Thinking about renting a house or apartment in Rotterdam? Whether you are planning a long stay or a shorter assignment, and whether you want a furnished or unfurnished place, understanding how the local rental market works will save you time, money and stress.
This guide walks you through the key facts, your rights as a tenant, and the main platforms that locals and expats actually use.
The rental market in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is part of a national rental market that has tightened sharply in recent years. According to Pararius’ Huurmonitor for the third quarter of 2025, the average rent for a new free-sector tenancy in the Netherlands has climbed to around €1,856 per month, which means tenants typically need a gross income of roughly €5,569 to meet the standard income test of three times the rent. Homes remain online for about 18 days on average before they are rented out, underlining how fierce the competition has become.
Rotterdam is no exception. In the city, the average free-sector rent reached €22.05 per square metre in Q3 2025, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%. That puts Rotterdam among the priciest cities in the country, behind Amsterdam but on a par with other large urban centres such as The Hague and Utrecht.
The pressure is especially intense in the “affordable” end of the free sector. Much of the demand is concentrated in homes renting between about €1,185 and €1,500 per month, the last part of the private market that many middle-income tenants can still reach. As supply shrinks, more renters are pushed into higher price brackets.
The takeaway: expect a tight market, fast turnarounds and significant competition, particularly if you are searching in popular areas or in the lower and mid-priced segments.
How renting in Rotterdam works
Most people in Rotterdam find a home through:
- Estate agents (makelaars) and rental platforms for private sector homes.
- WoonnetRijnmond for social housing and some mid-market rentals.
- Specialised student housing providers.
You can of course still stumble across a “Te huur” sign on a window, but most professional landlords and housing corporations list their properties online.
Major rental platforms and agencies
- Funda and Pararius are the two largest property portals. Both list free-sector rentals in Rotterdam; Pararius in particular has a strong expat focus and an English interface.
- Platforms like Huure, Interhouse, HousingAnywhere, Rotterdam Apartments, RentSlam and Maashave offer a mix of apartments, studios and rooms, often with good English-language support and search filters.
Many agencies allow you to set up alerts so that you receive an email as soon as a suitable listing goes online. Given how quickly properties move, this is more or less essential.
Social housing and long-term options: WoonnetRijnmond
If your move to Rotterdam is long term and your income fits within social or regulated rent limits, WoonnetRijnmond is the main gateway to more affordable housing.
- All housing associations in Rotterdam and the surrounding region advertise their homes through WoonnetRijnmond, which covers neighbouring municipalities such as Schiedam, Barendrecht and Spijkenisse.
- WoonnetRijnmond is a collaboration of roughly 24 housing corporations in the region.
- Registration is not free: at the time of writing you pay a one-off fee of €15 plus €10 per year to keep your registration active.
Waiting times are long, often many years. The system works on registration time, so the longer you are registered, the better your chances. Think of WoonnetRijnmond as a long-term strategy: it may not secure your first apartment in the city, but it might deliver your second or third home.
Some listings on WoonnetRijnmond are marked as Rotterdamwet homes. These are dwellings in neighbourhoods that fall under the Wet bijzondere maatregelen grootstedelijke problematiek, widely known as the Rotterdamwet. For these homes the municipality can set additional conditions, such as a minimum income from work, and can give priority to certain target groups. Always read the conditions on the listing carefully before you apply.
How to rent a home in Rotterdam - room, apartment, house
Contracts and your rights as a tenant
Recent legal changes have significantly strengthened tenant protection:
Indefinite contracts are the default again
Since 1 July 2024, the Wet vaste huurcontracten has made permanent contracts the norm once more. In most cases:
- New tenants are entitled to a contract for an indefinite period.
- Temporary contracts are only allowed in specific, legally defined situations (for example, if the landlord returns to the dwelling after a set period, or for certain target groups).
Always check what type of contract you are being offered, and do not be shy about asking the agent or landlord to explain the legal basis if it is temporary.
Deposits and agency fees
Under the Wet goed verhuurderschap and existing civil law:
- A residential deposit (borg) may not exceed two months of basic rent for contracts signed since 1 July 2023.
- The deposit must be returned within a reasonable period after the tenancy ends, minus any proven damage or arrears.
- If a letting agent already works for the landlord, they may not charge you bemiddelingskosten (commission), even if they call those costs “administration” or “contract fees”. Double commission is explicitly banned.
In reality, some intermediaries still try to push extra fees onto tenants. If you suspect that a fee is unlawful, you can challenge it, reclaim it later, or ask the municipality or national complaint points for advice.
Furnished, unfurnished or bare?
Dutch rentals use three broad categories that can be confusing at first:
- Kaal / bare: no flooring, no curtains, often no light fittings. You supply almost everything.
- Gestoffeerd / upholstered: flooring, curtains and basic light fittings are included, but no furniture.
