XIOR Review 2025: Pricing, Pros & Cons, and Alternatives

Updated at:
November 27, 2024

What is XIOR?

Xior Student Housing is a real estate company that provides student accommodations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal.

Homes are designed specifically for students, often located near universities and colleges, providing easy access to campuses and academic resources. Monthly rent often includes utilities like water, electricity, and internet, simplifying budgeting for students. Accommodations come fully furnished with essential items such as a bed, desk, chair, and storage space.

If you're looking for rentals in the Netherlands, you probably shouldn't consider XIOR as your only option. The key to rental search in 2025 is to use the highest number of platforms possible to build the widest pipeline of homes.

How Does XIOR Work?

Start by exploring stay options on XIOR’s website. You’ll initially see buildings rather than individual rooms. Find a building that appeals to you. Since accommodations are highly competitive, it’s best to act quickly.

Click on the Book Now button for the building you’ve chosen.

A new page will open, displaying accommodation options. Note that the system will show all available accommodations across different countries, not accommodations in the building you have chosen.

You’ll need to select the country and city again to narrow down the options to your desired location. Once done, you’ll see specific accommodation options within buildings in that city.

Choose the accommodation that suits your needs and click Book Now again.

At this stage, you’ll be prompted to either log in or create a new account. If you’re a new user, proceed to create an account.

After registering, you’ll receive an email to verify your account. It’s crucial to complete this step; otherwise, you won’t be able to log in. Log in with your credentials. A booking form will open, and you’ll have exactly 15 minutes to fill in your personal information. Be prepared to provide all necessary details right away.

After that, you’ll need to pay a €25 registration fee, which is non-refundable. After completing the booking, you’ll receive an invoice that includes:

  • First Month’s Rent
  • Security Deposit
  • Administration Fee of €75
  • Final Cleaning Cost

Pricing Details: How Much Does XIOR Cost?

When booking accommodation through XIOR, you will encounter several charges that are essential to secure your reservation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of all the charges you can expect during the booking process:

  • Upon filling out the booking form, you will be required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of €25. This fee is necessary to process your application and is standard for all bookings.
  • The invoice you receive will of course include the first month’s rent for your chosen accommodation and the security deposit.
  • It will also include an administration fee of €75 is charged to cover the costs associated with processing your booking and preparing the rental agreement. This fee is a one-time payment required during the booking.
  • There is a final cleaning fee, which covers the professional cleaning of your accommodation after you move out. The amount can vary depending on the size and type of the room but is typically specified upfront in your invoice.

XIOR - Reviews

XIOR has received mixed reviews from its residents. Many tenants have reported complaints about disputes over deposit refunds and instances where homeless individuals have accessed the buildings.

On the other hand, XIOR offers notable advantages that appeal to many students. It provides a convenient way to secure housing quickly in competitive markets. The accommodations are often reasonably priced and situated in great locations close to universities.

Disadvantages: What You Should Know Before Using XIOR

Before using XIOR for your rental search, consider these drawbacks:

  • Costs Involved in the Booking Process: The booking process includes several upfront fees, such as a non-refundable registration fee of €25, an administration fee of €75, and a final cleaning cost.
  • High Competition: Although competition is somewhat lower than on other platforms, there is still a high demand for XIOR accommodations. Rooms can fill up quickly, so prompt action is necessary when booking.
  • Only Available to Students: XIOR’s accommodations are primarily reserved for students.
  • Poor Reviews: Many residents have reported negative experiences, including issues with customer service, maintenance, and overall satisfaction.
  • High Chance of Deposit Disputes: There have been many reports of issues in getting security deposits refunded.

Advantages of Using XIOR in Rental Search

Despite some downsides, XIOR has several significant benefits:

  • Easy, Online Booking Process: The entire booking can be completed online, providing a convenient and efficient way to secure accommodation without the need for in-person visits or extensive paperwork.
  • Good Price: XIOR offers reasonably priced accommodations, which often include utilities and furnishings. This all-inclusive pricing can make budgeting easier for students.
  • Great Locations: Properties are situated in prime locations near universities and city centers, offering easy access to academic institutions, public transportation, and local amenities.

What Areas Does XIOR Cover?

In the Netherlands, XIOR covers the following areas:

  • Amsterdam
  • Breda
  • Delft
  • The Hague
  • Eindhoven
  • Enschede
  • Groningen
  • Leeuwarden
  • Leiden
  • Maastricht
  • Rotterdam
  • Utrecht
  • Vaals (Limburg)
  • Venlo
  • Wageningen

Beyond the Netherlands, XIOR is present in other European countries, including Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Germany.

Who Can Post Rentals on XIOR?

XIOR is a dedicated student housing provider that owns and manages all the properties listed on its platform. This means that only XIOR can post rentals on their website and platform. Individual landlords, private property owners, or external real estate agents cannot list their properties on XIOR.

XIOR Alternatives

There are more than hundred rental platforms in the Netherlands, each with exclusive housing. Complete overview of rental platforms in the Netherlands can be found in Uprent's Complete Rental Guide.

The most obvious alternative to XIOR is Uprent. Let's cover how Uprent is different:

All Listings in One Place

Uprent aggregates listings from almost all platforms in the Netherlands into a single feed. So, it will have listings from XIOR, along with listings from almost every other platforms across the country.

Different Way of Filtering Homes

Hard to explain... Just check it out below:

Remove the Mess

In the past, many people used Google Sheets or Notion databases to track their rental applications — or didn’t track them at all — leading to missed opportunities and forgotten applications. With Uprent, every application is automatically saved to your dashboard. This allows you to easily manage and monitor all your applications in one place. Uprent also sends reminders for important follow-ups and automates tasks like creating Google Calendar events for viewings. You can even share your dashboard with your flatmate, allowing you to collaborate on the rental search.

Be the First to Apply

We cannot stress how important the speed of sending a reaction is. Ideally, you should react to new listings in minutes, or even better seconds. Many real estate agencies follow first-come-first-serve approach, and therefore you want to be among these first people that submit their viewing request.

Luckily, Uprent helps you even with that. You can opt in to be notified of new listings. That way, whenever there is a new listing detected at one of the supported platforms, you will receive an instant alert on your email or phone (depending on what you select).