Regulation of short-term lets in Holland and Amsterdam
25 March 2025, 11:00am (GMT)

Jessica Stacey   0:10

Hello. Hello, everyone. I'm Jessica, Situ's Partner Engagement Manager and I am delighted to welcome you to Situ's Beyond Booking webinar regulation of short term let's in Holland and Amsterdam for those which are new to Situ, Situ is a global accommodation agency providing tailored flexible stays for a wide range of industries, including corporate, construction, and many more.

We're excited to wrap up beyond booking webinar series with our final episode of Short Term lets.

So today we have our fantastic Richard, our host from Yes Consulting and two of our great clients of Situ.

We've got Marta business development manager from Foreman Group.

And Danielle Country, director from eras relocation in the Netherlands.

I will now hand over to our fantastic speakers, which will introduce themselves in a bit more detail.

Richard, over to you.

Richard Vaughton   1:18

Yeah. Thanks, Jessica, and thank you for inviting me again to moderate this panel. And this is probably going to be one of the most exciting panels as well because of the individuals involved.

Yes, consulting.

I'm founder of and we specialize in assisting management companies with growth with the potential to exit.

And proptech.

So with no further ado, I will pass you on to two of our speakers.

And Marta, if you'd like to kick off, I'd like you both to say a little bit about yourselves.

Personalities where you've been.

What you've done and and what your company is.

Marta Galano   2:02

Perfect. Thank you. Hello Richard.

Hello everybody.

Thank you for inviting us to this session.

My name is Marta Galano, business development manager for the Fullman group and on the Relocation division for you to home.

I'm happy to be here.

Daniëlle de Groot   2:20

Over to me.

Richard Vaughton   2:22

Yeah, Daniela.

Daniëlle de Groot   2:23

Exciting to be here as well.

My name is Danielle Dejaught.

I am a country director for the Netherlands, one of the now seven countries of eras relocation.

In I've been in the expert industry for about 20 years now, which is age defying and I happy to be here.

Richard Vaughton   2:43

Yeah, thanks for that.

So the the previous episodes of this have all been about legislation and the detail associated with all the challenges everybody's getting and and facing I.

'M all the legislation, a lot of this is available online.

It's very detailed and each district and place has different register legislation and more coming, so I don't really want to talk about that one.

I've been really interested in and I'm sure everybody else.

Is is how you operate as companies in this space because it's it's not a very simple business.

It's not A to B.

It has lots of moving parts.

So so Danielle, you kick off and just try and explain to the audience how this ecosystem that you exist in works.

Daniëlle de Groot   3:37

Well, we talk about our our what we do, we always say we're not rocket scientists, right? But but at the same time the devil's in the detail.

So what we do, we talk about work, we talk about 3 pillars.

There's immigration relocation and taxation.

Now we are not tax advisers.

Thank God.

So the bit on tax that we do do is the 30% ruling, but on the other two pillars, so immigration relegation, we do the whole.

The whole width of things.

I think so.

Sponsorship for the employers and all the manner of of applications for the employees. But today we're looking more at in relocation. So there we're talking about it all starts with short term accommodation. This is also the topic why we're here.

So the first thing people need when they hit the grounds, obviously a roof over the head and preferably a bed underneath as well.

So we start with short term relocation.

Thank God there's providers like C2 who help us on this on this topic.

And then we continue from there.

So it's municipal relocation is opening, a bank account is informational, insurances is finding that definitive home, finding a school for the children. It's basically everything that the people need to start their lives in the Netherlands.

Richard Vaughton   4:51

Tamara, you're you're in the middle here, so you'll have a corporation. And let's say it's in the United States or Japan or another part of the European Union.

You know you you not providing the accommodation and you're not the source, you're actually the the the agency in the middle and we've just heard a few things from Daniella about about what you do, you know, immigration, relocation, taxes, dogs, pets.

All this sort of stuff.

Well, you know which is, which is the most challenging part of your life in actually doing this.

Marta Galano   5:25

Nothing is challenging at the moment.

Why? Because we are experts, Danielle and I. We are part of organizations that basically solve the day.

