Residents of the Netherlands can apply again for a STAP budget grant in two weeks’ time.
After a major malfunction in which no one could apply for the subsidy of €1000, The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) will move the STAP training budget application round to Friday, March 17, reports the NOS.
What is it again?
The STAP subsidy is a government budget directed at helping employees of the Dutch labour market advance their career skills via training and education.
The subsidy covers €1000 of the costs of listed training programs so that employees can learn skills without having to stress about spending money —echt fijn!
Every year, there are a number of registration times, where people can stand in an online queue in advance to apply.
According to the UWV, the online web portal was not accessible due to a “combination of a technical error and large crowds,” with 300,000 people logging in simultaneously.
Ronald van Zijp, STAP national manager at UWV, has addressed the chaos: “Of course, we immediately tried to solve the problem, but it soon became clear that this was not going to work. We had to make the decision to move the opening.”
New rules apply
Due to the great popularity of the subsidy, the benefits agency is working on a solution so that the web portal can handle “extreme” numbers of online users.
The web portal is scheduled to reopen at 10 AM on March 17 so that “interested parties have time to prepare for the new application date properly,” reports UWV.
However, there are now stricter rules for educators, and training providers to take measures against abuse and prevent scams.
These requirements include trainers not accepting more than 300-course participants per year, and trainers not being allowed to offer trips or gifts to get students to register with them.
Will you be applying for the new STAP budget date? Tell us in the comments below!
For those hoping for sunny spring weather, you’ll be waiting a bit longer because cold weather is here to stay.
This week, winter showers will make an appearance across the Netherlands. There is also a chance of snow in the southeast of the country, reports weerplaza.nl. Brr!
Get that winter coat out again for Tuesday
A mix of rain and wet snow will fall on Tuesday morning, especially in the southeast, making us all want to stay inside for the rest of the day. ❄️
The temperature will be just above 0 degrees Celsius. Some sunshine might break through in the afternoon, but there is also a chance of wet snow showers, so you might want to dress for both scenarios. 😀
Tuesday evening will have snow, causing wet road sections to freeze; watch out while driving early Wednesday morning!
A bleak rest of the week
While Wednesday should remain mainly dry in a large part of the country, residents might find wet snow with moderate winds in the south of the Netherlands. 🌬️
If you have plans to go outside on Thursday, the weather might be in your favour! It should be mostly cloudy with the sun breaking through, and it will be slightly less cold than the previous days, with temperatures rising to 5 or 6 degrees.
Maart roert z’n staart – de komende dagen doet het weer winters aan – met overdag temperaturen rond 4-6 graden en kans op winterse neerslag. In de nachten lichte vorst. Later in de week wordt het minder koud en het blijft wisselvallig. https://t.co/gydDmWRRWWpic.twitter.com/k6JZh3Mgqq
While temperatures will rise throughout the weekend, it won’t be what we expect of spring. There will be a strong southwest wind on Friday, and it will be mostly rainy during the weekend, echt niet leuk!
What do you think about this cold weather in March? Tell us in the comments below!
Amsterdam is sitting proudly among the top three cities ranked in the world’s top 100 city destinations for 2022! Are we flabbergasted? Echt niet!
The report from Euromonitor International has revealed that Paris retained the title of the world’s top city destination, with Dubai coming in second and Amsterdam third! 🎉
Why the ‘Dam?
The ranking of European destinations in the index largely came down to two important factors: tourism policy and attractiveness, and tourism infrastructure.
Since COVID-19 restrictions have eased, the attractiveness of many European cities for tourists has risen faster than the number of Tikkies exchanged the morning after a borrel.
In fact, if you happen to be living in Amsterdam, we ask you to take a moment and look outside your window. Chances are you can see some bikes, some nice houses — and hordes of tourists looking right back at you. 👀
Given the number of people toting cameras, souvenirs, and the vague smell of weed in the city, Amsterdam definitely has quite the pull for tourists.
Let’s just say we’re not too shocked that this Dutch city made it to the top three! 😉
So, who’d we beat?
Taking tourism, sustainability, and economic performance into account, Europe truly dominated this year’s top 10 rankings, with Dubai and New York as the only non-European countries on the list.
Now that’s something you thought you would never see in a museum: a decomposing finger.
We’re not kidding. In Museum Jan Cunen in Oss, ‘living materials’, also known as bio-art, are currently on display as part of their new exhibition ‘Live and let live.’
