Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Booking & tenancy questions
A “campus contract” is a lease agreement that applies to student housing. It says you must be a (pre)bachelor/masters student to rent the apartment. The minimum initial length of stay is 12 months. After 12 months one can terminate at any moment when giving notice at minimum one calendar month in advance. At least once a year we check whether you are still enrolled at an educational institution.
If you are no longer enrolled as a student, you must terminate the tenancy agreement and move out within three 3 months.
If you are no longer enrolled as a student, you must terminate the tenancy agreement and move out within three 3 months.
Apartments are leased on a first-come, first-served basis. Once you have selected an apartment, you need to complete the application form and upload documents within 72 hours. Reserving an apartment does NOT automatically mean your application is accepted.
Once you have finalised the application form and uploaded the required documents, your application will be processed. Greystar is entitled to reject any application.
Once your application has been processed, we will issue you with a contract. After you have signed the contract and paid the deposit, Canvas will countersign the contract. Your rental contract is only final once countersigned by Canvas. Please note that you need to sign the contract and pay the deposit within 72 hours.
Once you have finalised the application form and uploaded the required documents, your application will be processed. Greystar is entitled to reject any application.
Once your application has been processed, we will issue you with a contract. After you have signed the contract and paid the deposit, Canvas will countersign the contract. Your rental contract is only final once countersigned by Canvas. Please note that you need to sign the contract and pay the deposit within 72 hours.
1. Click the Book now button on our website.
2. Click on the apartment type you are interested in. There are several categories: Classic, Classic Plus, Deluxe, Deluxe Plus, Premium, Premium Plus, Standard and Standard Plus. Find out more about our different apartments here.
3. A selection of available apartments will be listed per category. Select the apartment you want and choose your preferred move-in date.
4. Fill in all fields marked with a star. Even if you do not have a middle name, you must tick the box and choose your 'title'.
5. Upload all required documents. You can upload more than one document if necessary. A picture of yourself is mandatory for your resident ID card.
6. Submit your application and wait for your documents to be reviewed by the onsite team.
7. Pay your deposit and sign your contract electronically within 72h.
Congratulations, you are now a part of Canvas!
We will contact you to confirm your move-in date. This will usually be the first week of your academic term. Your first month's rent will be re-calculated pro-rata based on your move-in date. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, we can only move in a limited number of residents per day. For further information please contact our on-site team.
All residents staying in the Netherlands for more than 4 months must register with the local municipality. Whether you’re a Dutch citizen or an international student, everyone living in the Netherlands is required to be registered at their home address. Being registered allows the Basisregistratie personen (BRP or Municipal Personal Records Database) to better handle emergency situations, to track the size of the Dutch population and to allocate the right municipal taxes to each household.
Most importantly, once registered you will receive your BSN number (personal public service number), which you will need for all your administration in the Netherlands (opening a bank account, visiting a doctor, getting health insurance and applying for benefits, including Housing Allowance). You will also need your BSN number to apply for a DigiD, which allows you to identify yourself when making arrangements on the internet (with the Dutch government, educational institutes or benefits). Find out more information here.
Please be aware that once registered at your new home address, your waste tax (and in some cases water purification tax) has to be paid directly to the municipality. Find out more about waste and water tax here. For municipality Utrecht click here.
- After the minimum stay of 12 months, you must give notice of one calendar month in advance (minimum) by sending an email to the Service Desk. Please note that the termination of your contract is only final once you have received a written confirmation by Canvas. Please check the General Terms & Conditions.
Canvas apartments are leased on a first-come, first-served basis. If your apartment is not available, please register on our waiting list. We will inform you when your preferred apartment type is available.
ELIGIBILITY
USE OF THE APARTMENTS AND COMMON SPACES
In apartments with a surface area greater than 25 m2, two people may live together. In those cases, a service surcharge will apply to cover the cost of the extra utilities used by the second person, as well as the use of all our on-site services and facilities. High rise: none Low rise yes: Clasic, Premium, Premium plus, Deluxe, Deluxe plus. The rent per month with a co-occupant would increase on €35.
You do not have to arrange any utilities; Wi-Fi, electricity, water and heating is all provided via Canvas Utrecht (no TV subscription included). For these utilities, you will pay a monthly service charge advance. These service charges are annually settled based on actual usage.
You are required to settle the municipality taxes individually: water system levy (watersysteemheffing) and waste contribution (afvalstoffenheffing). Students are typically eligible to for a substantial reduction if these costs; the service team is happy to assist you.
You are required to settle the municipality taxes individually: water system levy (watersysteemheffing) and waste contribution (afvalstoffenheffing). Students are typically eligible to for a substantial reduction if these costs; the service team is happy to assist you.
USE OF THE COMMON SPACES
Yes, of course! You can always invite friends and family. However, please stick to the government's COVID-19 regulations. You can find the latest information here. Later on, if you are planning to invite more than 4 people, we ask you to inform the Service Desk in advance if possible. Please note that you are fully responsible and liable for the behaviour of your guests.
No, the gym is a commercial facility that is not included in the services of Canvas Utrecht. Please find more information via: www.basic-fit.com.
FINANCE
A deposit must be paid before the apartment is secured for you. This is required as part of the application process. There is a legal threshold to refund any deposit within a maximum of 97 calendar days after termination of the contract. Barring partial or complete deduction as specified in the General Terms and Conditions. We do understand you would like to receive your deposit back as quick as possible. Once your “move out inspection form” is processed we will process your refund. The deposit is the equivalent of one month's rent for your apartment.
