mello

Watch it, ask, sign, move in.

Searching costs you nothing and you pay us nothing. Your rent and your deposit go straight to your landlord, never through us.

The six steps

From the first walkthrough to the keys, all from wherever you are now.

  1. Watch the walkthroughPause on anything. Watch it twice.
  2. Ask your questionsQuestions go through us in writing, so you keep the answers.
  3. Read what we send youBefore signing you get your rights and obligations, the rent and the deposit rules in writing.
  4. Sign with the landlordThe contract is between you and the landlord. We are not a party to it.
  5. Pay your landlordFirst month and deposit, directly to the landlord. If anyone asks you to pay Mello, it is not Mello.
  6. Move in and tell usDoes the place match the video? Tell us within 48 hours. And tell us if it does not.

The 48-hour check

We do not invoice the landlord until you have confirmed that the home matches what we filmed. If it does not match, we do not invoice, and we take the listing down.

This is not a cooling-off period and not a refund. We never hold your money, so we cannot hand it back. It is our own payment that is at stake, not yours.

What the check does do

  • It makes our payment depend on your judgement, not the landlord's
  • We keep the original footage and put any difference to the landlord
  • If the home does not match, we pull the listing before anyone else is caught by it
  • We still listen after 48 hours, but the invoice will already have gone

Getting out of your rental contract follows the normal Dutch tenancy rules and your notice period. That is not something we can change.

What you should know about money

A few rules from the Wet goed verhuurderschap that work in your favour. They apply whether you rent through Mello or not.

  • The deposit may be no more than two months' bare rent.
  • The deposit must be back within 14 days of the tenancy ending. If something is deducted, within 30 days, and you get that in writing.
  • Administration costs may not be deducted from your deposit.
  • Service costs must be actual costs, with a statement each year.
  • An agent working for the landlord may not charge you a brokerage fee. We charge you nothing.
  • If something goes wrong, you can report it to the City of Rotterdam's meldpunt.

Questions students ask

What does Mello cost me?

Nothing. We are paid by the landlord, once, after the contract is signed. You pay us no sign-up fee, no subscription and no agency fee.

Is a video really enough to take a place?

It shows more than most viewings do: every room in one take, the water pressure, the meters and the walk to the tram. If we missed something you care about, ask and we will film it.

Can I still visit in person?

Yes. If you are already in Rotterdam, ask the landlord for a viewing through your messages. We stop nobody.

How do you choose who gets the place?

The landlord chooses, and we apply fixed criteria set out on our tenant selection page. If you are turned down, you can ask why and we will tell you.

Do I have to deal with you in Dutch?

No. Everything at Mello can be done in English. Your rental contract will usually be in Dutch, so ask us to talk you through it before you sign if you cannot read it.