Short answer: Dutch law does not set how big the reserve fund must be, but how much the owners' association (VvE) must put into it every year: at least the amount from a proper long-term maintenance plan (MJOP), or, if there is no usable MJOP, at least 0.5% of the rebuild value. Whether the fund is big enough only becomes clear when you set the balance against the spending in the MJOP. That is exactly where things often go wrong for buyers.
The MJOP (meerjarenonderhoudsplan) is the VvE's long-term maintenance plan: which parts of the building need maintenance or replacement, when, and at what cost.
What does the law say?
Since 2005 every VvE must have a reserve fund (article 5:126 of the Dutch Civil Code). Since 1 January 2018, residential buildings also have a minimum yearly contribution to it. The VvE chooses one of two routes:
| Route | When | Minimum yearly contribution |
|---|---|---|
| MJOP | The MJOP has been adopted by the general meeting, is at most five years old and looks at least ten years ahead | The amount that follows from the MJOP |
| Rebuild value | There is no MJOP that meets those requirements | 0.5% of the rebuild value of the building |
The money is held in a separate account in the VvE's name. It belongs to the association, not to the individual owners: if you sell, your share stays in the fund.
A worked example
A building with 20 equal apartments has a rebuild value of € 4,000,000. Without a usable MJOP, the minimum contribution is:
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| 0.5% of € 4,000,000, per year | € 20,000 |
| Per apartment, per year | € 1,000 |
| Per apartment, per month | about € 83 |
That € 83 a month goes into the reserve fund, on top of the costs of insurance, cleaning, energy and management. The rebuild value is on the policy schedule of the VvE's building insurance. If it hasn't been revalued for a long time, the 0.5% standard comes out too low, and the building may be underinsured.
When is the fund big enough?
There is no legal amount for that. The fund is big enough if, in every year, it can pay the planned spending from the MJOP without dropping below zero. A large balance today therefore says little if a roof replacement costing a few hundred thousand euros is due in three years.
How to check it:
- Find the big expenses for the next five to ten years in the MJOP: roof, window frames, painting, lifts, pipes.
- Set the current balance plus the yearly contribution against them.
- Check whether there is a year in which the balance goes negative. If so, an extra levy or a loan is almost certain.
- Check how old the MJOP is and which price level it uses. Construction costs in the Netherlands rose by more than 50% between 2017 and 2023: an old MJOP underestimates the costs.
How often does it go wrong?
More often than you might think. According to the Dutch homeowners' association Vereniging Eigen Huis, almost one in five VvEs has too little money in the reserve fund for necessary maintenance. According to research by Matrixian, only 48.6% of VvEs met the savings standard in 2023.
In the VvE dossiers we have fully analysed, the reserve fund was clearly too low for the planned maintenance in 25%. Two examples:
- A VvE with a balance of € 265,000 and a yearly contribution of € 60,000, while the VvE's own sustainability plan mentions a shortfall of € 388,144 for planned maintenance. The average monthly contribution at the time was € 120: low, but therefore not cheap.
- A VvE with 63 apartments where the MJOP expects a balance of € 10,642 at the end of 2026: about € 170 per apartment, with repairs to the lift among the items coming up.
What if the fund is too small?
The VvE then has three options: an extra one-off contribution from all owners, a loan (which you help pay off as a buyer, read VvE loans when buying an apartment: what do you take on?), or postponing the maintenance, which usually makes it more expensive in the long run. All three end up with you if you buy the apartment.
Checklist for buyers
- Ask for the MJOP, the annual accounts and the budget.
- Check that the MJOP is at most five years old and was adopted by the general meeting.
- Set the balance against the big expenses of the coming years.
- Ask for the rebuild value (policy schedule of the building insurance) and check the 0.5% standard.
- Read the minutes for decisions about extra contributions, loans or postponed maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a reserve fund mandatory?
Yes. Since 2005 every VvE must have a reserve fund, and since 2018 residential buildings have a minimum yearly contribution.
What is the minimum a VvE must save?
At least the amount from an MJOP that was adopted by the general meeting, is at most five years old and looks at least ten years ahead. Without such an MJOP: at least 0.5% of the rebuild value per year.
Do I get my share of the reserve fund back when I sell?
No. The reserve fund belongs to the VvE, not to the individual owners. Your share stays in the association and benefits the new owner.
Sources (in Dutch)
- VvE.nl: Reservefonds VvE, hoe groot moet het minimaal zijn in 2026? (updated 9 September 2026)
- VvE.nl: VvE-bijdrage 2026, wat is gemiddeld en waar betaal je voor? (updated 7 October 2026)
- Avinci Advocaten: MJOP binnen de VvE, verplichtingen en juridische risico's