The idea behind the exhibition is simple: everything that dies can produce something new. This is what the slowly decomposing human body part is meant to show.
Press officer, Annemarie Baaijens, of the museum tells RTL Nieuws that “the decomposition process generates energy in this way. There is no difference with, for example, an autumn leaf that decays. That provides nutrients that other organisms can live on again.”
Ok, but where does the finger come from!?
A human finger in a glass box begs the question — where on earth did a museum get that? As it happens, the finger is actually from a living friend of artist, Martin uit den Boogaard, who makes art with living objects.
Uit den Boogaard explains that his friend “had an accident, and his middle finger could not be saved.” As a result, the friend decided to donate his finger to the artist — now that’s friendship.
Yet, the process of relocating the finger from the hospital to the museum wasn’t an easy one.
Since it isn’t exactly common to take an amputated finger from the hospital, the proposal first had to pass an ethics committee. “They said: if the patient has no objection and the surgeon gives permission, then it’s allowed,” reports Uit den Boogaard.
Something worth seeing?
Van den Boogaard has realised that not everyone is particularly enthusiastic about his work.
“This form of art is very sensitive. Someone who has had a miscarriage found my work far too confrontational. But art should question things. I find the ethical issue interesting,” he explains to RTL Nieuws.
WARNING: the below Twitter post is graphic ❗️
Hebben mensen nog grenzen en waarom mag dit? Het gaat mij te ver. Rottende vinger in museum: ‘We beschouwen dingen te snel als afval’https://t.co/bRzw1cOScT
— Henriette de vreede (@1975henriette) March 1, 2023
Translation: Do people still have limits, and why is this allowed? It’s going too far for me. Rotting finger in museum: ‘We regard things as waste too quickly.’
Van den Boogaard isn’t the only one who wants to make a statement. Baaijens also has hopes that the exhibition will make people think. “There are crazy leaps and bounds, but you start wondering: could it work that way? And sometimes what seems like a really crazy idea is the start of something revolutionary,” she states.
Would you go see this decomposing finger at the museum? Tell us in the comments below!
A 10-year-old Dutch girl has been left seriously injured after she was stabbed by a man while walking with her grandparents in the Swedish city of Gothenburg yesterday.
The incident occurred in broad daylight when the girl was walking through the Brunnsparken town square at around 12:30 PM. The man stabbed the girl in the stomach while the grandmother tried to shield the child with her arm.
The grandmother also suffered an injury to her arm when she tried to protect her granddaughter from the attacker.
The grandmother’s efforts thankfully paid off. While the girl was seriously injured in the attack, she is now in a stable condition, and out of the danger zone, a spokesperson told RTL Nieuws.
Known to police
It is reported that the attacker was known to Gothenburg police. It’s believed that the 35-year-old man probably attacked the girl at random while in a “state of confusion,” a spokesperson tells RTL Nieuws.
The girl from Amsterdam was visiting her Swedish grandparents when the attack took place.
There’s no denying the reality of the housing crisis in the Netherlands — but there is hope for those struggling to find a place, with landlords possibly no longer able to ask for crazy rental prices anymore.
In fact, landlords who charge too much rent for their homes could risk a fine of up to €90,000, starting from next year, reports RTL Nieuws.
The new points systems
Housing Minister Hugo de Jonge wants to help more people with middle incomes to find affordable rental housing.
For many people, especially in bigger cities, renting a place is simply not affordable anymore. According to De Jonge, many tenants pay the top price for a home that “is really not worth it”.
sorry idk you but i have to warn you there’s a severe housing crisis in the netherlands and it’s almost impossible to find an apartment 😭🫶
For this reason, De Jonge wants to use the WWS, the home valuation system, to determine the amount of rent.
The points system is now used to calculate rents in the social sector, but according to De Jonge’s plans, this will also include mid-rental homes, making rent cost a maximum of €1,000 a month.
Better protection
With this new proposal, tenants will be better protected. Municipalities will also soon be obliged to open a counter where residents can go with complaints about landlords.
If there is a mistake in adding up the points, the municipality can warn the landlord. However, landlords are looking at a hefty fine if they ask too much for a house that falls under protection.
For the first violation, it is €20,000, but if the landlord continues to violate the law, that can rise up to €90,000. 😳
Unfortunately, these changes will apply to new rental contacts, not existing ones — so start stashing moving boxes.
The House of Representatives is expected to discuss the next steps for this plan after the summer.
What do you think about this new law? Tell us in the comments below!
