Everyone who has studied in the Netherlands knows how difficult it is to find a house here, especially if you are on a budget. For international students, house-hunting feels like an endless marathon. They have to compete against loads of other desperate students to see who will be the first to cross the finish line.
It is a new academic year, but the same old story. As universities in the Netherlands start their activities, thousands of students still don’t have a place to stay. The struggle to find accommodation amid a housing crisis might be even harder this year as the shortage of student rooms is estimated at 60.000.
The Dutch Government even launched a campaign in an attempt to tackle this issue by encouraging those with spare rooms in their homes to temporarily host students in need. Additionally, rental prices in the country have reached an all-time high, with four Dutch cities among the top 5 most expensive places to rent a property in Europe.
The growing student accommodation crisis also impacts other European countries. According to the Class Foundation’s European Student Living Monitor report of 2023, students’ housing situation directly impacts their well-being and happiness. The report uses the Mental Health Index – 5 (MHI-5) to measure the mental health of students. The metric is out of 100, encompassing the lowest and highest-ranking countries. Over 40 European nations participated in the survey, and the findings indicate that students who constantly worry about their financial conditions are the ones with the worst mental health. Countries like Finland (52,1), the UK (52,8), and Greece(52,8) were the ones with the lowest MHI-5 scores. Difficulties in finding accommodation have a significant toll on this score.
Whether on Facebook groups or rental websites, the search can be quite exhausting as one must go through hundreds of properties, comparing prices and locations manually. And let’s not forget the heightened possibility of being scammed. But what if we could use artificial intelligence (AI) to make hunting for accommodation more practical and stress-free? Well, here are some AI-powered software and applications that promise to automate this process, improving the chances of finding a perfect match and making it easier for students.
Student Accommodation GPT
The AI-driven virtual assistant , designed by the global student housing platform University Living, guides users through the process of finding a place that suits their needs. Whether for a freshman or a graduate student, the platform provides thousands of “student-focused accommodation options that are affordable, convenient, and comfortable.” Users can type their preferences as if they’re talking to a human rental agent, and in a matter of seconds, the platform selects the most suitable options based on their criteria.
In case you have any doubts about the rental process, lease agreements, or just want more information about the city you’re planning to move to, the chatbot can easily assist you. The company also offers a virtual calculator that helps in the assessment and planning of living costs, taking into account the users’ spending habits and preferences.
RentSlam
Created by a group of Dutch friends who personally experienced the frustration caused by the country’s rental market, RentSlam is an AI-powered platform that helps people find and offer housing for rent. After filling in your preferences, the platform automatically searches for newly added properties. Whenever a new listing is made available online, it instantly detects and alerts the user in case of a match. By doing so, RentSlam ensures a quick and faster approach to house-hunting.
Available in several cities in the Netherlands, this platform does not offer student housing, but it can be a good alternative for students looking for a studio or an apartment to share with other colleagues. The possibility of getting in touch with landlords and brokers is another interesting feature that speeds up the rental process.
Housr
Designed as an alternative to tackle the housing crisis, Housr is an application that helps students find accommodation by streamlining booking viewings, chatting with landlords, and keeping track of bookings. Every step of the rental process can be done within the platform. Once it’s all finalized, the students also get access to management tools that help them effortlessly solve any maintenance issues and simplify expense tracking. For now, the app is only available for student properties in the UK. However, it can be a good alternative for Dutch or international students planning to study abroad.
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