So B.

Besides what Danielle already mentioned, we also do household goods globally and we support with logistic solutions as well.

The market is challenging. Yes, housing shortage and the topic that is today that is asking us to basically be part of this the short.

Accommodations in every place is not just Netherlands guys is in Europe, is in most of the locations in other regions as well is housing. So the most important thing is making our clients and customers happy.

And by having the right partners assist you, we can basically make them happy anyways.

Richard Vaughton   6:20

Yeah.

You just said nothing is challenging.

Well, I'm. I'm. I'm completely disagree with you.

Everything is challenging in this industry, so you just touched on the fact that there is a housing issue. So you know, can you either of you just talk around this housing issue because we're seeing it absolutely everywhere.

Marta Galano   6:33

Yes.

Richard Vaughton   6:39

So in the UK, we, everybody now blames Airbnb management companies, even though there's a million and a half empty homes and nobody in them.

Marta Galano   6:47

Oh yeah, but we always want to point fingers. And I said, we said before, it's not just the Netherlands, it's UK is every country that you can think of. The most important thing is when somebody's relocating, you need to find your place.

Richard Vaughton   6:47

So.

Just.

Marta Galano   7:01

You need to have housing at the beginning up on arrival.

It could be a short term and then this person, this couple, this family want to look for a long term solution.

If they're going to stay for a longer period and we need to make sure that they have something.

So there is a big housing shortage everywhere.

And for us as vendors, our suppliers, we need to manage the expectations. We need to make them aware how challenging it is, not just the consumers. So the the end families and people that are going to relocate no matter where the destination is, but also towards our CL.

And the relocation management company.

We are their trusted partner.

We are the expert in that location and we need to make sure that they understand the difficulties and the challenges, never a problem. We always find the solution. We have nobody sleeping in the canal or under a bridge or looking somewhere else. We always find a way. But.

I think that the most important thing, and Danielle, please correct me if you think otherwise.

Is make them understand how the market goes.

What we see or we will foresee, it's going to happen and based on that prepare the right planning and those solutions for them.

Richard Vaughton   8:28

So Danielle.

Daniëlle de Groot   8:29

That's that's exactly. That's exactly right, yeah.

Richard Vaughton   8:32

Yeah, yeah. You can dive in on this and and embellish a little bit, but in a previous conversation, you mentioned the Affordable Rent Act.

So I'm, you know, I'm trying to understand a little bit more about the economics of this, the pressures you're seeing is it, is it local politicians?

Daniëlle de Groot   8:41

Exactly. I was going to say.

Richard Vaughton   8:50

Is it European governors?

Is it hotels?

Give me some.

Give me some feedback on that.

Daniëlle de Groot   8:56

Yeah, yeah.

So what we saw, like Marta said, there's there's shortage everywhere. If we then zoom in on on the the Dutch situation, what the government tried to do.

With a well-intentioned law called the Affordable Rent Act is because rents were increasing is try to bring that down to affordable rent, as is in the name.

But as a result, so there's certain points that you can get for property.

It's the size, it's the insulation.

It's the location and up to a certain point the the maximum rent is limited, is capped that you can you can ask for for the property. Now for let's say the bigger developer.

Rentals agencies.

That's fine, but for a private landlord who has maybe one or two houses out there, that they're that they're renting out, it's become financially uninteresting.

To to rent these properties out and what we've seen is that there's been an increase of properties that were properly for rent being sold now.

So the number of properties for rent has decreased by 40%.

Now that's a scary number.

Richard Vaughton   10:08

Wow.

Daniëlle de Groot   10:09

At the same time, rent has gone up a little bit, so the average rent in Q424 was €1700. In the Netherlands, you are expected to spend a third or your of your income on on rent.

This means that the average salary that one should have to be able to rent these properties is over €5000.

Now, that's not, that's not in the in the stars for for everybody out there.

So it's it's.

Really just a limited number of properties available.

It's many, many people responding to the same properties.

It's therefore estate agents who are now hiding behind emails, let's say or beforehand.

