”. New offers and housing opportunities are posted on a regular basis by students and landlords. Therefore, do not panic if you cannot find something immediately, but keep an eye out for new posts and try to respond as quickly as you can. People who post rooms often get hundreds of messages (unfortunately I’m not exaggerating) and therefore it is of utmost importance your message stands out to them!
When people do respond to you, it is common to do a viewing of the room. Depending on the people in the house, in the Netherlands, we also refer to this as “hospiteren”. This is a concept introduced in most student houses where it almost feels like an interview, for your potential housemates to decide who they want to live with. Do not let this discourage you and never take their decision personally though! If you are not in the country, you can always ask for an online viewing, which is possible most of the time.
BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!
Unfortunately, there are always people that want to take advantage of students looking for a new room. There are a few things you can detect a scammer from. Usually, a scammer will ask you to transfer a deposit upfront and will ask for your phone number instead of continuing talking on Facebook. Check the profiles of people who are posting, be very critical of weird-looking profiles (check their previous posts, how many friends they have etcetera) and double-check if the offer is not a scam by asking a lot of detailed questions and/or do a viewing of the room.
#5: Housing Agencies
Next to Facebook groups, it is also possible to find your room through agencies. However, most of these agencies ask for a small fee. Maastricht Housing is the official housing agency for Maastricht University and is, therefore, one of the more reliable ones out there. Keep in mind that there is a waiting list, and it is hence highly recommended to subscribe as soon as you can. A couple of other well-known agencies in Maastricht are Kamernet, Residence housing, Woonpunt, Maasland relocation, and Pararius.
On a more practical note, most of these housing agencies ask for a minimum stay of a year. If you are only coming to Maastricht on an exchange, these housing agencies are probably not able to help you. However, through Maastricht Housing you can also access reservations for the UM Guesthouse, which is a very good place if you are looking for short-stay furnished accommodations.
ONCE AGAIN: PLEASE BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS! Due to the large number of students moving to Maastricht each semester, there are scam artists that try to take advantage of this. Be cautious and alert when they are asking to pay a fee in advance or sign a contract before someone has seen the room.
#6: Know your rent subsidy options!
Did you know that the Dutch government provides rent subsidies to people with monetary restrictions (like students)? This so-called “huurtoeslag” can be requested when you are renting a place by yourself or even with someone else. It is possible to get up to €320 of allowance for accommodations that cost up to €700 (excluding utility costs). There are more specific criteria that apply to accommodations eligible for a rental subsidy, so it is always worth checking out the requirements at the Belastingsdienst (the Dutch government website), or asking the previous tenant or the agency whenever you are considering an accommodation!
#7: The Social Hub, NewNewNew, and the Wauwhaus
Are you having a hard time finding accommodation and is your arrival date coming closer and closer? Some accommodations are a bit more expensive but can offer some relief from the pressure.
The Social Hub is located at the Sphinx court (roughly 5–10 minutes from SBE). The Social Hub describes itself as: “Comfortable, fully-equipped rooms to make your student life at The Social Hub Maastricht as easy as possible”. You can reserve a room for a period of 5 to 12 months. The room you get is furnished and a single person room. You share a kitchen with a maximum of 9 other students and get access to the gym, a study room, an awesome lobby with ping pong tables, a pool table, and a personal bike that you can use to explore the city!
NewNewNew offers studios located on Sorbonnelaan and are equipped with its own kitchen and bathroom, and most of them are already fully furnished, so you won’t have to worry about decorating. These studios provide ample space for studying, allowing you to live and learn in a peaceful environment. In addition to the private studios, there are also shared spaces available within the complex where you can socialize with your flatmates.
The Wauwhaus is a newly renovated complex that offers both studios and apartments to students looking for housing. It is located a bit further away from SBE, but in close vicinity to both the train station and the University Sports Centre (roughly 15 minutes by bike from SBE). The building offers study rooms, a laundry area, a shared kitchen within a social area, and underground parking for both bikes and cars. You can take a virtual tour of this facility here.
Finally: do not worry too much. We all know that the hunt for housing is a stressful process and is time-consuming. Keep in mind that almost everyone ends up finding a room that fits their needs and requirements, you just need a bit of luck and perseverance. Together with this list of tips and the open invitation to ask any questions in the Instagram group, you will for sure find your home in Maastricht!
Best of luck,
Sophie
