Just how bad is Storm Ciarán? The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has determined it’s code orange-worthy — that’s the second-highest warning level! 🟠
Power outages, flooding, trees being uprooted, and other nuisances — Storm Ciarán has already wreaked havoc in coastal cities of both France and Great Britain, reports the NOS.
Also, we’re next. Storm Ciarán is predicted to grace the Netherlands with similar conditions starting from this morning.
Code oranje vanwege zeer zware windstoten vanaf 11u in Zeeland en in loop van de middag in Zuid-Holland, Noord-Holland en Waddengebied. Er is inmiddels meer duidelijkheid over de koers van storm #Ciarán. In aantal andere provincies geldt code geel. https://t.co/mVXrIU9BIwpic.twitter.com/BRgo2Md1hb
Translation: “Code orange due to very heavy gusts of wind from 11 AM in Zeeland and during the afternoon in South Holland, North Holland and the Wadden area. There is now more clarity about the course of storm #Ciarán. Code yellow applies in a number of other provinces.”
Yup, wind gusts are set to crank up to 110 kilometres per hour. Also, the KNMI has issued a code orange warning for the province of Zeeland.
This means the area is considered to be a high risk for danger due to the weather. The same goes for coastal cities located in North Holland and South Holland!
Cancelled planes, trains, and ships
Maybe don’t try taking a flight from Schiphol today because KLM has cancelled all trips starting from noon onwards. Rotterdam The Hague Airport has scrapped many flights as well. 🚫 ✈️
Trains through Zeeland will also be running on an adjusted timetable, according to the NS.
Not only that, but the shipping companies that sail to Vlieland and Terschelling have put some of their trips to a halt.
Considering the wind along Dutch coastlines is already intense and is expected to reach wind force 9, nobody wants to take the risk.
Calm after the storm
Yesterday, people were advised to work from home instead of commuting through the torrential rain. Today’s rush hour is set to bring even longer traffic jams than usual.
How long is Ciarán here to stay? The KNMI assures us the wind will begin to decrease in the evening — however, it has to get worse before it gets better. First, there will be plenty of heavy gusts around in the afternoon.
In some places in the Netherlands, the northwest in particular, this storm could still be raging all through the night.
How are you staying safe during Storm Ciarán? Let us know in the comments!
So you’ve just signed a lease on a new home — congratulations! Before you crack open the Heineken, there’s the question of your rental contract and how this covers your utilities. Inclusive rent is best, right? Or is exclusive better? Let’s talk about it.
First things first, you need to understand what this means. In the Netherlands, there are two main types of rental contracts: inclusive and exclusive.
Which of these you opt for will determine what your utility bill will look like and how it is paid.
In all the excitement of moving into your new rental home, you may forget about the important differences between inclusive versus exclusive rental contracts. Image: Freepik
What’s the difference between inclusive and exclusive rent?
Inclusive and exclusive rent refers to your utilities and whether they’re included or excluded from your monthly rental costs.
Typically, the landlord or insurance broker will indicate which kind of rental contract comes with a property when it’s listed online.
What is inclusive rent in the Netherlands?
An inclusive rental contract means certain expenses are included in the monthly rent you pay to your landlord.
Once you sign off on an inclusive rent contract in the Netherlands, it should be smooth sailing from then on! Image: Depositphotos
This rent typically includes some or all of your utilities (such as gas, water, electricity, and internet) and other service costs, such as cleaning or garbage disposal costs.
What is exclusive rent in the Netherlands?
On the other hand, exclusive rental contracts mean that these costs are not included in the total monthly rent indicated in your contract.
Usually, this means it’s up to you to pull on your pants and arrange your own utility contract.
You can find the perfect contract to match your living situation. Image: Depositphotos
What about service costs? Typically, these are still included in the total monthly rent unless stated otherwise.
The pros and cons of inclusive rent in the Netherlands
Whether you’ve just signed an inclusive rental agreement or are searching for a rental property, there are a few important things to keep in mind when considering an inclusive rental contract.
The pros of inclusive rent in the Netherlands
Inclusive rent is perfect if you’re seeking predictability. With an inclusive rental agreement, you’ll be paying the same amount of money for your utilities each month. This is because it’s an amount set by your landlord and is included in your total monthly rent.