In previous years, you could just call them.

Schedule a viewing.

Now you have to submit a request through a website for instance, because these agencies are going nuts with all the responses they get.

So it's.

Really finding how you go about getting these these properties, getting the viewings and then and then getting the the properties now.

Yeah, there's there's lots to think about there, but there's nothing to worry about.

We have always Marta and and and I we have our ways.

We haven't left anybody hopeless just yet, like she said.

But it does mean that we everybody needs to adapt and and needs to get on board with this new situation.

Marta Galano   11:30

Yeah. And the affordable rented act was was intended to protect the tenants. But at the end of the day, many landlords will stayame they don't see as attractive if they really need to be limited in many aspects. So they are selling those properties.

So the short term is more difficult because it's more expensive and the long term accommodations.

Become even the market drier.

More difficult, more candidates for the same property and it takes way longer to secure a home.

So challenges.

Yes, we don't see them as a as a big problems because we still can manage.

But if this continues this way, we are going to have a problem.

So we need to already think of solutions and that's what we do on a daily basis, but we need to also make aware our audience right now I'm happy that you are all joining.

On how?

Challenging it is for us to find solutions housing wise.

Richard Vaughton   12:36

So I mean you've you've both mentioned previously about managing expectations, so you know just having my toe in the mid term stay market for a while, it was pretty clear that some of the corporations that would be using your services didn't really have a great deal of know.

About the changes in pricing or legislation and you know?

How how challenging is that for you and how are you educating them that that things are changing?

I'm gonna have to step up, pay more and and expect more pressure.

Daniëlle de Groot   13:12

I think it was already better than it was up to when they started happening. So back in the day when I when I started doing this, we literally had assignees coming over here who were expecting that canal house on in in Amsterdam with the bike and the car.

In front and and and the lovely three stories in the in the, you know, the older canal houses now.

That was understood by our clients at one point that that was simply not doable.

There's a limited number of canal houses out there.

And now with this new with this new process or this new development let's say.

We're talking to our clients.

We're showing the graphs.

I mean, I think if you can make something visible, then it's it strikes a chord with people.

So we show them the graphs of the number of houses being sold, going up the number of available houses for rent going down, that 40% that I mentioned.

That does seem to help.

I mean obviously some persons are already open, always open to hear about these stories more than others, but it's starting to sink in.

It took a while, but also this is a fairly recent development.

It took a while, but I think it's slowly starting to sink in.

Marta Galano   14:30

And at the same time, I would say yes, Richard, if you allow me to interrupt.

Richard Vaughton   14:34

Sure.

Marta Galano   14:36

People are talking to each other, so if somebody's coming from abroad and has some Members that they work with him or her before in, in the past, those people find the house, maybe even before COVID, where things were easier and we could even book 8 viewings within.

The same day, but ISIS were different.

The amount of candidates for the same property.

Was way lower and this person is talking to this newcomer coming to Amsterdam or coming to the Netherlands trying to find a place and the situation is totally different.

So we also need to manage that.

We need to consider that we don't move.

We we don't work in silos and we communicate with our colleagues, but the circumstances change totally.

During COVID.

After COVID and nowadays with the new regulations.

S.

Richard Vaughton   15:31

Yeah, I'm just kind of curious in terms of how it's affecting your businesses because of the shortage of housing. I think I think in previous times you've pointed out that the population of the Netherlands is now.

Is it 18,000,000?

Daniëlle de Groot   15:46

18.

Marta Galano   15:47

I think.

Richard Vaughton   15:47

18,000,000 which is growing and therefore more housing.

So the companies who are sending their staff to to the Netherlands.

Are you seeing as much business or are you seeing a shrinkage of business as companies are thinking maybe?

We need to relocate to, you know, Germany, which isn't doing so well right now.

Daniëlle de Groot   16:08

Like we see it still see people coming in.

Thank God. Obviously there was a little bit of a drop earlier, but that's now gone back up again and it's it's it's stabilized, so there's no time to be bored.

Thank God we see you also see a bit of a spread around the the country.

