Goingdutch

Hello all,

I'll be moving to NL in a few weeks and after I have secured an apartment, I wanted to rent a van, put all my belongings in it and drive over. I'm having trouble locating a company that will rent me a van for collection in the UK and drop off in NL. This will save me having to by a lot of stuff when I move.

Any ideas appreciated.

Thank you.

Red_Wine_Fairy

I don't think it can be done. You can do the separate pickup/drop off anywhere on continental Europe, but not if one of those is on the island. We did it slightly differently: cheap flight to NL, pickup a van from near Schiphol, back on the Dunkirk ferry then return with the same ferry.

Your problem might be securing an apartment if you think you can do that from abroad.... I think you'll be making that cheap flight once you realise the estate agents have no qualms whatsoever hanging up the phone (the dutch call it 'directness') once they find out you're not actually on the ground here already, with a Dutch bank account. Expensive as it is, short term serviced apartments are probably your best bet while you transition.

If the flight over sounds too daunting, It might be worth getting a few prices from SMALL removal companies who'd be willing to help. The big ones like TopMovers are, frankly, extortionate and don't negotiate. Cargotaxi is one I have personally used within NL and it's an American guy so no language issues and happy to go the extra mile, but if you like to shop around, the word you need to google is 'Verhuizer' (I don't know if Student Verhuizers do foreign pickups, but they're students making a bit extra so cheaper than many and with all the equipment/boxes needed).

Edit: Two other websites you might find valuable are Marktplaats.nl (the Dutch version of eBay but with services too) and Werkspot.nl (where you place a job/task you want doing and small businesses bid for the work).

Goingdutch

Thank you so much for your response.

With regards to apartment hunting, I've arranged accommodation through my employer for the first month which should allow enough time for me to look into where I want to stay (the company is in Hilversum so I'll be looking nearby).

As for the move, I think I will just rent a van from NL and have me a nice road trip. It should still work out cheaper than a removal company I hope.

Red_Wine_Fairy

It's good you have the accomodation sorted out already - that's a major headache for many people. Hilversum is nice, and one of the few places above sealevel! You should find it a little easier to find a place than in one of the Randstad cities.

We weighed up the price/convenience options when we brought the van over and at that time, I think Norfolk Line won on cost; however it meant a 6+ hour drive up from France which feels like a days work before you even start unpacking. Harwich to Rotterdam (Hoek Van Holland) is much more convenient and around an hour's drive on this side, but the cost of the van will be more (a 6-hour boat trip versus a 45 minute one).

Good luck with your road trip!

Goingdutch

Thank you