So, why should you opt for an inclusive rental contract versus an exclusive rental contract when renting in the Netherlands? Image: Freepik
Another huge pro of opting for an inclusive rental contract is that you won’t have to deal with any fluctuations in the energy market month by month.
On top of this, you won’t be tasked with the challenge of finding providers for your gas, water, electricity, or internet.
Let op! Ultimately, your landlord can raise the rent once a year if they need to cover higher utility bills.
An inclusive rental contract is a great option if you only plan to stay somewhere temporarily. It’s also the best choice if you want to move into a fully functioning apartment as soon as possible.
The cons of inclusive rent in the Netherlands
On the other hand, you’re likely paying for more than you’re actually consuming in gas, water, and electricity. This is because most landlords would rather have you overpay to cover utility costs than have it come out of their wallets.
Issues with your utility contract can be a hassle if it’s done through your landlord. Image: Freepik
Similarly, you won’t know what kind of utility situation you have, so if any issues arise, you’ll have to rely on your landlord to get them fixed (which isn’t always easy).
The pros and cons of exclusive rent in the Netherlands
Likewise, exclusive rent agreements come with their own advantages and disadvantages.
The pros of exclusive rent in the Netherlands
With exclusive rental agreements, you’ll be in control and can find the best contract for your situation.
The perfect utility contract is out there! Image: Depositphotos
On top of this, once you’ve settled on a contract, you’ll know exactly how much you’re spending on your utilities. Unlike with an inclusive rental contract, you’ll have more control over what your utility bills will look like.
In fact, a lot of the time, you can save yourself some money by being the one in charge of your utilities.
Who doesn’t want to save a little bit of cash? Image: Depositphotos
Like we said above, if a landlord wants to include a fixed monthly fee in your rent, chances are they have guesstimated that your utility usage will be on the higher side.
When you’re the one footing the utility bill separately, you may find that it costs a lot less than if a landlord were to set a fixed monthly fee.
The cons of exclusive rent in the Netherlands
On the flip side, you have to deal with the hassle of organising your own utility contract when you first move in, which can feel like a lot on top of all the other responsibilities you have when moving.
You also have less predictability when it comes to your monthly expenses if you opt for an exclusive rental contract.
Be careful when considering your next utility contract. Image: Depositphotos
Depending on what kind of energy contract you get, your utility costs may fluctuate largely per month, making it difficult to estimate how much you’ll spend on utilities each month.
What to do with your utilities when you first move in?
Once you’ve decided to rent a new place, there are a few things you should do about your utilities when you drop the boxes and move in.
Figure out if your rent is exclusive or inclusive
Rental agreements will usually indicate whether utilities are included in the monthly rent or not, but if you’re still in the process of house searching or negotiating, you should find out what the utility situation is.
Make sure to get in contact with your landlord about the utility situation as soon as possible! Image: Depositphotos
You can decide whether an exclusive or inclusive contract is the one for you and figure out what steps to take after that.
See “incl. G/W/E” next to a rental listing? This means that gas, water, and electricity prices are included in the rent shown.
Ask your landlord for a breakdown of costs
If you have an inclusive rent agreement and a breakdown of your costs isn’t included in the rental contract, you are allowed to ask your landlord for a statement clarifying the breakdown of your costs — including your utility costs.
Often, you’ll need a breakdown if you want to apply for huurtoeslag (rent allowance), but it’s also useful to know if your landlord is overcharging you for rent.
Ask your neighbours about the WiFi situation
It’s also wise to ask them about the internet situation in your building.
Have a chat with your neighbours to break the ice — and talk about your utility situation. Image: Depositphotos
For example, if you don’t have internet or WiFi included in your rent, you could ask your neighbours to ‘share’ their internet and split the costs.
Or perhaps you want to get fibre optics for your home but aren’t sure if they’re available in your neighbourhood. Asking your neighbours could give you some useful info (and give you a good reason to meet them!)
What to do with your Dutch utility contract if you’re ending your rental contract
There are also a few things you have to keep in mind when moving houses and choosing to end your rental contract — again, this depends on whether you have an inclusive or exclusive rental contract.
