Buying a house can be one of the most important decisions after removal from the UK to the Netherlands. How do the procedures of signing documents and settlements look like?
Moving from UK – buying a house in Netherlands
To start living in the Netherlands, you will probably have to find a flat or house and a job. Fortunately, there are no restrictions on buying a house in the Netherlands.
This process is easy and quick, but make sure that you fully understand the documents before you sign them, because even though English is commonly used and understood there, the official language is Dutch. The process usually looks like this:
- Find a house and agree on a price with the seller,
- Sign an interim agreement which covers all issues related to the sale and offers you and the seller protection,
- You will pay a deposit (10%) and a copy of the signed contract is sent to a notary,
- The next step is the transfer of ownership, made by a notary,
The registration procedure takes only about seven days in the Netherlands. The costs include all costs of purchasing and then reselling the property – lawyers’ fees, notary fees, registration fees, taxes, agents’ fees, etc. They vary from 10% to 14% of the purchase price.
It is a legal requirement to hire a civil law notary to register the property. Legal fees are negotiable, but you can expect to pay about £800 to £2800 or about 1% – 1.5% of the property value + 19% VAT.
Furthermore, you have to pay a transfer tax; this is a flat rate of 6% of the purchase price or market value of the property.
Usually, everything costs more than you expect, so check your finances carefully.
Removal from UK and finding work in Netherlands
The EU Treaty on the free movement of workers means that you can live and work in the Netherlands without a visa or work permit.
One of the benefits of living in the Netherlands is that there are many opportunities for people who are seeking work abroad. It is the seat of various international companies, and numerous employment agencies specialise in the job search for job seekers.
