Moving to the Netherlands? Any MNers there can help with questions++

[Veggiemummy]

We are possibly moving over as my DH has a possible years contract over there. Ironically we have just been there for a 2 week summer holiday. His job would be based in Amsterdam with some travel to Belgium and we are considering where we would live. I quite liked the town of Leiden but not sure of cost of rent or if it commutable to Amsterdam for DH.

We have 2 boys DS1 is 4 and attends a Montessori school here in Derby a style of education we would like him to continue and DS2 is 9 months but is unlikely to attend much more than a playgroup within the year. What sort of child care and playgroups are there in the Netherlands for under 5's and is non Dutch speaking a problem. We are planning to learn as much as we can but in a year not sure how much that will amount to.

Finally what is it like living over there, we enjoyed the time we had there and we are keen cyclists so it felt like Nirvana for us. We are both Australian but have been living in the UK for over 10 years, so are used to being expats.

You don't always have to pay the whole monthy agents fee - we didn't for our current place (just 350 euros for the contract fee). You just have to find the right agency and this can be hard. We have only found places that don't cater to expats don't charge this (ie have nothing in English).

The Jordaan is lovely but to be perfectly honest, you would struggle to get somewhere for all four of you with your budget (and you'd have to add on about 300 euros a month for parking at Europarking)

DH is with all you ladies now, he flew in this afternoon while the boys had their tea at softplay. He starts bright and early tomorrow morning with the first of three agents at 9.30am. He has staggered the agents across the day and will finish around 4pm in time to catch his 6pm flight home. He's going to spend tonight doing a spreadsheet matrix thing of what we want and will tick them off for each flat, so anally organized. He's also going to take loads of photos. We are bit unsure about references and things for rentals as we have lived in our own houses for about 4 years now. We are still in contact with our last landlord but not sure if they will take her say so as it was so long ago. They'd be better off talking to the banks.

I'm getting so excited it is so close now. Also a bit sad about leaving friends I'm currently trying to fit in lots of coffee meet ups between house sorting, and general crap removal (we have so much junk).

Oh I meant to add, the rotsvast agents said we need to register with them before they will show us anything and it will cost £40, does that sound ok, they didn't mention any other costs. They said it was a cost for searching for properties for us but it was just a one off charge.

has anyone heard of Nootdorp?

Hi again VM!
Your DH has picked a right ole day to visit The Hague - its very, grey, windy and has just tipped it down! Nootdorp is a fairly new development a little bit outside of The Hague - used to be an old village which has since grown - lots of new housing and a good shopping area (designed around a new square - good range of shops, supermarkets - seems v vibrant!) Connected by tram to the centre of The Hague - but journey probably 20/25 mins. V close to the motorways tho. Next door to Yppenburg which is of a similar nature. From what I know its not got bags full of character like an older area such as Voorburg or parts nearer the centre but housing def more modern and would imagine rents etc would be cheaper. Not a huge number of expats there either. I live in a different suburb of The Hague - but have friends scattered all over! Friend loves living in Yppenburg cos of the lovely big house she got there with garagea. Can't really help with your questions re rental agenecies etc as we brought ours before moving here (permanant move). Looking forward to hearing what your DH thinks! Any thing else I can help with?

Never heard of Nootdorp.

We didn't need references when we first rented here - we were like you, we own our house in Australia so didn't have anyone to give us one. I can't remember it being a problem. For this lease, they just asked the details of our former landlord and agent.

I would think carefully if you really need to pay the Rotsvast fee (our relocation agent had a deal with them so we didn't need to). They are just charging you to show you places that aren't necessarily listed with them (in which case you'd have to pay the months agent fee). You can usually find those on funda or through the agents your DH is seeing today. You can also see their places on the website and decide if there is anything worth paying the fee for. However, you might want to consider it if you are stuck and really can't find anything.

Good luck today. Hope you find something!

We will soon be residents of Voorburg!!!! DH saw a few places in the morning that weren't much chop but gave him an idea of sizes and areas. Then after lunch he saw 2 places that were both perfect size but one was central and with no outside space and the 2nd was in Voorburg with a good outside space, and backing onto a waterway and near school etc. He liked the area and really loved the surrounding proximity to transport is good, so he decided to ditch the afternoon viewing with the £40 chargers (they were also the ones with the Nootdorp place) and put a deposit on this place. The only drawback is that there is only a small chicken wire fence at the back of the garden which is a bit dodgy as our boys will be straight over it and into the river. However the agents thinks the landlord will have a fence put in. So we have asked them to do this and therefore will take it pending them okaying us and the fence. Hooray!!!!

So Olliewollie you make Voorburg sound quite nice with the old town feel.

So whose up for a Den Haag meet up!!! I'm so excited! DH is on his way back to blighty with a video of the place he didn't mention the weather Ollie, but he did miss a rather sunny autumn day here. I think you got the weather we had yesterday. Where are you Ollie?