Ending your rental contract when you’re renting inclusively
If you’re renting inclusively, hoera!You don’t have to do anything. It’s up to your landlord to handle the utility contract — and let’s face it, they will likely just have their next tenant to pay for that contract once they move in.
Ending your rental contract when you’re renting exclusively
If you’re renting exclusively, there’s a little bit more for you to think about. There are two main options for ending your contract. You can:
Keep your current contract and ask your utility provider to have it transferred to your next house
Cancel your current contract in your old house and switch to a new contract in the new house (keeping in mind cancellation fees).
You can either transfer your contract to your new home, or cancel it entirely. Image: Depositphotos
In both cases, you should call your utility provider to make sure you tie up any loose ends before settling in a new place.
Utilities and your rental contract don’t have to be super confusing and stressful.
Understanding your rent situation and picking the best utility contracts are important steps for making your life just a little bit easier — put in a bit of work, and trust us, it’s worth it!
Do you have any tips for inclusive and exclusive renters? Share them in the comments!
If you didn’t hear already, storm Ciarán is about to start knocking on our windows and doors — and quite violently. Following a code yellow weather warning, experts are advising us to stay home tomorrow.
If you were planning on heading into the office in the morning, it’s time to ditch those plans. According to the ANWB (Royal Dutch Touring Club), everyone should remain indoors where possible.
(Read: keep those pyjamas on, make some tea, draw the curtains, and think of sunnier places). 🥲
Translation: Storm Ciarán (pronounced: Keeran) will also cause wind and rain in the Netherlands on Thursday. You can find our weather forecast here.
Brace for rough coasts and traffic jams
What exactly does this mean?
Experts warn that the country is going to be hit hard, particularly in the west and around the coastal areas — which can expect wind gusts reaching up to 75 to 100 kilometres per hour.
Living in Zeeland? You should definitely try to stay inside with the cats. You can expect wind force 9 and gusts of 100 kilometres per hour. 💨
Those who must venture outside can expect to be late for work. The adverse weather is likely going to affect those brave enough to travel by car — which means we can expect huge traffic jams.
Our advice? Tell your boss you’ll see them on Zoom tomorrow.
The Dutch royal family’s fortune is now an estimated €1.3 billion. That’s an upgrade from last year’s ‘measly’ €1.2 billion. How do they make their money? Investments (and, you know, massive generational wealth 👀).
In a fun twist of financial fate, the Dutch royal family, commonly known as the House of Orange, debuted on the ‘Quote 500’ list.
This annual ranking identifies the wealthiest individuals and families in the Netherlands, and guess what? The Dutch royals have landed firmly in the tenth spot.
Where is the money coming from?
Now, how did they secure this newfound financial fame? While some accumulate wealth through tech empires or inventing groundbreaking innovations, the House of Orange follows a somewhat different script.
The royal family’s wealth predominantly arises from their property holdings and investments.
But it’s not the royals themselves who handle these financial matters directly. Instead, they’ve entrusted their wealth management to a financial wizard known as the Royal Trust.
The rich are getting even richer
What the Quote 500 list also showed us is that there are now more billionaires than ever in the Netherlands.
Unsurprisingly, the richest person in the Netherlands is Heineken heiress Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, according to Het Parool. (Hey, the Dutch love their beer, oké? 😉)
Meanwhile, 70% of the richest people in the Netherlands only made more money in the past year. Who didn’t see their wealth grow? VanMoof, who vanished from the list after their bankruptcy (some would say they went VanPoof!).
As for the rest of us normies, paying our monthly living costs is still a dreaded task…
Is this more or less money than you thought the royal family had? Tell us in the comments!
What happens if your OV chipkaart expires and you still have money on it? Do you think you get it back? Oh, nee! Translink, the company behind OV the chipkaart, keeps it all.
Technically, you can reclaim your money. But the company barely publicises this, so people don’t know they can get their money back.
Because of this, most of the 6.5 million people with an anonymous travel card don’t reclaim their money, reports AD.nl.
Not enough transparency
Of course, if Translink publically advertised the fact that we could get our leftover money back, we would do that. However, that really isn’t the case.