Sure, the Netherlands has tulips — but personally, our favourite botanical babe here has to be the penis plant. Yes. The penis. Plant.
He’s a grower, he’s a show-er, and he’s come to Leiden — in a big way.
Ok, we’ll stop now.
Introducing the Amorphophallus gigas
Leiden’s Hortus Botanicus is home to a colourful variety of plants, and, now, a very special piece of wood. (Listen, we can’t help it.)
Although technically, the Amorphophallus gigas, translated as “formless giant phallus” — 😏 — it isn’t a piece of wood at all.
It’s a 3.5-metre-tall phallic plant, featuring a very long ‘peduncle’ #dirtytalkinspo, consisting of a spadix and a bract. Part of the plant’s charm is not just its sexy silhouette but also the fact that its flowers emit a “corpse-like” odour. 😬
All of these features (ok, perhaps not the corpse-like odor — we hope) have led the plant to be given the more common name, penis plant.
Not one, but three erections
The Amorphophallus gigas actually isn’t the first penis plant to pitch a tent in Leiden’s Hortus Botanicus. Two other members of the penis plant family have also bloomed here over the past two years.
In 2021, the hortus welcomed the arrival of the Amorphophallus decus-silvae, and in 2022, not one but two Amorphophallus titanum penis plants bloomed.
This year, the botanical gardens welcomed their biggest penis yet. In fact, they welcomed twins, with two Amorphophallus gigas plants shooting their sprouts — we’re proud of you boo.
Go take some dick pics
Want to see a penis like never before? Us too. You’ll find these beauts on display in Leiden’s Hortus Botanicus between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and take the only type of dick pics we will ever condone.
Will you be checking out the latest penis plant? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
That’s right, everyone, it’s that time of year once again: EUROVISION — and the Dutch have just dropped what we reckon is a bonafide banger.
Whether you’re a full-blown, singing, dancing, costume-wearing fan or a casual watcher, there’s no avoiding the Eurovision fandom that will hit Europe (and the world) this May.
Ready to get pumped? Warm up your foot-tapping, neck-bobbing muscles for Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper’s entry, ‘Burning Daylight’.
According to Cooper, the song is about “falling, making mistakes and then getting up again,” he said in a mini-documentary.
“But it’s also about accepting that we’re all human, experiencing pain and that we have to go through it.”
When can I watch the Netherlands rock it live?
The first Dutch semi-final will be held on May 9 on location in Liverpool, England. If they win, they’ll get a ticket to the final on May 13.
However, this wasn’t the original plan for the location. Ukraine should have had the honour of hosting this year after winning last year, but due to Russia’s invasion of the country, it was no longer possible.
Do you think the Netherlands has a winner? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
After two nights of Northern Lights in the Netherlands, the Dutch skies are hosting another magical spectacle tonight: the kiss of Venus and Jupiter.
The two planets have been seen moving towards each other for the past few days. Tonight, in what is called a “planetary conjunction,” their long-anticipated date will take place!
The best part? You can see it all with the naked eye — and here’s how! 👁️
Look up!
Between 7.30 and 8.30 PM, after the sun has gone down, the phenomenon will easily be observable by simply looking up at the night sky.
As Wim Schmidt of the observatory Sonnenborgh tells RTL Nieuws, it is best to “look southwest and a little low. Venus and Jupiter will be the brightest dots you see in the sky.” 🔭
Don’t wait too long to look up though! After 8.30 PM, the planets will become less visible.
But although it may seem like Venus and Jupiter are close to one another, their actual distance from each other is around 670,400,000 kilometres! 🤯
If we put that into perspective: To cross the distance between the two planets, you’d have to travel 77 years by plane, or 765 years by car. ✈️
Nonetheless, the proximity between Venus and Jupiter tonight is a rare sight, and won’t happen again until 2040. So keep your eyes peeled to observe the glorious sight. ✨
Will you keep an eye out for the kiss between Jupiter and Venus? Tell us in the comments!
Sure you’re all up-to-date on the latest developments about buying a house in the Netherlands. But how does it work for internationals looking for that dreamy Dutch house and mortgage?
How do you place an offer on a house? What do you do when your offer is accepted? What kind of paperwork is involved in buying a Dutch home?
Buying a house in the Netherlands is something that even Dutchies struggle with. Everybody can use some help with that — especially internationals.
