Surviving rentals

Black tie event

Kledingverhuur Kloeg, a boutique on Broerhuisstraat, sells and rents formal menswear. Their regular clientele includes PhD candidates, paranymphs (ceremonial assistants) and committee members. “We also rent suits to the Rector Magnificus for special occasions, and to honorary doctors,” said Mark Kloeg. You can rent a formal suit for €99 and a tuxedo for €85. If you’re not sure what you need for which occasion, they’re happy to help you decide. “We have a wide range of accessories, such as shoes, top hats, ties, bow ties, socks, and cuff links and I also design 3D-printed cuff links on order,” he added.

Road-tripping

If your driving license is valid in the Netherlands, you can rent a car from a number of companies with pick-up points in Delft. Options include Sixt.com (Schieweg 93) and Köhler Autoverhuur (Yperstraat 12). Rent a Citroen, a moving van or even a BMW depending on your budget. A customer service executive at Sixt.com (who requested not to be named) said rental costs can range between €50 to €100 per day. “Compare our pricing strategy to that of airline tickets. Prices fluctuate and our website has offers and deals you can make the best of.” Auto insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands, so be sure to check with the agency what they offer.

Bike it out

If you have an OV-chip card, you can buy an annual bicycle subscription for €10 online and link it to your card. With this, you can rent an OV-bike from 250 locations across the country for €3.35 per day. Two bikes can be rented on one subscription for up to 72 hours. You can also rent from local bike shops such as Bike Totaal Wijtman at Westlandseweg. They rent a cycle for €8 per day, with a deposit of €50. “We rent to every-one, even an absolute novice. All our bikes are standard size, but we can adjust the height to suit the cyclist,” said Tim Mulken, the workshop manager.

Do-it-yourself

Local hardware stores like Karwei and Gamma also rent out tools and equipment for gardening, woodwork, painting and maintenance. You can check your options on rentpartner and pick them up at the stores. If you don’t know what product you need or how to use it, they have advisors at hand. Prices depend on the duration you need it for. A hammer-drill can be rented for €12.40 (4 hours) or €15.50 (for a day). A lawnmower costs €35(4 hours), a hedge-trimmer €12.80 and a moving wagon €22.80. If you’re not sure what you need or how to use it, the advisors can help. There is a mandatory deposit on each rental, which is returned after a close inspection of each item.

To the nines

If you’re looking for an evening gown or a costume, try Something Extra at Oude Langendijk. They rent masks, clogs, angel wings and all kinds of outfits (from disco-themed, Delft Blue patterned, to floral frocks). “These aren’t really party costumes, they’re designed for professional projects and presentations. Students can come in to hire a beautiful evening dress or a white suit,” said Barbara van Gelder, the owner. Delft-based student musical group Virgiel have often rented from them. Prices range from €15 to €150, but Van Gelder says she’s always up “for a good barter.”

This is an updated version of a previous Survival Guide article.

More tips for rentals: Surviving rentals 2