KNM housing (wonen): renting, moving and your neighbours

Housing is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about finding a home, your rights as a tenant, what you must arrange when you move, and living with neighbours. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora.

By the Kora team: Alex, Mariel and Abena, who did inburgering themselves. Written with help from AI. Every fact is checked against the official source. How we write our guides

Sources checked on 8 November 2026 (list at the bottom of this page). Kora is independent and not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Plain text version to copy (.md)

What the KNM exam asks about housing

Most housing questions are a small problem at home: a leak, a high rent, noisy neighbours, a move. You choose the first step, or the right organisation.

Watch for the word "eerst" (first). Often every answer is something you could do one day, but only one is the right first step.

Renting a home

Sociale huurwoning (social housing): you register with a woningcorporatie (housing association). There is often a long waiting list. Your municipality can tell you which associations to use.
Borg (deposit): you pay it at the start. You get it back when you leave the home clean and without damage.
Something broken, like a leak? Report it to your landlord or housing association first, in writing. They are responsible for repairs.
Rent too high, or a conflict with your landlord about the rent? The Huurcommissie gives an official judgement.
Huurbescherming (rent protection): a landlord may not simply put you out of your home.
Huurtoeslag: help with the rent on a low income. You apply yourself at Dienst Toeslagen.

Moving house: what you arrange yourself

Report your new address to your new municipality, no later than 5 days after you move. They update your address in the BRP (the personal records database).
Arrange your own contracts for gas, water and electricity. The municipality does not do this.
Meterstand: the number on your gas or electricity meter. Your energy company sometimes asks you for it.
Buying a home? You usually borrow from a bank: a hypotheek (mortgage). A notaris makes the official deed.

Living with neighbours

Noise from the neighbours? First talk to them yourself, calmly. Often they do not know it bothers you. The landlord or the police come later, if talking does not help.

You separate your waste (plastic, paper, gft for food and garden waste, and restafval) by the rules and collection days of your own municipality.

Practice questions from Kora

These are real questions from Kora's KNM practice, in Dutch like the exam. In the app, each fact comes back in new words, so you learn the fact and not the sentence.

1. Fatou wil een sociale huurwoning met een lagere huur. Wat moet ze meestal doen?
Answer: Zich inschrijven bij een woningcorporatie en op de wachtlijst wachten.
Why: For social housing you register with a woningcorporatie and wait on the list.
2. Er lekt water uit het plafond van Karims huurwoning. Wat doet hij het beste als eerste?
Answer: Het zo snel mogelijk melden bij de verhuurder of woningcorporatie.
Why: A defect in a rented home: report it to the landlord first. They arrange the repair.
3. Ahmed vindt dat hij te veel huur betaalt. Waar kan hij de huurprijs officieel laten controleren?
Answer: Bij de Huurcommissie.
Why: The Huurcommissie gives an official judgement about the rent.
4. Karim gaat naar een nieuwe woning verhuizen. Wat moet hij zeker zelf regelen?
Answer: Zijn nieuwe adres doorgeven aan de gemeente en zelf gas, water en licht regelen.
Why: When you move, you report your address and arrange gas, water and electricity yourself.
5. Wat is huurtoeslag?
Answer: Een bijdrage van de overheid voor mensen met een laag inkomen om de huur te betalen.
Why: Huurtoeslag is money from the government to help pay the rent on a low income.
6. Youssef huurt een appartement en betaalt bij de start een borg (waarborgsom). Wanneer krijgt hij die borg terug?
Answer: Als hij de woning netjes en zonder schade achterlaat bij het verhuizen.
Why: You get the deposit back when you leave the home clean and without damage.
7. De buren van Sanne maken 's avonds vaak veel lawaai. Wat kan ze het beste als eerste doen?
Answer: Eerst zelf rustig met de buren gaan praten over de overlast.
Why: Noisy neighbours: first talk to them calmly yourself.
8. Ahmed wil zijn afval weggooien. Hij heeft plastic, papier, gft en restafval. Wat is de goede regel?
Answer: Hij scheidt het afval volgens de regels en ophaaldagen van zijn gemeente.
Why: You separate your waste by the rules and collection days of your municipality.

Practice all housing questions Try one KNM question free, no account

Questions people ask

How do I get a social rented home in the Netherlands?

You register with a woningcorporatie (housing association). They can set rules about your income and the size of your household, and the waiting time differs per region. Your municipality can tell you which associations work in your area.

Who pays for repairs in a rented home?

The landlord or housing association is responsible for repairs to the home. Report the problem to them first. If you call a repair person yourself without asking, you may not get the money back.

When do I report a move?

To the municipality where you are going to live, no later than 5 days after the move. You can do it up to 4 weeks before. You can do it by post, at the desk or online.

Practice housing in your own language

Kora explains every KNM answer in your own language, and asks each fact again in new words. 7 days free, no card needed. It is practice, not a promise: nobody can tell you in advance that you will pass.

Practice all housing questions

Sources

Sources checked on 8 November 2026. The facts on this page come from these official pages and from Kora's own checked KNM questions. Rules change: if something here differs from an official page, the official page is right. This is general information, not legal advice.

Kora is independent, not DUO. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND, and it cannot book exams for you.