Where is this leftover money going? Helaas, it isn’t clear. Translink allegedly uses the money for some pretty vague IT projects.
On top of that, you can only get your money back for the past five years at the most. Any longer ago than that, and your money is gone.
Translink’s response
By the end of last year, Translink had almost €19 million in expired travel expenses from travellers. Add traveller credit to that and €36 million in expired cards, and Translink is taking home a pretty fat wad of cash.
Although the company says in their annual report that it makes an effort to return the unused money, the numbers just don’t add up. They have too much profit from the leftover cash and not enough publicity about the chance to get it back.
Translink spokesperson Gebrant Corbeen also says that it’s the traveller’s responsibility to request a refund and that it’s very hard to reach cardholders with anonymous cards.
That would all be fair if they made an effort to tell us that we could even get our money back in the first place! Well, at least now we know.
Have you ever managed to get your money back from an unused OV Chipkaart? Tell us in the comments!
A competition watchdog has sniffed out an interesting fact: as far as savings interest rates are concerned, the Netherlands is trailing behind other European countries.
That means savers in the Netherlands benefit only to a limited extent from putting their money aside.
Higher interest rates overseas
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) notes that international providers appear, “at first glance”, to provide higher interest rates for the Dutch population than even major Dutch banks do. 💸
For example, banks from Belgium or Sweden have savings interest rates of over three percent, but in the Netherlands, the maximum savings interest rate is about 1.5%.
On top of that, platforms like Raisin make it easier for Dutch residents to open foreign savings accounts.
The ACM blames the low rates on the lack of market competition in the Netherlands, given that there are three major banks (ABN Amro, ING, and Rabobank) dominating 80% of the savings market. This means they don’t have to make much effort to attract savings.
Unanswered questions
The spokesperson of ACM refrained from answering other burning questions asked by the AD.
Is the ACM investigating whether banks privately collaborate? Will there be research into what other methods they use to keep savings interest rates that low? That remains to be seen. 👀
Wondering how you can benefit from the highest possible savings interest rates in the Netherlands? We’ve got you covered. 👇
It’s that time of the year again: the Netherlands is getting ready for rain, rain, and more rain. Oh, and wind.
Thursday will be particularly chaotic, as a storm will bring wind gusts of up to 90 km/h. And this isn’t just any storm: it’s storm Ciarán, which has been making its way towards Europe for the past few days.
According to RTL Nieuws, the storm will hit England and France the hardest, but the Netherlands might face some of it as well.
A stormy Thursday, followed by… another storm
While it’s still unsure how much Ciarán will affect us here in the Netherlands, we know that the Dutch coastal areas will face the worst of it.
It all starts in the night from Wednesday to Thursday. First, a “whole bucket of rain comes down”, Marc de Jong from Buienradar tells RTLNieuws.
Then it’s time for some intense wind. According to Weeronline, gusts of wind can reach 75 km/h throughout the Netherlands, and up to a whopping 90 km/h by the sea.
“Maybe it will come to wind force 9, that would mean a storm”, says De Jong. 💨
The best (worst) part? Right behind storm Ciarán, a new stormy area is brewing — waiting to take over the Netherlands.
Prepare for traffic troubles
October has been pretty consistent with the rain, and November is expected to be much the same. Combine that with the dark and windy times of the approaching winter, and it’s to be expected that traffic conditions are a bit less safe.
So, during your interview with a Dutch company, you boasted about wanting to practice your Dutch more — and now you’ve got the job! First of all, congrats! Second of all: uh-oh… time to practise jouw Nederlands. 🇳🇱
While people don’t need to speak fluent Dutch at their job in the Netherlands, there are some words and phrases that are good to know. Not only will this help you impress your boss, but it will also enhance your Dutch social life.
But how do you navigate your day-to-day life at your Dutch job in het Nederlands? Let’s talk about it!
Vocab to get to know the workplace and the job
Before you can start your Dutch job, you should learn how to talk about it (or should we say your baan?).
