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Cancelling the rental agreement
When we realized that our signed contract was fixed until the end of the year, we knew that the landlord can hold us to our word. We thought there was no way out. Until WE4EXPATS saved us from our obligations using their knowledge of the Dutch juridical system. Liga reached out to the landlord`s agent and succeeded to obtain a friendly and fast termination of the rental agreement.
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Lease termination notice
We had no idea how to end the lease or what that would even entail. But Liga had our back and gave us a template for our letter. Within 24 hours we got a positive response. And just two days ago we thought we would be staying till the end of the year!
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House cleaning service and personal items
Due to the government informing us about closing borders, we had to rush out of the country. This meant that we couldn’t clean our apartment before leaving. WE4EXPATS offered to arrange the final cleaning whilst also packing and storing our personal belongings within just two days. The cleaning and moving crew were professionals which followed the maintenance rules and got us our deposit back easily.
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Check out procedure
WE4EXPATS took care of our check out procedure without us needing to lift a finger! Because of them, we had photos, videos of the apartment while moving in and out so we were safe from any damage claims. This alleviated a lot of potential worries and would highly recommend doing this.
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Utility cancellation
This was the worst. After reaching out to what felt like 100 different providers and websites, we were losing it. We managed to cancel the internet deal but that was it. Liga did her magic and we had all our contracts cancelled without a single fine! Another small tip: have meter readings ready for cancelling the utilities (gas, electricity etc.)
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Deregistering from the Netherlands
The relocation team informed us that you can de-register online. This is vital for cancelling utilities without getting fined. If you end a binding contract without having the proof that you are deregistered, utility providers will most likely charge you for the remaining months. The team made sure everything was attached and smooth sailing.
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International student bank account
In the Netherlands, bank accounts for students who are enrolled at a Dutch university or college (hogeschool) are free of charge. We will keep our bank accounts since we are moving back to the Netherlands after this COVID-19 lockdown is over.
And that is it! We are very grateful we met Liga from WE4EXPATS. She has not only helped us with relocation into The Netherlands but also with getting back home during these crazy times. We were provided with flexible, creative, dedicated and efficient work. I am writing this from back home, without any loose ends or housing problems to worry about. Basically, a fairy godmother!
Credit to this article: Aksels Strelcs (Rotterdam Business School)