1. Consider how long you will stay in the Netherlands
There are many things to consider when buying a house in the Netherlands as an expat. First things first: how long do you plan on staying? Image: Depositphotos
Buying a house in the Netherlands might not be the right thing for everybody. If you expect to move to a different country one to two years from now, it’s probably not the best idea.
The reason for this is simple: you have to invest some of your own money when you buy a house, and you might just lose that money if you need to sell in the short term.
But if you’re planning to stay here for a couple of years (and you know, care about your money), buying a house in the Netherlands may just be the smart thing to do.
2. Have a free consultation and see if you can actually get a Dutch mortgage
In the olden days, when people worked for 50 years for the same employer, one could only hope to obtain a Dutch mortgage when they were on a contract for an indefinite period.
This was the fabled vast contract, meaning a permanent employment contract.
But this is 2023, and having a permanent contract is no longer an absolute must when you want to get a mortgage in the Netherlands. That’s good news for all you ZZP’ers, college-debt-having, flexible-contract folks out there!
To see if you can get a Dutch mortgage and, even more importantly, how much money a bank will lend you, it’s best to set up an appointment with a mortgage advisor.
By speaking with an advisor, you can find out everything about the conditions of getting a Dutch mortgage, ask questions specific to your situation, or get into the nitty-gritty about how high a mortgage you can actually obtain.
Where do you see yourself living? This is an important factor when deciding to buy a house in the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
Now that you have an idea of your budget, it’s time to determine what you really want from a Dutch house.
Of course, a lot of this is personal, it all depends on where you work, what you like, if you have kids, or have a dream about living on a Dutch houseboat, for example.
But some of these Dutch housing dreams require a bit of knowledge about the Dutch housing market.
For example, buying a house from the 1700s might be nice but please do know that you’re in for a bit of maintenance — which can be expensive here since a lot of Dutchies are renovating nowadays.
And who can blame them? With inflation hitting the Netherlands hard, and the country boasting some of the highest gas prices in the entire EU, those with older homes need to make sure their windows are fitting as snugly as possible.
many people are drawn to the classic canal house, but the countryside also has its attractions. Image: Depositphotos
Or, for example, would you rather live in the city or the countryside? Lately, the pull of the Randstad has started to reverse, with more people choosing to buy outside of the ring of cities as opposed to within it!
If your attraction to the Dutch countryside was for purely budgetary reasons, then you may want to reconsider. With higher demand for housing outside of the Randstad, comes higher selling prices for said houses.
That being said, Kenneth points out that there’s still a huge attraction to the Dutch countryside.
“The prices per metre squared outside of the Randstad are still not even close to the prices within the Randstad, as these are also still going up,” he explains.
“Combine this with the fact that many of us are (still) embracing the hybrid way of working — and as a result searching for more metres squared to create that home office — still makes the “countryside” a really attractive area to buy!”
4. Find that house and make an offer
Once you make an offer on a Dutch house, you’re going to be needing some important paperwork. Image: Depositphotos
So you spotted a house, viewed it and want to make an offer? Well, we don’t want to pressure you, but this is a crazy market and houses in the Netherlands go fast.
If you’ve found a house that you like, make an offer as soon as you’ve made up your mind.
And if you really want the house, then it’s likely you’ll be offering more than the asking price. However, we do have some good news: the percentage of people who overbid on a house has dropped significantly — especially in the last half of 2022.
To give you an idea, in the fourth quarter of 2021, 80% of successful house purchases were the result of overbidding. In the second half of 2022, this percentage has almost halved, falling to 44% — meaning 2023 is looking promising.
How should you make an offer on a house in the Netherlands?
By email! It may feel weird that you’re casually sending an email that says “I want to buy your house for €543,000” — but this is how it’s done in the Netherlands. This can be sent either by you or get your realtor (makelaar) can do it.
A bit of Dutch goes a long way when making an offer on a Dutch house. Image: Depositphotos
Next, there are two Dutch phrases you’ll need to know:
Onder voorbehoud van Financiering
Literal translation: with the condition of financing. Actual meaning: subject to your finance being approved. Essentially, if you’re not approved for your mortgage, the deal is off. Why you need it: if you don’t include this in your contract and can’t secure your finance, you may have to pay 10% of your offer as a penalty!
Bouwkundige Keuring
Literal translation: with the condition of aconstruction examination Actual meaning: building or architecture inspection Why you need it: if this is a relatively old house you intend to buy, you want to get this as a condition.
This check will point out any major flaws in the building that could end up costing you money later.
