The Vereniging van Eigenaren (Homeowner Association) manages the shared property of an apartment complex: roof, façades, stairwell, foundation and communal installations. Every apartment owner is automatically a member.
Always check the reserve fund. A healthy VvE has at least €2,000–€5,000 per apartment in reserve. An empty fund means you could suddenly need to pay thousands for major maintenance.
Request the meeting minutes from the past 3 years. These contain decisions about major maintenance, insurance and contribution increases. Also look at the MJOP (multi-year maintenance plan) — since 2018, VvEs must have an MJOP or reserve at least 0.5% of the rebuild value annually.
Monthly VvE contributions vary enormously: from €50 to €400+ per month. This is on top of your mortgage payments. Compare not just the current contribution but also the MJOP to avoid surprises.
Also ask for the VvE’s Chamber of Commerce (KvK) registration number and check whether it’s active — smaller complexes (2–4 apartments) especially sometimes lack a formal board, reserve fund or MJOP despite the legal requirement. This is a red flag: it means major maintenance gets financed ad hoc, with no preparation.
Also check whether the building insurance (opstalverzekering) is current and adequate. This is arranged collectively by the VvE and should cover the full rebuild value. An outdated policy with too low an insured amount can leave every owner facing a large personal contribution after damage (fire, storm).