Utilities (gas, water, electricity, phone, Internet, TV)

The Netherlands has excellent infrastructure. Practically every home has mains electricity, potable water, central heating, fixed-line phones, and mobile phone and high-speed Internet coverage. In urban areas most properties have piped gas for cooking and heating, mains drainage, and cable TV.

Key facts:

• Electricity is 220 V, 50 Hz.

• The most common heating fuel is natural gas.

• Water is usually metered.

• Telephones in the Netherlands use different connector plugs to many other countries, which means phones bought outside the Netherlands may not work without an adaptor or a new plug.

• The mobile phone system in Europe uses the GSM standard.

• There are many telephone companies offering cheap international calling.

• Internet - computers made to use mains power systems other than 220 volts and 50 Hz will not work without adaptors.

• Television in Europe uses the PAL standard.

The utilities market

Most utilities in the Netherlands are sold in a "free-market system". This means there are a number of suppliers competing with each other to supply private and business customers.

Exceptions to this are water, where each property has a designated supplier, and the hardware (cables, etc.) used for fixed-line telephony and cable TV. Both the latter are owned by the company that installed them and there is a charge for their use even if the signals passing through the cables come from another supplier.

Whilst this system gives the advantage of lower prices and improving service, it also means that new arrivals may find choosing suppliers complicated.

Getting connected

What to expect:

Getting connected to utilities suppliers is often time-consuming and sometimes difficult for people moving to the Netherlands. The main problem is simply language: although most Dutch people speak English, you may need to navigate through several Dutch-language telephone menus before you can speak to an operator. Be patient and ask for help if you need it.

Electricity and gas

It's possible to buy these energy sources separately, but is easier to buy them together. Most suppliers offer price discounts if you do.

When you move in to your new home the power and gas meters need to be read and a supplier contracted to supply you. Your real estate agent can usually help you complete the necessary forms.

If you decide to change supplier you should call your preferred option (numbers are listed in the Yellow Pages (www.goudengids.nl) under energiebedrijven in Regio Eindhoven. You will need your address, date of birth and meter readings.

Water

Each address has a single supplier. When you move in to your new home the water meter needs to be read, and the supplier informed that you are the new resident. Your real estate agent can usually help you complete the forms required. If you need to contact the supplier yourself you will need your address, date of birth and meter readings.

Fixed-line telephones

It is not always necessary to have a fixed-line phone. Nowadays, quite a few expats moving to the Netherlands are choosing to live without one, and use their mobiles to stay in touch.

If you do need a telephone line it's worth applying for one as soon as you know your address as connection can take up to a week. There is no choice of supplier for the phone line itself - KPN was the Dutch state monopoly and still owns nearly all the hardware, though this situation is changing. Call 0900 0244. Have an address and the date when the connection should be made.

You can also organise your telephone line by visiting an official KPN shops, called Primafoon. (listed in the Yellow Pages (www.goudengids.nl)). Take your passport, residence permit, work contract, bank account number and address.

Mobile phones

All GSM mobile phones will work in the Netherlands. Even if you have a GSM phone however, it is still advisable to switch to a Dutch SIM card when you arrive, otherwise you will pay more for your calls.

 

Go to a mobile phone supplier in town to get a new card and phone if required. Most shops are run by the supplier of the card/call time. Exceptions to this include Bel Company and Debitel, who sell services from various suppliers. Take your bank account number, passport and address. For contact information on the providers, see below.

 

Cable TV

At any address there is one single cable supplier. Ask the outgoing resident or your real estate agent who this is. Call them to set up an account (numbers are listed in the Yellow Pages - www.goudengids.nl). Have your address and date of birth ready.

 

Be aware that most cable suppliers sell not only basic TV, but also digital TV, Internet and telephone services. In order to take any of these services you must purchase basic cable TV.

 

Internet

Internet is available through the telephone or the television cable. In each case there are a number of different suppliers, but all take around three weeks to send the equipment and set up the connection. Once you have called the supplier they will send the modem to your address. If you would like an engineer to assist you, you should ask the supplier (remember also to check how the engineer should be paid). Payment for Internet will always be by direct debit, so you must have a bank account first.

 

For Internet through the telephone network you must have contracts with two companies:

• The supplier of the physical network (usually KPN). See "fixed-line telephony" above.

• The Internet service provider (ISP).

 

Set up a fixed telephone line. Then call the Internet service provider you wish to use. Phone numbers are available from the Yellow Pages or through the Internet. Have your address, date of birth, phone number and bank account details ready. For a list of Internet providers see: www.nlip.nl/ledenlijst/

 

For Internet through the cable you must have a contract with the cable supplier as they also act as the Internet service provider. See "Cable TV" above.

 

 

Addresses

The list below gives the biggest suppliers of each service in the Eindhoven region. This is not a complete list - you will find more suppliers in the Yellow Pages (www.goudengids.nl). If you can work things out from a Dutch website (or can get someone to assist you), a visit to http://www.huisaansluitingen.nl will help you get connected to gas, water, energy, cable and telecoms at the same time.

 

In general, electricity, water, gas, and cable companies are best contacted by phone; Internet providers through the web (at work in this case); and mobile phone companies via the web for comparison, and then by going to a shop to buy.

Waste and recycling
As in other developed nations, the Dutch are keen to lessen their impact on the environment by reducing landfill and energy use. Several recycling (kringloop) schemes are in existence, although these may vary slightly depending on the community in which you choose to live. Homes in Eindhoven, for example, are issued with two bins by the municipality, which are emptied on alternate weeks. A green bin is used for biodegradable kitchen and garden waste, and a grey bin for other household waste. Also in Eindhoven, paper is collected on a fortnightly basis, and a mobile van visits every neighbourhood every two weeks to collect small chemical waste (kleine chemishe afval), such as light bulbs, batteries, and harmful cleaning products.

Bottle banks for recycling glass can be found outside many supermarkets, as can collection points for unwanted clothes and shoes, and sometimes also batteries. When you buy most bottled beers and soft drinks (but not canned drinks), you will pay a small deposit, which is refundable when you return the empty containers.

Check your local Community Guide for more information about what is available in your area.