Most of the Owners’ Associations (VvEs) are dissatisfied with the manager. The Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH) reports this on the basis of reports to its VvE hotline. More than three-quarters of the associations of apartment owners indicate that managers communicate poorly, make decisions on their own or do not have their administration in order.
The VEH opened the VvE hotline in February, after receiving regular complaints. 518 reports that have been received since then have now been analysed. Most complaints are about communication, for example because the manager does not share enough information or is difficult to reach. A manager earns more from large VvEs than from small ones, which means that the latter category receives relatively less attention, according to the Home Owners Association.
Free profession
‘The management profession is a liberal profession, which means that anyone can call themselves a VvE manager and offer their services,’ says Valeska Hovener of Vereniging Eigen Huis. “It’s already going a bit wrong there.” According to Hovener, administrators are often difficult to reach, communication is lacking, there are complaints from the VvE about a lack of time and tasks are not performed properly. ‘That could be maintenance, but also the administration is often not in order. That can go a long way,’ says Hovener.
According to her, it leads to a lot of frustration among VvE members. What also plays a role is that administrators often make decisions on their own that the VvE has no knowledge of. She cites the example of a manager registering with the Chamber of Commerce as chairman of the VvE and, by virtue of that position, being able to make payments that the VvE is not aware of.
‘It’s a liberal profession, that’s where things go wrong’
Hovener advises to keep the board in your own hands in any case and to maintain control over the finances through your own audit committee.
Owners of an apartment are automatically members of a VvE. This association is responsible, among other things, for the management and maintenance of the building in which the apartments are located. Many VvEs outsource this to external parties. In the case of new-build apartments, it is often the builder or developer who appoints a manager. However, according to the VEH, many VvEs do not know how to appoint another manager if they do not function properly.
