Recently a topic went a little viral in certain circles when it came to light that the Dutch often take their apartment flooring out when they move. Some might offer to sell it to the next tenant, some might be required by the landlord to remove it, some might prefer to recycle it, but regardless, new renters may find themselves having to deal with what in many countries is a given, not to be thought about beyond whether you like the floor or not.
In the U.S., “unfurnished” typically refers to furniture pieces, but an apartment will still often include appliances such as the refrigerator and oven, and in many cases even the in-unit washer and dryer will be left for the next tenant. This isn’t the case in Argentina, where often tenants are left to purchase their own large appliances, much less in Brazil, where “unfurnished” may even include having to install your own cabinetry.
While the ideal would be to take a predeparture trip to check out apartments in person and inquire about what may or may not be left behind, that isn’t always feasible when relocating abroad, especially to very remote or distant destinations, or when an entire family would like to give an opinion. In order to avoid surprises, a few things an assignee or HR professional assisting them can do are:
- Check with sources that give a comprehensive picture of what to expect, such as the housing articles on Living Abroad.
- With base knowledge in hand, when viewing photos of an apartment that is staged or being shows while previous tenants are still in residence, ask for a detailed list of what will or won’t be left behind.
- Ask for photos or a video walkthrough of the unstaged property if possible, along with getting measurements for any walls or nooks that will hold furniture and appliances.
- Get estimates of shipping vs local purchase for furniture, and decide in advance if cheaper shipping is worth the “time tax” of having to wait for arrival on the other side.
- Plan in advance for the purchase of any important large items that will not be included and would be difficult to ship, for example, washing machines or refrigerators. Find information on local appliance options in the Electrical and Appliances article on Living Abroad.
By not making assumptions about what may or may not be included in a new home, move-in panic can be, if not completely eliminated, mitigated. After all, while you might expect to have to buy a new couch, no one wants to be surprised by needing a new floor!
Written by Kate Havas, GMS-T, Content Manager
