First Message to a Landlord in the Netherlands: Bilingual Templates
Published on 21 October 202610 min read
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Key takeaways
- In Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague together, 29.3% of rooms and 20.7% of studios, apartments and houses went offline within 7 days (RentHunter data, 6,784 rooms and 21,581 self-contained homes first seen January to mid-August 2026). Your message to a landlord has a short window.
- Around 164 new rental homes a day were listed across those four cities from January to mid-October 2026 (RentHunter data, 47,011 homes). Plenty of new homes, but each one stays up only briefly.
- Under the Wet goed verhuurderschap, a landlord may ask your name, contact details, household and monthly net income, never your background, religion or health.
- A letting agent may look at your ID but may not copy it unless the rent is €10,000 a month or more, according to the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. So no passport scans in that opening email.
Table of contents
- What should a first message to a landlord in the Netherlands say?
- Why you should write to a landlord the same day
- Example messages to a landlord in the Netherlands: three templates
- What a Dutch landlord may and may not ask you
- What to leave out of a first message to a landlord
- After you hit send: follow up once
- Frequently asked questions
- Final thoughts
- Sources
You spot the listing at 08:40, on the tram. Nice flat, decent rent, registration possible. You spend twenty minutes on three warm paragraphs about your hobbies and your love of Dutch gables. Then nothing. Two days later the home is gone. Been there.
The problem usually isn't you. It's the message. A first message to a landlord in the Netherlands has one job: get you a viewing. So here's the honest version: a short structure that does that job, three bilingual example templates you can paste as they are (student, young professional, couple or family), and the Dutch rules on what a landlord can and can't ask you.
What should a first message to a landlord in the Netherlands say?
A first message to a landlord in the Netherlands should say who you are, why the home fits you, that you meet the stated requirements, when you want to move in and when you can view it, in about 100 to 150 words. That's it. The full rental application with documents comes after the viewing. Think of it as the step before the application, not the application itself. You don't need a cover letter yet, and you don't need to send any documents.
In practice that's six short blocks, in this order:
Greeting
"Dear" plus the landlord's or agent's name if the listing shows it.
The property
Street and city, because agents juggle dozens of listings.
Who you are
Study or work, and who will live there.
The fit
Your income or guarantor, set against what the listing asks.
Dates
Your move-in date and how long you want to stay.
Viewing and phone
When you can view, plus your phone number.
Short beats charming. A landlord reading a stack of emails on a phone skims for the three things in the listing they care about. Give them that information in the opening five lines (a student names the university and what they study, a worker names the employer) and you're already ahead of most of the pile. A strong application starts with a short, clear email.
Why you should write to a landlord the same day
A good share of rental listings in the four big cities disappears within a week. We followed the homes RentHunter picked up in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague from January to mid-August 2026, each for at least 60 days. Of 6,784 rooms, 29.3% went offline within 7 days and 12.9% within 3 days. Of 21,581 studios, apartments and houses, 20.7% went offline within 7 days and 10.8% within 3 days. Studios go fastest: 40.6% of the 1,728 studios were gone within a week.
| Rooms: offline within 3 days | 12.9% |
|---|---|
| Rooms: offline within 7 days | 29.3% |
| Studios, apartments, houses: offline within 3 days | 10.8% |
| Studios, apartments, houses: offline within 7 days | 20.7% |
Offline doesn't always mean rented, and the data can't tell the two apart. Some landlords just stop the inflow once they have enough candidates. For you it's the same thing: the door closes.
The housing pile is big, too. From January to mid-October 2026 around 164 new homes a day appeared across those cities, about 77 of them in Amsterdam alone (RentHunter data, 47,011 homes). Sort a city by newest first and you'll see homes that went up a few hours ago. If you want the bigger picture, here's how long it takes to find housing in the Netherlands.
RentHunter listing page for Amsterdam, sorted by newest first, 13 October 2026.
Once a listing is offline, your message has nowhere to go. So save the template in your notes app and adapt three lines per listing. See a home you like? Apply that day. Not tomorrow morning. The same day.
RentHunter listing data from free-sector platforms and agencies, with the same home on several platforms counted once and nothing reported on fewer than 100 homes. New homes per day cover 1 January to 14 October 2026; time online covers homes first seen January to mid-August 2026, each followed for at least 60 days, and "offline" means our checker marked the page rented, under option, withdrawn, expired or not found.
