What to check about a VvE before you buy a Dutch apartment

Buy an apartment in the Netherlands, and you automatically become a member of its owners' association — the Vereniging van Eigenaars, or VvE. You cannot opt out. The association's finances determine whether you could face a €10,000 bill for a roof you did not know needed replacing, and whether your lender approves the mortgage at all.

This article covers what the law requires, where it applies, what self-managing a building costs you in time, how lenders assess a VvE, and a checklist to run before you make an offer.

Bart, a mortgage advisor at OHAO, wrote this article to help expats and internationals understand the Dutch mortgage and housing market. Contact us if you are looking at apartments and want the VvE checked before you commit.

What is a VvE in the Netherlands?

A VvE (Vereniging van Eigenaars), or homeowners' association, manages and maintains the shared areas of an apartment building, such as the roof, exterior walls, staircases and communal spaces. When you buy an apartment in the Netherlands, you automatically become a member of the VvE and contribute towards the building's maintenance and shared expenses, usually through a monthly fee.

In the Netherlands, you do not buy an apartment as a standalone property. You buy an apartment right (appartementsrecht): a share in the whole building, plus exclusive use of your own unit. You collectively own the roof, foundation, façade, stairwells, lifts, and pipes.

Two documents govern how it works. The deed of division (splitsingsakte) sets out how the building is divided and each apartment's share of the costs. The house rules (huishoudelijk reglement) cover day-to-day matters, which can include whether you may rent out the apartment, keep pets, or place items on the balcony.

Where in the Netherlands does a VvE apply?

A VvE applies wherever a building has been legally divided into apartment rights — anywhere in the country. It comes from Book 5 of the Dutch Civil Code, so it is national law rather than a municipal rule. The trigger is the deed of division, not the postcode.

It covers more property types than most buyers expect:

• Apartments and maisonettes in purpose-built blocks.

• A townhouse divided into two or three separate units. These are common in older city centres and are among the most likely places to find a VvE that barely functions.

• Buildings with a shared parking garage or storage block, which sometimes has its own VvE.

• Some new-build developments where houses share structures or communal grounds.

In practice, VvEs are most common in cities, where divided buildings are concentrated. See our guides to buying a house in Amsterdam, buying a home in The Hague, and buying in Utrecht. But a divided house in a small town is subject to exactly the same rules as a block of apartments in Amsterdam.

One genuinely geographic feature is the ground lease (erfpacht), which occurs in Amsterdam and is rare elsewhere in the country. A VvE is not.

What must a VvE save by law?

A VvE must set aside, each year, either the amount specified in its multi-year maintenance plan or at least 0.5% of the building's reconstruction value.

The reserve fund (reservefonds) has been compulsory for all VvEs since 1 May 2008, under Article 5:126 of the Dutch Civil Code. The minimum annual funding rule was added on 1 January 2018.

The multi-year maintenance plan (meerjarenonderhoudsplan, MJOP) lists what maintenance the building needs, when it is needed, and what it is expected to cost. It is a better basis because it reflects the actual building rather than applying a flat percentage. A parliamentary evaluation of the law found that 84% to 92% of VvEs now have one, up from 35–50% a decade earlier.

The reconstruction value (herbouwwaarde) is the cost of rebuilding the property and appears on the building's insurance policy.

Your monthly payment covers two separate things: service costs (servicekosten) for insurance, cleaning, lift maintenance, and common energy, and the reserve contribution for future major works.

What does a weak VvE cost beyond the monthly fee?

Three costs sit outside the monthly contribution: a levy you cannot easily finance, your share of the building's foundation, and your apartment's resale value.

A levy you cannot finance. A special levy becomes due when the owners' meeting decides it, usually within months. You cannot simply add it to your mortgage: increasing a mortgage requires a new application, a valuation, and lender approval, which takes longer than the VvE is likely to wait. Our guide on increasing your mortgage explains what is involved. In practice, a levy usually comes out of savings.

The VvE is responsible for the foundation, and therefore it's partly yours. In a divided building, the foundation is shared property. If it needs repair, the VvE pays, and your share follows the deed of division. In older buildings, foundation repair for the building as a whole can run into six figures.

This affects financing directly. Since 1 April 2026, every valuation report includes a foundation-risk grade from A to E. From 1 January 2027, lenders must take expected repair costs into account when calculating the maximum loan on mortgages with National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) where the property has a high foundation risk. A poor building grade can reduce what you are allowed to borrow before your income is even considered.