So where before maybe we were busier mostly in what we call the run stop.

So this is Amsterdam.

You tracked The Hague and Rotterdam.

We also now see the north of Holland.

We see Zealand, we see more of the Maastricht region, so it is, it seems, that we are spreading out a little bit geographically. Also people are now slowly more open before, but if we're looking, the employment was in the Amsterm people really wanted to stay within the AM.

Ring Rd. and be in the city centre, be in two or three preferred locations, whereas now people are also.

Slowly more open to spreading out a little bit around Amstam as well.

Marta Galano   17:08

Yeah. And maybe people are also relocating differently.

So where before we had more long term assignments and and people coming for 1235 years and sometimes with the idea to stay, nowadays we see more business travellers, even remote work which also effects our volumes the way that the companies are authorizing those relocations, somet.

Those packages.

Those packages change.

And they have different services. Maybe instead of having a particular service or a service package, they give the employees an allowance and they are responsible to find their short term accommodation and the long term housing.

Richard Vaughton   17:55

So yeah, that's really interesting.

So we do know that some corporations will head off to Airbnb or you know, that's another euro in the in the square box there, they'll head off to these places where there is no governance or compliance. Do you see?

Do you see companies choosing those options rather than than your particular approach, or is that just outliers?

Daniëlle de Groot   18:18

Finish it.

The companies that we work with, they choose to stay mostly away from Airbnb, type of solutions, and that partially has to do with the requirement in the Netherlands to register upon arrival officially between 5 days.

That's not so very strict, but very shortly after arrival you need to register with the municipality at an address.

And at an Airbnb address, obviously you're not allowed to to to register there. So in certain locations there's then the option to register at the office.

Address, but that's that's not a solution in all municipalities.

So most corporate clients that we work with, they prefer for their employees upon arrival to have.

A more a more secure setup of the short term accommodation rather than Airbnb.

Marta Galano   19:08

Yeah, we advised him against actually.

Richard Vaughton   19:08

Yeah.

Marta Galano   19:11

Because getting your Social Security in the Netherlands will trigger the rest of the things that you need to manage for yourself while being in the Netherlands.

So it is advised, as Daniel was saying, to find accommodations that allowed that registration for them.

Richard Vaughton   19:31

Yeah. So there will be people listening who do what you do and there will be people who do what sit you do, but there will also probably be people listening in to you because they are a supplier or a potential supplier of accommodation.

So what you just said matter about remote digital work?

Do you see opportunities for non central accommodation where people come to relocate and they work from, you know, from?

From their, their new home for three or four days a week, do you think there's an opportunity there to spread accommodation further and wider, but still they have the same relocation opportunities?

Marta Galano   20:13

Well, we have a lot of those cases right now running.

So companies are thinking. And as Richard you were saying now, finding solutions, trying to look for opportunities for us as suppliers, but for them to really allocate those employees with the right place with the right setting with, with the right conditions.

So I think that at the same time for the corporate accounts that are right now attending this webinar, they are think they are revising their policies. They are reviewing the packages that are giving to them and for suppliers or potential new suppliers, they need to also think of.

New regulations and the limitations that they will have and they will also they need to see this as an ongoing situation with the government.

So we are expecting some new changes in the upcoming years.

So the the market is there, the situation is there. The challenge in a way is they are for us makes our days interesting and that's why we see challenges as really good opportunities.

But we also understand from the employee side coming maybe with a partner coming, maybe with kids with pets, you know the full package and they need to go to a new location.

And the situation can be totally different from one city to the other. Even within the Netherlands, small country Super International, we see a lot of changes within the different cities. So of course we will love to have all perfect clients.

And perfect situations and perfect families.

But the idea of having partners like us and the idea of us having a panel like situ, it's that we will always find a solution for you.

Richard Vaughton   22:07

Yeah. So, Danielle, let's, let's get into the meat of accommodation.

So pretend I'm a soft I'm a developer, not a software.

I'm a developer of property and I came to you and said, you know, I'd kind of like to know what percentage of your clients are seeking apartments, for example.

I'm thinking of building a block of apartments.