So, let’s start off easy by looking at some words you should know before embarking on your “Dutch at work” journey. What does it mean if you’re working from het kantoor? And who is your baas?👇
Dutch words to know when looking for a job:
🇳🇱 De vacature 🇬🇧 The job opening
🇳🇱 Solliciteren 🇬🇧 To apply for a job
🇳🇱 De baan 🇬🇧 The job
Dutch words you should know at the workplace:
🇳🇱 De baas 🇬🇧 The boss
🇳🇱 Het bedrijf 🇬🇧 The company
🇳🇱 Het kantoor 🇬🇧 The office
🇳🇱 Het salaris 🇬🇧 The salary
Introducing yourself to your collega’s in Dutch
To start off on a good note with your new Dutch co-workers and, most importantly, your Dutch boss, it’s great to show initiative by introducing yourself in their native language.
“Leuk om je te ontmoeten” (Nice to meet you)! Image: Depositphotos
That means it’s time to socialise with your co-workers (yay!)… but in Dutch (oh jeetje)! Don’t fret, it’s not as hard as you think. You don’t have to worry about nailing the Dutch G, or about concealing your accent — it’s the effort that counts. 💪
Oh, and the best part? Since Dutchies are so great at speaking English, you can always fall back onto it as needed. Appeltje Eitje! (Easy peasy!)
Here’s how to do it like a Dutch pro:
🇳🇱 Hoi, mijn naam is ___. 🇬🇧 Hi, my name is ___.
🇳🇱 Ik kom uit ___ en woon nu in ___. 🇬🇧 I come from ___ and now live in ___.
🇳🇱 Ik ben net hier begonnen in de functie van ___. 🇬🇧 I just started here in the position of ___.
Dutch phrases to survive lunch hour
Phew, you’ve made it through the first few hours of the day. Next up? A lekker Dutch lunch, of course! 🥪
To ‘boterham’ or not to ‘boterham’ — that is the question. Image: Freepik
Whether you’re going out to grab a frikandelbroodjeat the Albert Heijn, or sharing a homemade boterham with your colleagues, let’s make sure you can find your way around.
If you’re feeling up for some cheekiness (or maybe some Dutch directness), you may even want to stir the pot a little bit. How about expressing your opinion on Dutch food, for example? 😈
Try these for size:
🇳🇱 Wil je een kopje koffie? 🇬🇧 Would you like a cup of coffee? — They’ll love you for this offer
🇳🇱 Wat heb jij vorig weekend gedaan? 🇬🇧 What did you do last weekend? — Get the conversation flowing
🇳🇱 Ik houd echt niet van boterhammen. 🇬🇧 I really don’t like sandwiches. — Time to get controversial
Time to get formal at the workplace
Now that you’ve mastered the art of introductions, lunch talk, and stirring the pot, it’s time to talk business.
After you start working for a Dutch company, it’s pretty likely you’ll start receiving emails in Dutch. But, how do you tackle emails in Dutch? How do you address a client? And when do you use formal language? So. Many. Questions.
We get it, but the answer lies in you — the formal you. Yup, in Dutch, there are two types of “you”s: jij (informal) and u (formal). To all native English speakers, this can be confusing, but it’s the easiest way to recognise formal versus informal language.
When in doubt, feel free to shoot a quick text message to your Dutch friend! Image: Freepik
The best way to gauge whether or not you should say u is based on status, and how well you know somebody. To play it safe, it’s a good idea to address people you don’t know with u — this shows that you’re polite.
That being said, Dutch workplaces are very non-hierarchal, and more often than not, your boss or co-workers will switch to jij. Once this happens, you’re safe to do the same. 🤝
Still, when you talk to clients at work, be it in an e-mail, phone call, or meeting, it’s best to open the conversation with u — since you don’t know them personally.
You could say something like:
🇳🇱 Goedemorgen meneer/mevrouw, leuk u te ontmoeten. 🇬🇧 Good morning sir/madam, nice to meet you.
🇳🇱 Laat het me weten als er iets is waarmee ik u kan helpen. 🇬🇧 Let me know if there is anything I can help you with.
Making small talk in Dutch at VrijMiBos
Yup, working in the Netherlands is heelleuk — we’re sure you’ll especially enjoy VrijMiBos (we do, too!). This is your chance to unwind and share some lekker biertjes with your team.