If the listing is in Dutch, write in Dutch and use "u" (the formal you). The Dutch versions below are ready to send as they are, from the "Beste" (dear) to the sign-off, even if your own Dutch stops at "dank je wel". Not confident in Dutch? Say so politely and ask whether the viewing can be in English. Choosing the landlord's language shows interest, which is exactly what they're reading for.
Example messages to a landlord in the Netherlands: three templates
Three situations, three templates: a student looking for a room or studio while studying at a Dutch university (often with a parent as guarantor), a young professional, and a couple or family. Each is in Dutch and English. Pick yours in the card, swap the brackets, include what fits and delete what doesn't. Coming for the academic year? Have it ready before you land.
Beste [naam], Ik reageer op uw advertentie voor de [kamer/studio] aan de [straat] in [stad]. Ik ben [naam], [leeftijd], en ik begin in [maand] aan mijn [master/bachelor] [studie] aan de [universiteit]. Ik zoek een woning vanaf [datum] voor de duur van mijn studie. Mijn ouders staan garant voor de huur. Kan ik me op dit adres inschrijven? Ik kan komen kijken op [dag en tijd], of via een videogesprek. Met vriendelijke groet, [naam] [telefoonnummer]
Dear [name], I'm writing about your listing for the [room/studio] on [street] in [city]. I'm [name], [age], and I start my [master's/bachelor's] in [subject] at [university] in [month]. I'm looking for a place from [date] for the length of my studies. My parents will be guarantors for the rent. Can I register at this address? I can view it on [day and time], or by video call. Kind regards, [name] [phone]
Beste [naam], Graag kom ik in aanmerking voor het appartement aan de [straat] in [stad]. Ik werk sinds [maand jaar] als [functie] bij [werkgever], met een [vast contract/contract tot datum]. Mijn bruto maandinkomen is € [bedrag]. Ik woon alleen en zoek een woning vanaf [datum], voor minimaal [periode]. Ik kan komen kijken op [dag en tijd]. Daarna stuur ik graag mijn werkgeversverklaring en loonstroken. Met vriendelijke groet, [naam] [telefoonnummer]
Dear [name], I'd like to be considered for the apartment on [street] in [city]. I've worked as a [job title] at [employer] since [month year], on a [permanent contract/contract until date]. My gross monthly income is €[amount]. I'll live alone and I'm looking for a home from [date], for at least [period]. I can view it on [day and time]. Afterwards I'm happy to provide my employer's statement and payslips. Kind regards, [name] [phone]
Beste [naam], Wij hebben interesse in de woning aan de [straat] in [stad]. Wij zijn [naam] en [naam], [samenwonend/getrouwd], [zonder kinderen/met een kind van x jaar]. We werken allebei en ons gezamenlijke netto maandinkomen is € [bedrag]. We zoeken een woning voor langere tijd, vanaf [datum], en kunnen komen kijken op [dag en tijd]. Met vriendelijke groet, [naam] en [naam] [telefoonnummer]
Dear [name], We're interested in the home on [street] in [city]. We're [name] and [name], [living together/married], [without children/with a child aged x]. We both work and our combined net monthly income is €[amount]. We're looking for a long-term home from [date] and can view it on [day and time]. Kind regards, [name] and [name] [phone]
Three lines in there matter more than they look.
The registration question. Living at an address where you can't register is a proper headache. Registering at your address with the gemeente is how most newcomers get a BSN (citizen service number), and without a BSN a lot of Dutch admin stalls. So ask "can I register at this address?" now and get the answer in writing. No guarantor yet? Sort that before you start writing, because it's the line agents are looking for.
Income and contract, high up. That's what an agent checks for a working tenant, so it sits in the third line, not the last. If the listing states an income requirement, show you meet it in plain figures. Don't meet it alone? Say how you will: a guarantor, a partner's income, savings. Provide the figure in one line. Silence on income reads as a no.
Household, up front. Household composition is among the things a landlord is allowed to ask, so including it saves a round of questions. Families moving for a job are tempted to write the longest emails, with every detail about yourself and the kids. Mention the school or the commute in one line if it explains why this home, then stop. The rest of the story goes in the viewing.
What a Dutch landlord may and may not ask you
Since the Wet goed verhuurderschap (Good Landlordship Act) took effect on 1 July 2023, landlords must use a clear selection procedure that candidates know about, with non-discriminatory criteria, and must explain to rejected candidates why someone else got the home, as Volkshuisvesting Nederland sets out. You're allowed to know the rules of the game.
your name, address, phone and email, your household (alone, together, with or without children), your total monthly net income, proof of income, and your current rent or a landlord's statement. What a landlord may not ask: your ethnic or cultural background, religion, political views, sexual orientation, or physical or mental health. Source: Rijksoverheid. Every gemeente has a meldpunt goed verhuurderschap where you can report discrimination.
