Anti-Squat And Me Not A Good Combination

Index

Travel In The Netherlands By Living In Different Places

I like to travel so I thought why not travel in The Netherlands by living in different places. In addition, private renting in Utrecht became more and more expensive and I could not intervene with social rent. So time for the idea of ​​anti-squat living: living everywhere where anti-squat is offered and pretend I am traveling in The Netherlands, digital nomad in my own country. 

Trying Anti-Squat

I went to try anti-squat. It didn't seem that difficult to me and there was a lot on offer, but most didn't appeal to me. I discovered that Camelot had also shortstay contracts, which meant new and with maintenance. The only catch I could only live there for 6 months and had to move after that. To short to find something with the same quality.

Although All Outside Utrecht, Yes! Arnhem Seemed Like The Right City To Start My Experiment

They had studios in an old Uwv building just on the edge of the center. The building had been empty for a long time and anti-squatting was an intermediate step towards building expensive apartments in it. I was assigned one for 6 months. Glad I was! The location was perfect in relation to the station and center of Arnhem.

But

There are just some buts about going anti-squat that I didn't think about before jumping into the pond of anti-squatting, because I needed a home and my budget wasn't big. I don't always have the best neighbors. I lived on the top floor with only a roof terrace above me. What a noise was produced there on the roof terrace or on the way to the roof terrace. Complaining didn't help.....

Tip1: Take A House Far From The Stairs

Another thing complaining didn't help with: was when something was broken. Usually they said I will come to fix it without a date, or I will be contacted for the fix. And then I waited or emailed them again without success.

Tip2: Repair It Myself Or Be Prepared To Make A Lot Of Emails And Phone Calls To Get Something Fixed

Those 6 months also turned out to be a real deadline that I had to get out. No extension possible and difficult, difficult because of moving… or in farawaygestan (verweggistan) or without heating. I don't do the latter to myself, since I was born with the sun…

Tip3: Have Family Or Friends That I Can Bridge The Gap, Because Anti-Squat Living Is Not Compatible

It is a burden for others and I can't do this all the time or I must be very connected to my family and friends. I know some people can do this, but I can't.

Positive Note About Anti-Squating The Way I Did It

Before thinking there are only drawbacks. No, I had a new bathroom and kitchen in it with some small defects admittedly. And the price, oh the price that was heavenly. But I had my own place and everthing was new and furnished.

Would I Live Anti-Squat Again? 

Not quickly no, because the search for the next home was really disappointing and without a car I can't get to the remote anti-squat homes which would be next. Or I have to be lucky to get one in the middle of the city. I also do not always have the choice in which city I can get a home, it just depends on what is available at the time.

I lived in Arnhem from 2016 till 2017 for 6 months. I rented from Camelot and got the studio through waiting on the waiting list for transformed anti-kraak buildings. It was a studio of circa 50 m2. I was the first inhabitant of the furnished studio. It was short lease that is why I only rented for 6 months. Before living in Arnhem I lived at Cremerplein, Utrecht and after Arnhem I lived in Strijp-S, Eindhoven. In all my houses I lived alone! 

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