Is that an attractive thing for relocation?

Are most of your clients.

It's individuals or couples.

I understand families will, but I imagine most are single individuals and there for three or four months.

So what apartments outside Amsterdam be very attractive?

Daniëlle de Groot   22:50

Yes, we see.

I mean, it depends on the on on the family as you said, but we see many people going foreign apartments.

We see some people even liking sort of the modern.

What you will not find in the city centre from Amsterdam, but the more modern type apartment building, which is a little higher, not not New York style skyscraper but still slightly going, let's say the Dutch version of that slightly going into that direction.

So in Rotterdam you've got these more modern skyline in The Hague next to the train station, for instance, the central station. There's this more modern apartment building and we have many people who are interested in that, but also in sort of the if you go back to the.

Inner city centres the renovated.

Apartments in older buildings. All of that is, is very popular with people, yes.

Richard Vaughton   23:46

Yeah. So and you live in this very complicated agency space.

And if I am a provider accommodation and working with situ for example, and I know nothing about this business.

Can you?

Can you just give me?

A bullet point approach to the expectations of a property provider in terms of you know how you work through this process.

What compliance is needed and what are the expect? What expectations do you give give them as well when they when they get there about registration and everything else?

I mean, there's.

I know there's a lot of steps in here.

I think it'd be kind of cool to actually bullet point those because it's not simple.

Daniëlle de Groot   24:34

You're referring to the transferees, upon their arrival, correct? Yeah, yeah.

Richard Vaughton   24:37

Correct, yes. Yeah.

Daniëlle de Groot   24:40

Well, like Marta said, the very first thing, the one that triggers everything else is your municipal registration with your municipal registration, you get your what we call your BSN.

Which translates to your Citizen service number.

This is a number that stays with you always, whether you move out of the country and back in. That's it doesn't change and it is concerned with all manner of government related topics.

So it's concerned with your Social Security's your taxes, your payroll, your insurance.

Because another thing that's compulsory in the Netherlands is health insurance.

There's there's two sort of levels.

There's the the basic health insurance that mandatory for everybody, and then you can choose to add.

Private additional health insurance.

Those two things are sort of the even and even.

Sorry, even when you register with the municipality.

If your if children are involved, this will also trigger a notice to the Education department that within a certain time frame, these children will need to be enrolled into a school and start their education here.

It's not something that happens overnight, but about a week or six later. If you haven't, then the educational department will start start knocking on 1st digital doors, but at one point physical doors.

And maybe another thing is driver license.

So in the Netherlands, you're allowed to drive with your foreign driver's license.

Up to half a year.

If it's an EU driver's license, you can continue to drive with it for the validity period with a maximum of 15 years.

Again, devil's in the detail, but if it's a non EU license, it does needs to be exchanged within that half within that first half year.

Richard Vaughton   26:27

You have to take a driving test.

Daniëlle de Groot   26:29

That depends.

We've got something that I mentioned earlier called the the 30% tax ruling.

Now you're going to ask me why is taxes linked to your driving license?

Welcome to the Netherlands. If you get the ruling granted, then it's it's a simple manner of going to the municipality and apply for and you also need to show that you're healthy if you. Obviously it's just a matter of going to the municipality and get it exchanged if.

You don't get the ruling, then yes, you will need to get tests to do the theory exam.

The practical tests and then and then. You really don't want to be living in Amsterdam, by the way.

Richard Vaughton   27:06

Well, everybody has bicycles.

Apparently lives next to canals, so.

Marta Galano   27:09

More than one per person actually, yes.

Richard Vaughton   27:12

Oh really?

OK.

So. So there's a lot of stuff to do and does your company do this physically or do you do you take them by the hand?

Do you meet and greet them and then walk them around the town? You know, like in the good old days? I lived in Saudi Arabia and I got taken everywhere by a helper and he did.

Everything. Is that what you do or do you just give them instructions?

Marta Galano   27:37

That's the best part of our job.

So basically depends on what the corporate is authorizing us to assist them with.