Two more rules worth knowing. A deposit (waarborgsom) can be at most two months of kale huur (basic rent) for contracts signed since 1 July 2023. And when a landlord uses an agent, the agent can't charge you administration or contract costs on top (Volkshuisvesting Nederland). Anyone asking for three months up front is either badly informed or counting on you not knowing.
What to leave out of a first message to a landlord
Leave your passport, BSN and payslips out of your opening letter. It's important, and not just for privacy. The Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (the Dutch data protection authority) says a letting agent screening you may ask to see your ID, but may not make or ask for a copy, scan or photo of it unless the rent is €10,000 or more per month. When you do need to share an ID copy later, the government's KopieID app lets you black out your BSN and photo.
Never pay before you've viewed the property and checked the landlord. The Fraudehelpdesk lists the classic signs: a rent that's low for the size and location, a landlord who's "abroad" and only talks online, and a transfer to a foreign account. A reply that asks for a deposit before any viewing isn't a lucky break. It's the opening of a scam. More red flags in our guide to rental scams.
Also out: your life story, a list of hobbies, "I'm the perfect tenant" (everyone says it, like everyone says they're a strong communicator on a CV) and big attachments. Personal information beyond what the landlord may ask isn't needed. Don't provide it.
After you hit send: follow up once
One polite follow-up after two or three working days without a response is normal. Not five. One. Ask a single thing: is the property still available?
Beste [naam], Vorige week heb ik gereageerd op uw woning aan de [straat]. Is de woning nog beschikbaar? Ik kom graag kijken. Met vriendelijke groet, [naam]
Dear [name], Last week I replied about your home on [street]. Is it still available? I'd be glad to come and see it. Kind regards, [name]
Get the viewing and the next step starts: documents, references, a fuller personal introduction and, for some agents, a short motivation letter about yourself. Our guide on how to prepare a winning rental application covers that whole dossier. Have it ready before the viewing so you can send it the same evening.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a message to a landlord?
With "Beste [name]" (Dear [name]) and the address of the property in the opening line. Agents run many listings at once, so the street gets you sorted into the right pile.
Should I write to a Dutch landlord in Dutch or English?
Mirror the language of the listing. Dutch listing, Dutch letter. The Dutch templates above work as they are, and you can ask for the viewing in English.
How long should a first message to a landlord be?
Short. About 100 to 150 words, readable on a phone. The long version belongs in your application after the viewing.
Should I text or email my landlord?
Use the channel the listing gives you, usually the platform's form or email. WhatsApp only if the landlord offers it. Keep anything about money in writing.
Can a landlord ask how much I earn?
Yes. Rijksoverheid lists your total monthly net income and proof of income among the information a landlord may ask. Background, religion and health are off limits.
Is it weird to mention I'm quiet and don't smoke?
A little, but it can help, since a landlord has neighbours to keep happy. Include it as a single line, then move on.
How do I find listings early enough to write before everyone else?
Honestly, that's the hard part, because listings are spread across agencies, private landlords and dozens of housing platforms (our top 10 rental websites is a start). RentHunter brings listings from 1,100+ Dutch rental sites into one search, so you stop checking them one by one and spend that time on the message.
Final thoughts
That opening message isn't where you win the home. It's where you avoid losing it, and in Dutch housing that's half the fight. Give the landlord the information they need and nothing more. Who you are, why it fits, when you can move, when you can view, your phone. Send it the same day, follow up once, keep your documents ready, and never pay before you've seen the place.
Set a free alert on RentHunter and new homes that match your budget land in your inbox or the app, with your template a copy and paste away.
Happy house hunting!
Sources
- Rijksoverheid, Wat zijn de regels tegen discriminatie op de woningmarkt? (checked 13 October 2026)
- Volkshuisvesting Nederland, Landelijke regels van goed verhuurderschap (checked 13 October 2026)
- Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, Identity document in the case of purchase, rent or sale (checked 13 October 2026)
- Government.nl, How do I make a secure copy of my ID using the KopieID app? (checked 13 October 2026)
- Fraudehelpdesk, Woonplek gevonden? Check voordat je huurt! (checked 13 October 2026)
- RentHunter data: free-sector homes in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague (excluding sales, duplicates, social housing, student housing and serviced apartments), first seen January to mid-August 2026 for time online and 1 January to 14 October 2026 for daily volume, data as of 15 October 2026
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