Housing
Housing Support for Entrepreneurs Netherlands
The Dutch housing market is hard on everyone and hardest on entrepreneurs. Landlords want payslips and employer statements; you have a young company, foreign bank statements and a strong story that nobody at a crowded viewing stays to hear.
We tell that story for you. We know which landlords and agents accept entrepreneurial income, how to present a founder’s file so it wins against salaried bidders, and we attend viewings with you or for you when you are still abroad.
Who needs this
- Founders arriving on startup, DAFT or self-employed permits
- Entrepreneurs whose income is real but does not fit standard landlord checklists
- Business owners searching from abroad who cannot attend viewings
- Families of entrepreneurs needing a home near schools and the business
Renting without payslips
Dutch landlords are built to read employment contracts. Everything below is about giving them something they can read instead.
- Landlords typically want gross income of three to four times the rent, and for entrepreneurs they look for the equivalent in accounts and assets.
- Newly incorporated companies have no track record, so the founder's personal position usually carries the file.
- Expect requests for annual accounts, a year of bank statements, an accountant's statement, or a bank guarantee.
- Deposits are legally capped at two months of basic rent for contracts signed since 1 July 2023, and a larger deposit cannot be demanded instead.
- A guarantee from your BV or a personal guarantee is often accepted where documents alone are not.
- We act for you rather than for the landlord, and we take no commission from either side.
How we win you a home
A file that convinces landlords
Business accounts, contracts and references packaged into the format Dutch landlords and agents actually trust from self-employed tenants.
Targeted search
We search where your registration, commute and family needs intersect, including off-market homes through our agent network.
Viewings, attended
We view with you, or on video for you, and give you an honest verdict on the street, the building and the contract terms.
Negotiation and contract check
Price, deposit and clauses negotiated, and the rental contract reviewed before you sign, including whether the address supports business registration.
The search, structured
- 01
Profile
Budget, areas, family needs and registration requirements defined in one call.
- 02
Hunt
We shortlist, book and attend viewings fast, because good homes here go in days.
- 03
Secure
Offer negotiated, contract checked, keys handed over, registration arranged.
What housing support for entrepreneurs costs
Available upon request
Founders are usually judged differently by landlords than salaried tenants, so the work varies with your situation. You receive a fixed quotation after a first conversation.
- A search that accounts for how landlords assess self-employed income
- The evidence pack landlords ask founders for, prepared in advance
- Viewings arranged and attended
- Contract reviewed and negotiated before you sign
Temporary housing can bridge the gap while we search, but not every short-stay address allows municipal registration. We flag that distinction before you commit to anything.
Building a file that convinces
What if my company is brand new?
Then the file rests on you rather than on it. Personal savings, income from your previous country, existing client contracts, a signed statement from an accountant and a bank guarantee all work. What does not work is arriving at a viewing with an explanation instead of documents.
Is a bank guarantee normal here?
It is common and entirely respectable for entrepreneurs. Your bank blocks an amount, typically two to three months of rent, and the landlord accepts that instead of an employment history. It usually costs a modest annual fee and it opens properties that would otherwise refuse you.
Should I say I am self-employed?
Always, and early. Landlords who discover it at contract stage withdraw. Landlords who are told at the start, and shown a properly prepared file in Dutch, mostly proceed. Concealment is the single fastest way to lose a property you had already won.
Can I rent a home and use it as my business address?
Often yes, for a consultancy or a service business with no visitors, but it depends on the lease and on the municipality's zoning rules. We check both before you register the address at the KvK, because unwinding it afterwards is unpleasant.
Entrepreneur housing questions
Can I rent without Dutch payslips?
Yes, with the right presentation. Landlords accept entrepreneurial income when it is documented convincingly, and some ask for additional deposit or prepaid rent. We negotiate those terms to something reasonable.
Can I register my company at my home address?
Often, if the lease permits it and the activities suit a residential setting. We check the contract and the municipality rules for your specific case before you sign.
How fast can you find something?
That depends on budget and area, and we will tell you honestly at intake what your criteria yield in the current market. What we never do is let you fly in without a plan for where you will sleep and register.
Find a home that works as hard as you do
Share your budget, your areas and your moving date. We will tell you what is realistic and start the search this week.
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