If your offer is subject to a bouwkundige keuring you can still cancel it if they find a structural flaw in the house — or a giant sinkhole.
5. Offer accepted for a Dutch house? Make sure you’re ready!
You’re going to need quite a bit of paperwork once your offer on a Dutch house has been accepted. Image: Depositphotos
All that hard work has led you to this: your offer on a Dutch house has been accepted, and you’re almost a Dutch homeowner! Hoera!!
Enjoyed that moment? Good! Because the work isn’t finished at all. You still need to arrange your Dutch mortgage — we’ll get into in the next steps.
But for now enjoy, go out for a walk or drinks and think about whether you’re really happy with that house. After all, buying a house in the Netherlands is a very quick process.
The Three Day Cooling Down period
Let’s say you take your walk and mull things over. You’ve just bought a house in Amsterdam for half a million euros and suddenly realize you’re totally not up for it.
Geen stress (No stress). This is where the cooling-down period comes into play!
Whenever you agree to buy a house in the Netherlands, you can cancel the deal within three working days. This can be done without specifying any reason and without it costing you a cent.
The cooling-down period starts just after midnight the day after you’ve received the written news that your offer has been accepted. If you do decide to pull out, you need to explicitly inform the selling party.
It’s also good to know that there’s no cooling-off period for the selling party unless this has been specifically agreed upon in the sales contract.
6. Prepare your Dutch mortgage application (it’s paperwork time!)
Next step, gather all the paperwork you need for your Dutch mortgage. Image: Depositphotos
If you’re wondering what’s next, it’s paperwork (and loads of it). A good mortgage advisor can help you with this.
So, what do you need to get your hands on?
Employer’s declaration
This is a statement made by your employer confirming your annual income based on salary, bonuses, and fringe benefits. This could be as simple as showing your employment contract.
Salary specification
This is your monthly payslip, which will correspond to the information given in your employer’s statement, and will also show aspects such as the 30% ruling, expenses, payable taxes, etc.
Necessary information about the mortgaged property, such as:
a copy of the purchase agreement signed by both parties,
the original valuation/appraisal report, and
a copy of a survey report.
I’m not going to lie, this is a bunch of work. But if your employer helps you out and you’ve got a good mortgage advisor, it’s definitely manageable.
Then, your mortgage company will take care of the next steps. “We gather all the paperwork, discuss your situation and wishes, then we select the money lender with the best fit and apply for an offer,” explains Kenneth.
After you’ve chosen your mortgage provider, your broker will review your paperwork and get back to you with whether or not your Dutch mortgage application is accepted.
7. Sign the dotted line and, celebrate!
Everything sorted? Make sure to take a moment to celebrate your new Dutch home! Image: Depositphotos
Rrrring! It’s your mortgage advisor on the phone telling you that the bank has accepted your mortgage application. This is it!
We’re entering the final stages of the process of becoming a homeowner and getting that Dutch mortgage. This is where you sign all the paperwork.
All this magic will happen at the notary’s office, or as they say in Dutch, the notaris.
The notary manages all the legal steps involved in buying a home. They’ll also manage the exchanging of the keys and wiring of the money.
Your mortgage advisor should have some good advice on which notary to pick in which region.
If you worry that language barriers are going to be an issue, your advisor will also have good contact with trustworthy interpreters should you need any, and will even hold your hand at the notary if you need it.
After you’ve signed off on all the paperwork at the notary you get the keys, and it’s actually your home!
Note: Some people may perceive the notary as a costly and useless step in the mortgage process. But it’s really helpful to have somebody draw up all the papers, calculate the costs, and make sure everything goes okay bureaucratically.
8. Sort your taxes and be a responsible adult
Sort your taxes, and then you can sit back and celebrate. Image: Depositphotos
You can relax now, or start renovating your new home straight away. But you’ll also want to get hands-on with your taxes after you set up a Dutch mortgage.
Why? Because you can actually get a quick refund from the Dutch tax office that compensates for some of the expenses involved in buying said Dutch house.
Then there’s also the “mortgage interest deduction” that you need to be aware of.
This is a sweet Dutch tax arrangement that you can apply for. It basically means you can deduct the costs of the interest that you’re paying for your mortgage
Word to the wise: being a homeowner in the Netherlands greatly influences your tax situation, so make sure to ask your mortgage adviser all about the upsides of the Dutch tax system when it comes to owning a home.
Have you recently bought a home in the Netherlands? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2022, and was fully updated in March 2023 for your reading pleasure.