You may be eligible for housing benefit since Canvas features independent regulated apartments. This depends on your personal situation (age, income, benefit partner) and studio type. For more information about rent benefit, please consult the tax authorities ( Belastingdienst ). You must add the following charges on top of the base rent of your preferred apartment to calculate your housing benefit:
Schoonmaakkosten voor gemeenschappelijke ruimten - €8.00
Energiekosten voor gemeenschappelijke ruimten - €12.00
Kosten voor de diensten van een huismeester, flatwacht of buurtconciërge - €10.00
Kosten voor dienst- en recreatieruimten - €3.00
Total: €33.00
Schoonmaakkosten voor gemeenschappelijke ruimten - €8.00
Energiekosten voor gemeenschappelijke ruimten - €12.00
Kosten voor de diensten van een huismeester, flatwacht of buurtconciërge - €10.00
Kosten voor dienst- en recreatieruimten - €3.00
Total: €33.00
The service costs include recoverable service costs and services. The recoverable service costs are variable costs such as security, cleaning, electricity, water, internet, heating, landscaping, utilities for public areas, Service Desk. You will pay a monthly advance payment which must be settled in July each year. You cannot choose to exclude any of the services Canvas Utrecht offers.
Please contact the Service Desk and consider the safety of yourself, your neighbours and the staff by paying respect to the Government’s maximum allowed occupancy and 1.5 metres social distancing.
If you have respiratory symptoms (coughing, rhinitis, sore throat or pneumonia), often accompanied with fever ór if you have been in contact with an infected person, please have yourself tested free of charge. For more information and test locations, please visit https://coronatest.nl/ (available in English) or call: 0800 1202.
Self-contained or COVID-19 positive
If you test positive or if you are self-isolating for suspected COVID-19 exposure, please inform the Service Desk via telephone or email. We would like to stay informed to assist you wherever we can and help limit the spread of the virus. To reassure you, we will of course respect your privacy. Due to privacy restrictions, we will not and cannot disclose if/which residents are self-contained. This is up to the discretion of the individual concerned or the authorities.
Service Desk via email and phone
Our team is available at the Service Desk during weekdays and on Saturdays. In order to limit unnecessary exposure of residents as well as the members or our Service Team, please consider contacting the Service Team via email and telephone.
Technical Support
Our Technical Support team is available for our residents for urgent matters. If you have any symptoms of flu or a cold, please inform us in advance, so we can inform the Technical Support Team accordingly. All our staff is instructed to keep at least 1.5 metres distance away from others. Please respect this preventive measure. If staff has any doubt of the physical wellbeing of a resident, they are not allowed to enter the apartment. In that case, the Service Desk will contact you by phone to make further arrangements.
Security
Our Security team will be available at the Service Desk. Also, they will patrol buildings and our outdoor terrain. All residents and visitors are required to comply with instructions of our Security Service instantly. Please respect the 1.5-meter rule with regards to our Security team members as well.
Partners & suppliers
We are in close contact with our key partners and suppliers in order to keep our service to you as good as possible. Our cleaning partner executes frequent extra-sanitising door handles, lift buttons and intercom panels. Our security is there to support us and our residents and our internet partner Ask4 is monitoring the internet in order to secure a stable network while most are still working or studying from home.
Elevators vs stairs
Please keep social distance in elevators. If physically possible, consider using the stairs.
If you have respiratory symptoms (coughing, rhinitis, sore throat or pneumonia), often accompanied with fever ór if you have been in contact with an infected person, please have yourself tested free of charge. For more information and test locations, please visit https://coronatest.nl/ (available in English) or call: 0800 1202.
Self-contained or COVID-19 positive
If you test positive or if you are self-isolating for suspected COVID-19 exposure, please inform the Service Desk via telephone or email. We would like to stay informed to assist you wherever we can and help limit the spread of the virus. To reassure you, we will of course respect your privacy. Due to privacy restrictions, we will not and cannot disclose if/which residents are self-contained. This is up to the discretion of the individual concerned or the authorities.
Service Desk via email and phone
Our team is available at the Service Desk during weekdays and on Saturdays. In order to limit unnecessary exposure of residents as well as the members or our Service Team, please consider contacting the Service Team via email and telephone.
Technical Support
Our Technical Support team is available for our residents for urgent matters. If you have any symptoms of flu or a cold, please inform us in advance, so we can inform the Technical Support Team accordingly. All our staff is instructed to keep at least 1.5 metres distance away from others. Please respect this preventive measure. If staff has any doubt of the physical wellbeing of a resident, they are not allowed to enter the apartment. In that case, the Service Desk will contact you by phone to make further arrangements.
Security
Our Security team will be available at the Service Desk. Also, they will patrol buildings and our outdoor terrain. All residents and visitors are required to comply with instructions of our Security Service instantly. Please respect the 1.5-meter rule with regards to our Security team members as well.
Partners & suppliers
We are in close contact with our key partners and suppliers in order to keep our service to you as good as possible. Our cleaning partner executes frequent extra-sanitising door handles, lift buttons and intercom panels. Our security is there to support us and our residents and our internet partner Ask4 is monitoring the internet in order to secure a stable network while most are still working or studying from home.
Elevators vs stairs
Please keep social distance in elevators. If physically possible, consider using the stairs.