The MJOP links back to the VvE. A building with a known foundation issue and a plan to fix it is very different from one nobody has looked at. The second is what produces the surprise at the valuation stage — after your offer has already been accepted.

What you can sell it for. An apartment in a VvE with no reserve fund and no maintenance plan is worth less than the same apartment in a well-run building. The next buyer faces the same deferred bill, and their lender applies the same scrutiny.

Self-managed or professionally managed: what is the difference?

A self-managed VvE has no management fee, but the owners take on the administrative work. A professionally managed VvE charges a fee and handles the agreed tasks.

Someone has to organise the meetings, keep the accounts, chase unpaid contributions, contact contractors, compare quotations, and make sure the work actually happens. In a building of three apartments, that someone is usually one owner—and often the newest one.

The harder part is not the administration. It is reaching agreement. One owner wants the roof done this year, another thinks it can wait five years, and a third does not want the monthly contribution to rise. A decision that should take a single evening can take three meetings — and meanwhile, the roof is another year older.

Professional management removes the paperwork, not the disagreement. Decisions still belong to the owners.

What happens when owners disagree?

Owners vote on decisions under the rules in the deed of division, and your voting share usually matches your share of the building. An owner with a larger apartment may therefore hold more influence than you.

Disputes tend to cluster around the same few issues: roof and façade work, insulation and sustainability upgrades, noise and renovation rules, and any proposal to raise the monthly contribution.

You do not always get the outcome you want, and you are bound by the decision either way. Before you buy, the meeting minutes tell you more about this than the accounts do. They show whether this is a building that makes decisions — or one that postpones them.

Can you get a mortgage if the VvE is inactive or underfunded?

Sometimes, but often not for the full amount. Lenders assess the VvE alongside the buyer, and a dormant VvE can lead to a reduced loan or a refusal.

Lenders generally want the VvE to be active, registered with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK), insured for buildings and liability, and holding a reserve fund. They usually ask for the annual accounts, recent meeting minutes, and the MJOP, so add these to your mortgage application documents.

A dormant VvE (slapende VvE) exists on paper but holds no meetings and keeps no accounts. Some lenders decline these outright; others consider them if the VvE is being revived. This is one of the clearest cases where the choice of lender changes the answer — which is why it helps to work with an advisor who knows lenders' acceptance policies, not only their rates.

The valuer assesses the VvE too. A weak reserve fund can lower the valuation, which in turn reduces what you can borrow—not because your income has changed, but because the collateral is worth less.

Your monthly contribution also counts towards affordability, and lenders weigh it differently.

What should you check before making an offer?

Ask the selling agent for the VvE documents and work through these ten questions. A seller who cannot produce them has already told you something.

1. Is the VvE active and registered with the Chamber of Commerce?

2. Is it self-managed or professionally managed?

3. Is there a current MJOP?

4. How much money is actually in the reserve fund?

5. Are major repairs or extra contributions expected?

6. Can you see the latest annual accounts, budget, and meeting minutes?

7. Are there unresolved maintenance issues or ongoing disputes?

8. Are there VvE loans, arrears, or other financial obligations?

9. What do the deed of division and house rules say about renovations and shared costs?

10. Has your mortgage advisor checked how your lender treats this VvE?

People skip Question 5. If the MJOP schedules a €300,000 façade project in two years and the reserve fund holds €80,000, you cover the shortfall. Budget for it alongside your purchase savings.

Keep in mind that every situation is different. The examples in this article are for illustration purposes only. For advice personalized to your personal situation, contact our mortgage advisors at OHAO.

Frequently asked questions by expats

Can I get a mortgage on an apartment with a dormant VvE?

Often not, or not for the full amount. Lenders want an active VvE with a funded reserve. Some will consider a dormant VvE if the association is being revived, so the choice of lender matters more here than usual.

Is a self-managed VvE a reason not to buy?

Not by itself. Many small, self-managed VvEs are run well. The question is whether this one keeps accounts, holds meetings, and has an MJOP — and whether you are willing to do that work if nobody else does.

Can the VvE charge me for work agreed to before I bought?

Yes. Obligations attach to the apartment right, so a levy decided before your purchase can still land on you. This is why the meeting minutes matter: they show what has already been voted through.