While we love socialising, we don’t love an awkward silence, or even worse: being left out of Dutch conversations.
Luckily for us non-natives, there’s an easy fix for this issue: learning how to make small talk in Dutch! 🗣️
Nee, small talk is not as dreadful as it sounds! In fact, it can be a great way for you to not only get to know your co-workers, but also to practise your Dutch in a more laid-back setting. Win-win.
You could ask your colleagues the following questions:
🇳🇱 Waar kom jij vandaan? 🇬🇧 Where are you from?
🇳🇱 Hoe lang werk jij al bij [company name]? 🇬🇧 How long have you been working at [company name]?
🇳🇱 Ga je iets leuks doen dit weekend? 🇬🇧 Do you have any fun plans for this weekend?
🇳🇱 Wat hebt je voorkeur? Frikandellen of bitterballen? 🇬🇧 Which do you prefer? Frikandellen of bitterballen?
While you don’t have to speak Dutch when working in the Netherlands, it will be of huge benefit — both socially and in your career.
So, are you ready to dip your toes into the art of speaking Dutch at work? Succes! We’re rooting for you. 💪
Do you speak Dutch at your job in the Netherlands? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
Rising energy costs aren’t really making keeping warm very easy, but here’s a solution that won’t break the bank: a heated cushion to keep you toasty! 🔥
This comes after heatable pillows blew up last year, but some were a little too expensive for us commoners. (Let’s be honest, €110 for a pillow isn’t the most accessible of prices 😬!)
This post might have affiliate links that help us write the articles you love, at no extra cost to you. Read our statement.
However, our lord and saviour, HEMA’s rechargeable heat cushion, is now offering a more affordable alternative at just €69. Want it? It can be in your house as quickly as tomorrow!
Ensuring your home is safe is an important first step to moving to the Netherlands. You may love those characteristic narrow stairs and the cosy wooden beams in the ceiling — but fire safety is an important step you shouldn’t forget.
No one thinks their home is susceptible to catching fire, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Here’s everything you need to know about house fires and fire safety in the Netherlands.
House fires in the Netherlands
Let’s begin with the bad news: the number of house fires in the Netherlands has significantly risen in 2023.
More than 4,000 house fires were reported in the Netherlands in the first six months alone — that’s almost one house fire every hour.
Can’t miss the bright red trucks in the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
And these weren’t some small cases of burnt toast either. Nearly 3,900 of these fires were large enough that the Dutch fire brigade had to respond, AD reports.
The national fire brigade organisation also noticed more chimney fires in homes, but the investigation hasn’t given more solid conclusions.
Why is there such a sudden increase in house fires in the Netherlands?
Researcher Ruud van Herpen offers AD a few possible explanations for why there have been so many house fires in the Netherlands this past year — and it mostly has to do with the Netherlands’ energy transition.
Dutchies are adapting and changing their homes to accommodate new developments in housing and energy.
And who can blame them? Skyrocketing energy prices are tempting people to warm their homes in more risky ways, such as burning wood in their chimneys or using other fuels like kerosene.
Similarly, newer homes have all kinds of efficient electrical appliances like heat pumps and solar panels — which is great — but these can catch fire more easily than central heating and radiators.
Better insulation in homes, such as fibreglass and cellulose, also increases a house’s flammability — meaning these materials make it easier for fires to spread between homes.
Cooking can easily become a fire hazard. Image: Freepik
And finally, there’s an ageing population in the Netherlands. Older people tend to spend more time at home and are less alert to potential fire hazards.
These are all potential causes of a house fire in the Netherlands. So, what precautions are you expected to take in the Netherlands?
What are the fire safety regulations in the Netherlands?
The good news is that there are laws and regulations that the Dutch keep in place to make sure your home is safe from fires.
You must install smoke detectors (no excuses!)
According to Dutch law, your house must have a smoke detector that fits European standards — these smoke detectors should give a good audio signal, be easy to install, and detect smoke in time.
Additionally, you need a smoke detector on every floor of your house. On top of this, any room that is part of a potential escape route to the outside should also have a smoke detector.
