The agency fee you paid is probably illegal - reclaim it
If a rental agent already works for the landlord (they listed or showed the place for the landlord), they are legally forbidden from charging YOU a fee - even fees dressed up as 'administration,' 'registration,' 'contract' or 'key' costs. This covers social housing, free-sector and rooms. If you paid, you can reclaim it. Send a written demand citing the rule; if refused, the Juridisch Loket helps and you can go to the subdistrict court, or report it to your gemeente's meldpunt. You only truly owe a fee if YOU hired an agent to find a place they did not already have. Typically about one month's rent.
Get the rest of it, in your own language.
MAS reads your IND letter, checks whether an employer can legally sponsor you, and finds work that will actually take you. Free, no account.
More on housing
- Report a bad or overcharging landlord to the city - free
- Register for social housing at 18 even if you do not need it - the clock is the asset
- That 'temporary' contract is probably permanent now
- Deposit is capped at 2 months and must be back within 14 days
- Get your starting rent legally cut in your first 6 months
- Your annual rent increase is capped - and you can object