Pinpointing Your Exact Home
In large apartment buildings or within the portfolio of a major property management company, simple street addresses can sometimes be insufficient. To ensure precise identification for mail, registration, and internal administration, properties are often assigned specific unit numbers and property codes. Understanding these identifiers is a small but important part of the rental process.
Unit Number / Address Suffix (Huisnummer Toevoeging)
This is the most official and important identifier. An apartment is rarely just at a street number like 'Main Street 10'. It will have a suffix to identify the specific unit. This can take several forms, such as:
Hoofdstraat 10-2 (indicating the second floor)
Hoofdstraat 10B (the second unit at this number)
Hoofdstraat 10-HS (for a huis, or ground floor unit)
This suffix is part of your official address. It is the address you must use for your municipal registration (BRP), for receiving mail, and for all official correspondence. Using the correct suffix is non-negotiable.
Property Code (Objectcode / Referentienummer)
This is an internal reference number used by a large landlord, housing corporation, or property management firm. It is their unique identifier for the property within their own financial, maintenance, and management software. You might see this code on the property listing or printed on your rental contract. While it is not part of your official address, it is very useful to have this code ready when you contact your landlord with a maintenance request or administrative question. Providing the objectcode allows their staff to instantly locate your file and property details, leading to faster service.