Costs and payment

So you’ve taken a look at the accommodation on offer and the amount of rent you can expect to pay. But what other costs should you take into consideration?

Read this section carefully to find out about the fees and deposits you will be required to pay and when each payment is expected.

Fees, deposits and charges	Amount	Deadline
Housing fee Leiden University charges a fee for its housing services, which covers overheads, administrative costs and salaries for housing staff.	€350	Fall semester: before 1 June Spring semester: before 15 November
Housing deposit Only for stays of longer than 2 months.	€500	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Contract costs Covers the costs of setting up your personal tenancy agreement and the inspection of your room prior to arrival.	€75	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
First month's rent	See housing offer & tenenacy agreement	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Cleaning costs Covers cleaning of accommodation before and after your stay	€77.50	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Bed linen package	€45	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Welcome, kitchenware and cleaning package In a handy plastic storage container - contains all the basics items you need for your new home.	€57	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Monthly rental payments	See housing offer & contract	Determined by contract start date, i.e. if your contract started on 18th, you must pay rent before 18th of each month.
Moving fee Only applicable if you move to different accommodation provided by the Housing Office. Covers the costs of setting up your personal tenancy agreement and the inspection of your room prior to arrival plus cleaning costs.	€100	Before or upon signing the moving contract

Refund conditions

Housing fee

Non-refundable if you cancel your housing request after the housing application deadline.
A refund can be granted if the Housing Office is unable to offer you accommodation due to an excess of applications.
A partial refund (€100) can be granted if your rental period is less than 7 months.
Your housing fee will be refunded into the same bank/credit card account, and using the same method, that you used to pay the housing fee in the first place.

Housing deposit

Refundable at the end of your stay, if all check-out conditions have been met and upon receipt of a completed refund form and proof that you have cancelled your town hall registration.
If the caretaker finds any defects or damage to the property upon checkout, the cost of repairs will be deducted from your deposit.

What is included in my rent?

Your rent includes:

Basic furnishing
Fixed charge for gas, water & electricity:
not based on actual usage
Internet:
students must provide their own internet cable or router
VAT:
the rental prices stated on the Accommodation page include VAT calculated at 'semester-contract rate', which is slightly higher than the VAT rate for one-year contracts.

Local taxes in The Hague are not included - see below.

Local taxes in The Hague

Students residing in The Hague may be subject to taxes levied by The Hague municipality and the Delfland water authority. See below for a price indication:

The Hague municipal taxes (waste and sewage): € 234.24 (valid in 2019 – subject to change)
Water authority levies: € 216.79 (valid in 2019 – subject to change)

Students may be eligible for a tax waiver for municipal taxes or water authority levies in some situations.

Rent benefit for students (huurtoeslag)

For some of our accommodation you may be entitled to claim rent benefit (huurtoeslag in Dutch). For more information please visit the website of the Dutch Tax Authorities. If you need assistance or advice about rent benefit, please contact the Leidse Rechtswinkel (free legal aid centre) or the JIP (youth information point).

There are three payment methods available:

1. Bank transfer
In the transfer always state your full name, the nature of the payment (housing fee, housing deposit etc.) and if known, your housing contract number.

Bank account details - Leiden University Housing Office:

IBAN bank account number: NL20RABO0160632277
BIC/SWIFT code: RABONL2U
Account holder: Universiteit Leiden

Bank address:
Rabobank Leiden
Schipholweg 105
2316 XC Leiden
The Netherlands

Be aware that you are liable for any transaction or currency exchange charges incurred. Check this in advance with your bank.

2. Online payment (housing fee only)
You can make payment via the online application system (uSis) by credit card or online banking.

3. Debit & credit card payment (at the Housing Office only)
You can make payment with your debit or credit card at the Housing Office. See the contact block on this page for information on current opening times and appointments. We accept Visa, MasterCard and most debit cards. Please note that a €5 credit card fee applies.

Making payment close to the deadline

If you pay the housing fee close to the deadline, submit proof of payment via the housing contact form to ensure the Housing Office is immediately aware you have made payment.