- Gemeubileerd / furnished: fully furnished, ready to move in.
When you search, always use the filters to specify what you are looking for. Many Dutch tenants take their floors and fixtures with them when they move, so do not assume that an “unfurnished” flat includes anything more than white walls and a kitchen.
Short-stay apartments
If you are in Rotterdam for a short assignment, a short-stay or serviced apartment can be a practical option. These homes:
- Are typically fully furnished, often including kitchenware and linen.
- Are priced per month or per day, depending on whether they are run more like serviced apartments or like hotels.
- Usually include utilities and internet in the rent.
They are more expensive than long-term tenancies but can be attractive if your employer pays the bill or if you need flexibility while you get to know the city. Platforms such as HousingAnywhere, Rotterdam Apartments and specialist operators list short-stay options.
Beware of slumlords and scams
In a tight market, vulnerable renters are an easy target.
The Dutch term huisjesmelker refers to landlords who “milk” their properties: charging very high rents for poor-quality housing, splitting homes illegally into multiple small rooms, or neglecting maintenance. Student-heavy neighbourhoods in Rotterdam have seen their share of such practices.
Red flags include:
- Being asked to pay cash deposits or rent without a contract.
- Pressure to decide immediately without a proper viewing.
- Being told to transfer deposits to private foreign bank accounts.
- Ads that look too good to be true: very low rent for a large, central apartment.
Erasmus Magazine has a detailed guide, “How to avoid being scammed”, which is still a useful reference for international students and staff.
If you run into intimidation, discrimination or dubious fees, you can:
- Report the behaviour to the municipal complaints point for unwanted landlord behaviour in Rotterdam.
- Use the national Wet goed verhuurderschap complaint channels.
Beware of slum landlords / huisjesmelkers
What you need to be eligible to rent a home in Rotterdam
Landlords and agencies will usually ask for:
- A copy of your passport or EU ID card.
- Proof of income, such as an employment contract, recent payslips or a statement from your accountant if you are self-employed.
- Sometimes an employer’s statement confirming your job and salary.
- A Dutch or EU bank account is helpful but not always strictly required; discuss this in advance if you are moving from outside the EU.
For rooms in shared apartments the checks may be lighter, but having documents ready speeds up the process and helps you stand out as a serious candidate.
Rental allowance (huurtoeslag) in Rotterdam
Depending on your income, rent level and assets, you may qualify for huurtoeslag, a monthly benefit that helps with rent.
Key points:
- You must be 18 or older.
- You rent independent accommodation with your own front door, kitchen and bathroom; rooms in shared houses usually do not qualify.
- Your rent, income and savings must be below the annual limits.
- If you are not an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you need a valid residence permit.
Thresholds change every year and there are some planned age-related changes from 2026 onwards, so the safest way to check eligibility is to use the calculator and conditions on the Belastingdienst site.
Getting that home in Rotterdam
Getting that apartment in Rotterdam!
Rotterdam has a lot of apartment buildings. If you find a building you like while searching the various home rental platforms, check if you can sign up for notifications. This way, you'd be among the first to know when an apartment becomes available.
When an apartment does become available, let the landlord or agency know as soon as possible. The housing market is a very fast business, places can go very fast. If you email them it might be too late. Therefore, it is best to call the landlord or real estate agency by telephone right away. They will quickly arrange a viewing for you (and others). Sometimes, you might need to make a decision on the spot, so make sure you have all your papers and finances in order if you're really serious about getting that apartment.
After a smooth handover of the documents and paying the required deposit, they'll set a date for you to move in. After this the keys are yours!
How to find a room, apartment or house in Rotterdam
Here is a summary of the main websites to check when looking for a room, apartment or house in Rotterdam.
General rental platforms
- Funda: the best-known property portal in the Netherlands; strong on both sales and rentals, including many mid- to high-end homes in Rotterdam.
- Pararius: wide range of free-sector rentals, clear search filters and a full English interface. Especially useful for expats and higher-end rentals.
- Huure: English-friendly platform with many rooms, studios and apartments in Rotterdam and surrounding cities.
- Interhouse, HousingAnywhere, Rotterdam Apartments, RentSlam and Maashave: agency sites and aggregators that cover furnished, unfurnished and short-stay homes in different price ranges.
Social and mid-market homes
- WoonnetRijnmond: essential for social housing and some mid-market rentals in Rotterdam and the wider Rijnmond region. Long registration times, but crucial if you plan to stay for years.
Student housing
- Kamernet: large platform for rooms and small studios, popular with Dutch and international students.
- Stadswonen Rotterdam: local student housing provider focusing on students and recent graduates up to around their early thirties. Site available in English.
- XIOR: purpose-built student housing, including units on or near the Erasmus University campus, with English-language information.
