Moving from the UK to the Netherlands means among others a different tax system and different charges for utilities – electricity, water or gas.
Utilities in the Netherlands
When you manage to find a flat in the Netherlands, you will probably have to conclude all the utility contracts by yourself. Sometimes the accommodation is equipped with all utilities, but this is not explicitly mentioned in the lease agreement. You must connect all of them (such as tap water, electricity and gas) to your address on your own.
There are only a few water suppliers in the Netherlands, each covering a specific area of the country. So when you look for one, your postcode will tell you which company to contact.
To see which water company covers your area, visit Vewin.nl. By entering your postcode, you can immediately see which company can deliver tap water to your address.
Removal from UK to Netherlands – taxes
Just like everywhere else, you will have to pay taxes when you live in the Netherlands. The type of taxes you will have to pay depends on your personal situation. For example, if you own a house, you will have to pay different taxes than if you rent a place. To find out which taxes concern you, go to Belastingdienst.nl.
Besides the taxes you have to pay to Belastingdienst, you will also have to pay local taxes. You can find out more information for example on the website of the city you want to live in.
Transport in Netherlands after removal from UK
After moving from the UK to the Netherlands you will find that the transport is very well organized and maintained there. Dutch citizens pay a lot of taxes and a lot of them are used to maintain all roads in the country. If you own a car, you have to pay road taxes, called wegenbelasting.
When you park your car you must first find out whether you are in a paid parking zone. In some areas, you can park for free, but in others (mainly in city centres) you will have to pay for a street parking or a garage. With the help of traffic signs, you can easily identify the areas where you have to pay for street parking.
Another popular solution is to use a parking application that you can download to your smartphone. This is much more convenient than looking for a parking meter. The most popular parking apps used in the Netherlands are:
- Parkmobile – IOS / Android
- Yellowbrick – IOS / Android
- Park-Line – IOS / Android
Even if you do not have a car, you will see that getting from point A to point B in the Netherlands is not a problem. The national public transport system is easy to use and will take you almost anywhere you need to go. Among the many public transport options (Openbaar Vervoer or “OV” in short) there are trains, trams, buses, subways and in some places even water buses known as veerponten.
Removing from the UK to the Netherlands is one thing, but planning a trip is something completely different. It is always best to plan ahead. There are several Dutch websites on the internet where you can find help in planning your trip. One of them is 9292.nl. Route planning provides the best and fastest way to travel to your destination. It also gives information about price, intermediate stops and alternative routes in case of delay.
To use the public transport system in the Netherlands, you need an OV-chipkaart. This is a card that looks like a credit or debit card and can be bought at a train station or online. You can top it up at all train and metro stations as well as online and in some shops.