Right better go life still goes on here and the house is very fast becoming a tip!!!

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh I'm so excited!

OOooh - v exciting - I am soooooo close to Voorburg! Think you made the right choice location wise. The old High Street in Oud Voorburg (Herenstraat) has lots of lovley cafes, shops etc for a potter. There is a fab childrens bookshop which stocks the entire wooden Thomas train collection and does English and Dutch story telling once a month. Cute farm park at the end of the High Street too. There is a small modern shopping style precinct nearby which has a Little Gym, 2 large supermarkets and more of the chain type shops etc.
Def up for a meet up. I may be able to help with schools etc - let me have your email address VM? Think I can be CAT'd???

Oh that sounds just perfect! I will have to check if I've still got the CAT subscription thing actually it's neridaf at yahoo dot com there that's easier gotta go DS2 is blowing rasberries on my tummy instead of going to sleep it's quite funny but not getting him any closer to beddybyes.

Oh and thanks for that expat2. The agent said we will just have to show evidence that DH has a job but that's about it.

Sounds great.

We have one of those mini canals at the end of our garden too. We just have a deal with the landlord that we can arrange for something once DS can move independently, which we will then have to remove when we leave. DH is quite the handyman so he'll just arrange something when the time comes.

Bugger the landlord has already let the place to someone else. I think we'll just have to get a short term let and start looking again when we get over there. Shame it was nice but hey ho I'm sure it will all be fine. In a way it might be better as if we allow 2-3 weeks for our stuff to be moved over it costs half the price and we can take a bit more time to find something. I'm sure it's not the only perfect place around.

Expat the places next to the place we wanted had light fences about a meter or so high, looked quite good and apparently fairly cheap.

Hi ladies not sure if are all still around but we are here finally flew in no sunday. Got to the short let and there was some big problems with it so we in another place somewhere else in Den Haag no idea where but it's quite nice. Unfortunately the internet access to there flats is down though so i'm just on my phone for now. Hope your all well and will be back soon with lots of questions.

Hi Ladies,
I hope you don't mind me jumping in on the thread, but DH is in the process of being offered a job in Amsterdam! Which has been a massive shock but if it all happens we are going.

I just really wanted to know how you found life, was it easy to make new friends, was it a good base to travel around and see europe from?

Many thanks

Mrs Snow

Ladies are you still there just wondering what you ladies think of Delft? It seems DH will be doing a lot of work in Rotterdam and we think we would like to live somewhere smaller with a more villagey feel. Den Haag is nice but feels a bit more city than we want for the kids. We went to Gouda and delft today and loved them both. Not sure if they are too expensive though, and if they are actually as livable as they look. A bit easy to get taken in by the look of some places I guess, but different to live there.

I love Delft. One of my best friends has just sadly moved from Delft back to the US. Her apartment was actually on one of the main streets by the canal so beautifully located.

Thanks Skihorse, it seems pretty expensive, but our estate agent lady is going to line up a few places in the Hague, voorburg and delft so we can compare. It's difficult because we even think living in a little town that's commutable to Rotterdam would be good but don't want to be too isolated cos I might go crazy. Also need some English speaking sporty stuff for the kids to do and the Hague seems good for that. Gouda was nice and seems quite cheap but might be too far away from everything. Aaahhhh all too hard. I'm gonna go to a expat mum&tots group in Rotterdam tomorrow to pick there brains about where is good to live if you need to be close to Rotterdam.

Nice sunny weather at the mo!

Delft is a lovely town. We looked at living there initially but then DH was moved from Rotterdam to Amsterdam so it made more sense to live in Amsterdam.

I'm guessing you have thought of Leiden as well? Smaller than the Hague but very close and bigger than Delft? Or Rotterdam itself - you'd get the English speaking expats there and Kralingen is very nice (we lived there briefly on the lake when we first moved to the Netherlands)

Hi expat. I think Delft is going to be too expensive for what we want. I had a look at 3 places in Voorburg today one was a complete dump, one was ok sizewise but had a tiny garden and no bannisters on the stairs, so deathtrap for the boys. The 3rd place was really nice with a big back garden but the house itself was quite small with almost no storage space. We are looking at a place tomorrow that looks a decent size and the estate agent is quite excited about it's on Daguerrestraat in Den Haag near where we are now (where ever that is). I have my reservations because it would be nice not to live in a city but I'm now not going to have a car during the day (dh has to drive) so it may leave me feeling a bit remote if I'm out in the sticks. I know olliewollie lives here but I can't remember who else does. But those of you that do, do you find it ok for kids and not too stiffling?

I am curious if any of your ladies are still around. Trying to decide where to move to and would love advice. Veggiemummy, where did you end up?

Hi everyone, me and my family is planning to move to Netherlands . We have been living in a London for last 15 years . We have 10 year old son

This move is because my husband got a job offer which so good not to refuse . We are planning to rent in Hilversum. Has anyone has any idea about the place and has anyone e know the school international school of Hilversum ?