Smoke detectors should be installed on every floor at home. Image: Depositphotos
It’s most effective to mount them to your ceiling a few centimetres off the wall so that it can detect smoke sooner.
If you don’t own your home, your landlord is responsible for making sure smoke detectors are present and installed correctly.
You should always have a fire extinguisher
Fire extinguishers are a must-have at home. There are all kinds of fire extinguishers for different types of fires (electrical fires, grease and kitchen fires, fires from ordinary materials like paper and wood, etc.)
Make sure your fireplace is in a visible and easily accessible place. Image: Freepik
There are also other alternatives to fire extinguishers, like fire blankets. Fire blankets are usually enough for small fires but can’t be used for electrical or grease fires.
Let op! You need to make sure you pick the correct fire extinguisher for your living situation. Do you have an electric oven? Then, choose an extinguisher that can handle electric fires.
If you’re renting, you can ask your landlord to buy a fire extinguisher and fire blanket for your home.
You should have an evacuation plan
You (and your housemates/family, etc.) should have a plan ready in case of a fire in your home.
It’s important to sound the nearest fire alarm to warn other people about it, have an escape route and meeting point, and also make sure you call the fire department as soon as possible.
Have a plan ready, and make sure to go over it with your family. Image: Freepik
You should also decide who is responsible for caring for pets, infants, and anyone who has mobility issues in your plan.
What number do you call in case of a fire in the Netherlands?
112 is the go-to number for life-threatening emergencies and accidents in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe.
In the Netherlands, you can call 112 for the fire department, police department or professional medical services free of charge.
In the aftermath of a fire, it’s also ideal to call your insurance company (and your landlord, if you have one). You can inform your insurance of the loss and figure out the steps you should follow afterwards.
Get in touch with your insurance provider as soon as possible, should your home catch on fire. Image: Freepik
After talking to your insurance, you can also contact a restoration company to help you with any immediate concerns within the house, such as water or electrical damage.
What insurance covers house fires in the Netherlands?
Wait, insurance!? Don’t panic. Let’s talk about it.
There are two main kinds of insurance for homes and house fires: building insurance (opstalverzekering) and household contents insurance (inboedelverzekering).
Building insurance and house fires in the Netherlands
Building insurance also has two types of coverage: standard coverage that insures your home against burglary, theft, vandalism, storms, and fire, and all-risk coverage that covers damage you accidentally cause yourself.
Contents insurance and house fires in the Netherlands
Household contents insurance covers damage or loss of contents in your home, like furniture, valuable personal possessions, clothing, jewellery, electronics, etc.
To apply for household contents insurance, you’ll have to do an inventory of all important items in your home. Image: Freepik
However, it’s important to note that both types of insurance are necessary in case of a (large) house fire.
Do I have to take out fire insurance when I move to the Netherlands?
Unlike health insurance, getting fire insurance for your home is not required in the Netherlands.
However, it’s never a bad idea to take it out. If we’ve learned anything about house fires in the Netherlands, it’s that they can happen to anyone!
Double-check the different kinds of insurance you can get for your home with your insurance provider. Image: Freepik
If you’re renting, you usually don’t have to take out building insurance, as your landlord will have taken care of it before you moved in.
However, it is up to you to take out household contents insurance for everything within your rented home.
Good to know: The price of household contents insurance depends on where you live, how big your family and home are, and the insurer itself, but this kind of insurance is typically quite affordable.
If you own your home, you’re obligated to arrange your insurance — including deciding if you want to take out any in the first place.
Who is culpable when there’s a fire in your home in the Netherlands?
Depending on whether you’re the renter or homeowner, you have different responsibilities when there’s a fire in your home.
So who should foot the bill if there is a house fire in your home in the Netherlands? Image: Freepik
If you’re a renter
If your rented home catches fire, the landlord must call the insurance company about any damages to the home itself and get things repaired.
You are, however, in charge of contacting your insurance company if you took out household contents insurance and need to use it in the case of a house fire.
If you’re a homeowner
Just like arranging your insurance, in the event of a fire, you’re responsible for calling them and the restoration company.
In the meantime, you’ll also need to find a safe place to stay, arrange your renovations once you’ve called the insurance company, and make sure your home is properly assessed for fire safety.
