The owners’ association, a deed of division, and a manager
- Sergej Schuurman
- The basis
- 24 February 2025
- 1 min
- Rules and laws
If you divide a building into 2 or more apartments, the civil-law notary will draw up a deed of division (splitisingsakte). That is required by law. The deed of division also establishes the owners’ association..
An owners’ association (vereniging van eigenaars, VvE) has articles of association that set out the rules. These articles of association are part of the deed of division. This deed states, for example, which apartments are involved, their size, and what belongs to the apartments. The owners' association has 2 ‘bodies’: the owners’ meeting and the board.
Requesting the notarial deed of division
When you buy an apartment, you receive the deed of division. If you can no longer find it, the board or manager of the owners' association usually has a copy.
If they are unable to provide you with a copy, you can always order one from the civil-law notary who drew up the deed of division. You can also request the deed of division from the Land Registry Office (Kadaster, in Dutch) for a fee.
Manager of the owners’ association
An owners' association often has a manager (beheerder) who carries out the tasks of the board. The manager is not an official body within the owners' association. The deed of division does not say anything about this.
A meeting of the owners' association determines the tasks of a manager. The meeting can also make adjustments. You can lay down the tasks of the manager in regulations.
A manager is usually concerned with maintenance and financial, administrative, and technical matters. Often the manager is also the point of contact for residents.
The manager can be a resident who takes on these tasks. But usually the board outsources this to a professional party for a fee. The board has final responsibility for the maintenance and administration. In old articles of association, the manager is also referred to as the administrator.