So it could be from this whole handing service like you just mentioned Richard. We take them to get their Social Security number, opening the bank account, going to the viewings to pick a house during check in.

We assist them.

It could be.

Going to meet the admissions department or the principal at the school.

Anything can be included, but we also have corporates that they want to cover only or they could only cover for the compliance part, which means immigration.

The tax piece that Daniel mentioned, of course Social Security number and the rest they need to do by themselves.

So if that is the case, we can support that virtually.

With informations.

With some country guides with some links.

For them to find housing depends on the scope.

We are authorized to assist them with and I'm asset personally. Sometimes I always go the extra mile because they know they can call us and they know that we will share information, but that's why we are in this business.

We are really this is like full blown hospitality is make them feel at home in a new location.

When they know nobody except their job.

Richard Vaughton   29:04

Yes. So Danielle, I'm going to throw an acronym into here now and it's kind of covering language and culture. So I know you have a broad spectrum of relocation. Some of these are VIP's.

Daniëlle de Groot   29:23

Ah.

Richard Vaughton   29:24

And I'm just want.

Marta Galano   29:25

3K1 in the Netherlands, it's Ricky one.

Richard Vaughton   29:27

Yeah. So I'm, I'm I'm wondering whether they, they you supply concierge services and things and maybe you'd like to explain a little bit about.

For anybody outside of Ellen's explaining this cultural approach where you're not allowed to say VIP.

Daniëlle de Groot   29:41

Yes.

The exactly.

No, we're all about equality in the in the Netherlands, so it's fine that somebody has a higher position in, in, in, in a company or within the government or whatever. But one that you in the Nellis, one students feel more important just because one has that higher POS.

And we're all in the end. It's it's very our hierarchy is very flat.

Doors are always open.

Lines of communications are very open, so yes, one person has a higher position and therefore possibly gets a bigger, more extensive package with us.

But we will treat everybody the same in in the end.

Relating to services, yes, we can go further for some people than we go. Then we go for other and to be honest, our platform that we that we use does have the tick box called VIP.

VIP. So I say we should mention it, but obviously obviously we do at times.

What does it mean in terms of services? Like Marta said we we do what we get initiated. So it's basically the the, the corporate client who decides what we can do.

But we see that for some people.

Maybe in orientation is is initiated where for others it isn't and this is where even before arrival we can go show them.

A city, maybe even 2 cities, if people are unsure where they would want to settle.

Sometimes we get asked to put a welcome basket in in in a property to make people feel at home. Maybe have the 1st.

Necessities purchased for them and waiting in the in the fridge.

For some, appointments are accompanied, for others they aren't.

So there's there can be little nuances in the in the packages that we get initiated.

Richard Vaughton   31:38

In, if I was a company wanting to relocate, it sounded like you have web platforms that you can actually put the information in.

So is that is that what most companies normally do or is it a personal relationship that you've built up and you get a phone call more often?

Marta Galano   31:56

Well, we're lucky that this not the case in everyone. No. So otherwise we will be without the job.

But everybody understands at corporate and I will say not just our clients, all the organizations in the Netherlands that is not that easy to get your paperwork in place to get housing to enroll the kids in the school. So you can provide basics and we do that.

When that is the case.

But I think that is a way.

A high understanding how challenge it could be and when you relocate, you need to manage many pieces at the same time.

So even though we need to manage expectations quite often, but I would say that is more towards the families, they come from a country that is spending that in housing, it will be.

A crazy thing to to come up with, but they know.

That in the Netherlands and they know via US and they know via their HR team, sometimes even the direct managers can even inform them, but.

Yeah, this industry is fast evolving and we are adapting to whatever needs comes to us.

But at the end of the day, we will always help them and we will always give at least basic information for them to maneuver this market.

Richard Vaughton   33:25

Yeah, it sounds like you're actually living in a hospitality market, whereas the rest of the world is trying to avoid hospitality and automate everything.

Marta Galano   33:30

Oh yes.

Richard Vaughton   33:33

So it's really nice to see personal service. So I'm going to Chuck something in now that that we touched on in previous conversations and that was we know that the European Union is very interested in data digitization.

