Pararius alerts: how to set up daily and instant alerts

Pararius calls itself the largest independent rental website in the Netherlands. Every listing comes from a professional party: makelaars, property managers, developers and housing associations. Private landlords can't advertise without an agent, only KvK-registered parties can list, and Pararius says it checks every agency.

Most listings are apartments and houses rather than rooms. The site is available in English and has an expat guide, so it's a common starting point if you're moving to the Netherlands from abroad.

Alerts on Pararius are saved searches. You search a city, set your filters and save the search. With a free account, Pararius emails you the matching listings once a day. If you want an email as soon as a matching listing is registered, you need Pararius+, the paid tier.

Pararius+ also shows how many responses each property has received, lets you keep track of your own responses and adds one-click replies. Trial terms can change, so check the current offer on Pararius before you sign up.

1. 1Go to Pararius and search for the city you want to live in.
2. 2Apply your filters: maximum rent, number of bedrooms, size and type of home. Set the rent filter to your real maximum so you don't miss homes just under it.
3. 3Click "save search" at the top right of the results.
4. 4Choose how often you want to hear about new listings: daily (free) or instant (Pararius+).
5. 5Check the first email you receive. If the matches look off, adjust your filters and save the search again.

Add Pararius to your email contacts so alert emails don't end up in spam or a promotions tab.

You don't need Pararius+ to respond. A free account is enough, and Pararius says you can always respond without the paid tier. On a listing, use the "Contact the estate agent" button or call the agent.

Pararius is not an intermediary. Once you're in touch, you talk to the makelaar directly about the viewing, your documents and the rental agreement. A good first message is short and complete:

• Who will live there, what you do for work or study, and your preferred move-in date.
• Your monthly income and the type of contract you have.
• A few concrete time slots when you're free for a viewing.
• Your phone number, so the agent can call you back quickly.

A Pararius alert covers the listings that agents place on Pararius. That's a large pool, but it isn't the whole market. Many makelaars also publish homes on their own websites, and other rental platforms have their own listings and their own alerts.

On a free account, alerts arrive as a daily digest. That works well for getting a feel for prices and neighbourhoods. When you're actively searching, a few habits help you reply early:

• Keep a reply text ready and personalise the first line for each home.
• Save your ID, payslips and employer statement as PDFs, so you can send them right away.
• Turn on phone notifications for the email address you use for alerts.
• Reply first, then plan the rest of your questions for the viewing.

Keep your Pararius saved search running. Renthaven works next to it. Renthaven also watches Pararius, plus rental agencies' own websites and other rental sites. It matches new listings to your search profile and alerts you, so you can reply early. You always reply on the original listing, so for a Pararius home you still contact the agent through Pararius.

• Draw the exact streets you want on a map, or pick neighbourhoods, a radius or a travel time.
• Filter on maximum rent, rooms, size and property type.
• With Premium, get a push notification and an email the moment a match appears.
• Save reply templates that fill in the address for you.
• Invite a search buddy to share your Premium access.

The free plan gives you one search profile with email alerts, delivered with a one-hour delay. Premium costs €15 for one month (2- and 3-month plans cost less per month), you can cancel anytime and there's a 14-day money-back guarantee.