The digital age and now we have this Vida which is V-80 in the digital age.

Age and a previous situ webinar, we spoke to Victoria from the eh who explained who's a lawyer who explained in graphic detail.

The the whole picture, but in Holland I suspect what's happening or is about to happen is going to affect prices too, so.

Danielle, I know you have a bit of information on this.

Daniëlle de Groot   34:20

Yeah. So.

At the moment, the VAT percentage on short term let's is 9%.

This will go up to 21%.

So there's a considerable increase in 26.

But it's also if you're booking a if you're making a booking for to take place in 26, but you're making the booking in 25, you are already paying that increased VAT.

So it's something that we need to start looking into or start realising now.

This will obviously increase the prices of of short term housing even more.

On the Vida.

So like I said at the beginning, thank God we are not a tax advisers. But on the Vida specifically for platform rules. So for instance, for short term accommodation platforms, it will be rolled out maximum 30 nights. It will be rolled out between July 28 and January.

20-30 so not happening just yet.

But still, yeah, somewhat around the corner.

Richard Vaughton   35:25

So an average I think you said 1/3 of wages go to accommodation earlier on.

I mean, is there a typical price you can allocate to A2 bedroom apartments on the outskirts of, let's say, Amsterdam and and what the price increase would be on that?

Daniëlle de Groot   35:46

That's the meal to $1,000,000 question.

Marta Galano   35:47

Yeah.

Daniëlle de Groot   35:48

Eh, the good news is, if you if people have their, let's say, the definitive home in the Netherlands.

So they have a rental agreement.

There is no VAT on an actual rent, so we're talking about this, this VAT increase it it, it has to do with the short term accommodation.

So what we are we, we organise to people up on arrivals through.

C2 is it takes a while for a person to find a house, like Marta said at the.

It's even taking longer than it was before.

So for that first month, month and a half, sometimes unfortunately even two months, we book the short term accommodation and that's where the VIT applies.

Richard Vaughton   36:29

OK.

Marta Galano   36:29

So basically that 9% that you'll mention was a reduced VAT.

Richard Vaughton   36:30

Oh, that makes a lot.

Marta Galano   36:36

That the short term brokers were benefiting for and the consumers and now went to a standard VIT that is a 21%, which means that before they were.

They will become more pricey and it's taking longer to secure housing, as Daniel just said again, and basically everything is going up and we need to make the corporates a aware.

That also affects the cost of living and the expenses at that particular expatriate, or a couple or family are going to have.

So everything in a way is interconnected and we need to make sure that we always keep.

This updated and this webinar is one of the the solutions. Make them aware how things are going on, what we foresee.

So everything and everybody can adjust.

Their planning according to that.

Richard Vaughton   37:40

So yeah, so that sounds like an opportunity for more relocation, more midterm long term stays as opposed to Airbnb.

That's €2.00 in the in the square box. We're cutting up close to our 40 minutes.

Marta Galano   37:56

Oh really?

Richard Vaughton   37:57

So yeah, I'm afraid so.

But if anybody would like to to know more, I'm sure they can hook up directly to you and you'll help them out.

But I do have.

Daniëlle de Groot   38:05

Absolutely.

Richard Vaughton   38:05

I do have a question and I'm really interested to know the most unusual relocations you've both had in terms of, you know.

Maybe they brought a pet camel with them or something.

So, you know, do you have any great stories, Marta of unusual relocations?

Marta Galano   38:24

We need we need more than a few minutes recharge for that, but I can mention one time a family was relocating with two birds and two snakes and they were treating.

Richard Vaughton   38:28

Cafe.

Marta Galano   38:36

They were mentioning the animals by their name.

And maybe our experts are joining this webinar because I even said when I relocated them back when I was a coordinator, I'm available.

I'm willing to share.

Are these story?

Yes. Would you allow me?

And they say yes, they were so proud with it of it.

And it was difficult because they were looking for a house with a canal view in the middle of Amsterdam with the pets. And will you also actually you need to find a tenant that is willing to allocate that family. But we found a location and we found the.

Accommodation in less than a month, but that that is one of many and I imagine that Danielle has.

Daniëlle de Groot   39:20

Wow.

Marta Galano   39:24

Many of those.

Richard Vaughton   39:26

Go on. Danielle. Do you have anything?

Daniëlle de Groot   39:27

Absolutely. Well, we had recently one instance where so in the Netherlands you you place a bid, even if it's for rental property, you place a bid on the on the on the property with the state agent. Once it's accepted, then you're stuck.

Even the verbal agreement is is an agreement. So then it just it's a matter of making everything, formalizing everything by putting it on paper.

But you already have a deal now.

We recently had a couple where.

One of the couple went to see a property.

He was very enthusiastic, a bit displaced and it was accepted, but the other party wasn't so enthusiastic about the whole property. So that also takes a bit of hand holding and.

Managing because the property was locked in and you know, like we said in this, in this market, you're already happy that you find something.

So the 11 partner was very happy with the property and the other one less so unfortunately.

But this this is where we come with the welcome bad the welcome packet.

Spruce up the apartment a little bit for them.

What about house?

This was a house, but even there we step in and we help.

Richard Vaughton   40:34

See.

Marta Galano   40:36

Yeah, and by.

Daniëlle de Groot   40:37

Them marriage counselling.

Marta Galano   40:39

Yes, and integrate and make them and make them part of the relocation as well.

Richard Vaughton   40:40

So Ken?

Marta Galano   40:44

So where before?

Maybe the service was towards the actual employee that is going to move.

The approach and I can speak for both of us.

The approach is relocating the family as a whole.

Richard Vaughton   41:00

So that just sounds to me like a verbal agreement is a legally binding agreement.

Is that, that's that's true in the Netherlands that that's that cultural element that you've got.

Marta Galano   41:05

Yes, so.

Daniëlle de Groot   41:11

Yeah. So we always say up front, if you go to viewing, be enthusiastic, but do be careful with what you say.

Marta Galano   41:11

Yes.

Daniëlle de Groot   41:17

Don't go. Don't go shouting around.

I'll take it.

I mean, the market's different now.

But when I started a couple of years ago, let's say.

You could sometimes get the property then and there, but you don't want to say that because you've got other viewings planned for the same afternoon.

So it's always being enthusiastic, but mind your words.

Richard Vaughton   41:38

Wow. OK. I'm gonna wrap it up with the one minute over our allocated time.

So thank you, Marta.

Thank you, Danielle.

Anybody out there who would like to speak to these two wonderful individuals? I'm sure they're going to be able to give you even more knowledge than you've had today.

So I'll pass you back to Jessica.

Jessica Stacey   42:00

Gosh, thank you so much, Richard, for hosting Marta, Danielle.

What fantastic conversations and stories?

Absolutely wonderful to have you on.

Thank you so much for your time today. So for our viewers, I'm sure that you will agree with.

Our learnings that are really key takeaways today.

Has to be these four top ones which I'm sharing on the screen now.

So it's the key challenges in Holland short term rental market.

From housing shortages, economic pressures and compliance, how businesses are adapting to evolving regulations.

How relocation agencies and operators manage expectations, tackling availability issues and rising demand.

And finally, it's the future trends and investment. Exploring new accommodation solutions and industry shifts to meet these changing market needs.

What is next for situ?

I'm so glad you asked.

So there is more beyond booking webinars coming soon and I am so so excited.

So to stay ahead of what we have next, please go and follow us on our LinkedIn. And if you've missed a webinar on our short term, let series, do not worry. Please head over to our YouTube.

Our YouTube channel for these links. They are in the webinar chat.

So please head over there.

But once again, thank you ever so much again to our host on our marvellous speakers.

And we look forward to seeing all of our great viewers at Situ S next beyond booking webinar.

Thank you ever so much. Goodbye.

Daniëlle de Groot   43:40

Thank you, Jessica. Bye everybody.

Marta Galano   43:41

Thank you.

Marta Galano   43:42

Bye bye. Thank you.