Glossary
Dutch property jargon, explained
Buying a home in the Netherlands means reading documents full of terms like VvE, WOZ, MJOP and erfpacht. This glossary explains each one in plain English — what it means, and why it matters before you make an offer.
begrotingannual budget
The VvE’s annual budget.
The budget shows what the VvE expects to spend next year and how the monthly contribution is built up. A budget with no maintenance line, or contributions that have not moved in years, is a signal that costs are being deferred rather than avoided.
bouwkundige keuringstructural survey
An independent structural survey of the property, usually done before or shortly after making an offer.
A structural survey costs a few hundred euros and can reveal tens of thousands in hidden repairs — foundation, roof, moisture, wiring. In older housing stock it is close to essential, and a purchase agreement can include it as a formal condition (voorbehoud bouwkundige keuring) so you can walk away or renegotiate.
eigendomsinformatieownership extract
The Kadaster ownership extract for a specific property.
The ownership extract is the document your notary will rely on: registered owner, mortgages, attachments and easements. Pulling it early costs little and removes an entire category of last-minute surprises at closing.
erfpachtleasehold
Leasehold: someone else (often the municipality) owns the land and you pay for the right to use it.
With erfpacht you own the home but not the land under it. That affects financing, monthly costs and resale value, especially in cities like Amsterdam where ground leases are common. Check who owns the land, what the conditions are and when the current period ends.
erfpachtcanon
The annual ground rent paid under a leasehold (erfpacht) arrangement.
On leasehold land the canon is a recurring cost on top of your mortgage, and its future resets are where the risk hides. A canon that is fixed or bought off for decades is very different from one about to be revised to market rates — lenders price that difference, and so should your bid.
huishoudelijk reglementVvE house rules
The VvE house rules covering things like pets, rentals, flooring, and use of shared spaces.
The house rules govern daily life: pets, short-stay rental, floor covering, use of shared spaces. If you plan to rent the apartment out or renovate, check these rules first — violating them can be enforced by the VvE.
jaarrekeningannual financial statement
The VvE’s annual financial statement.
The annual accounts show whether the VvE’s finances are real: actual reserve balance, arrears from other owners, and whether contributions cover spending. Compare it against the MJOP to see if the savings match the plan.
k.k.kosten koper
“Buyer’s costs”: on top of the listed price, the buyer pays transfer tax and notary fees, typically 4–6% extra.
Listings marked k.k. mean the advertised price is not what the purchase costs you: transfer tax, notary and registration fees come on top, typically 4–6% for buyers who do not qualify for the starter exemption. Budget for it up front — it cannot be financed within a standard mortgage above the home value.
Kadaster
The Dutch national land registry recording ownership, mortgages, and easements.
The Kadaster records who owns what: boundaries, mortgages, easements and leasehold. A few euros buys you the extract that confirms the seller actually owns the property and reveals obligations that never appear in a listing.
MJOPmeerjarenonderhoudsplan
The VvE’s multi-year maintenance plan forecasting upcoming building work and how it will be paid for.
The MJOP tells you what the building will need — roof, facades, foundation, painting — and whether the VvE is saving enough to pay for it. A missing or outdated MJOP means major works may be unplanned and unfunded, which is exactly the kind of surprise that turns into a special levy for owners.
NEN 2580
The Dutch measurement standard for usable floor area; a NEN 2580 report certifies the advertised square meters.
Floor area sells, so it gets exaggerated. A NEN 2580 measurement report is the standard that makes square meters comparable between listings. If the brochure area is not backed by one, treat the number with caution — a few missing square meters changes both the price per m² and your comparison set.
notulen ALVVvE meeting minutes
Minutes of the VvE general members’ meeting — where planned works, disputes, and money problems surface first.
Meeting minutes are the most honest document in the VvE package: planned works, arguments about money, owners refusing to pay. Two or three years of notulen ALV tell you where the building is heading long before it shows up in the accounts.
opstalverzekeringbuilding insurance
Insurance covering the building structure itself; for apartments it is usually held collectively by the VvE.
For apartments the building insurance is normally collective through the VvE — you must verify it exists and covers rebuild value, because a gap becomes every owner’s problem after a fire or major damage. For houses you arrange it yourself, and lenders require it before the mortgage completes.
splitsingsaktedeed of division
The notarial deed that splits a building into apartment rights and fixes each owner’s share and obligations.
The splitsingsakte defines what you actually own: your share of the building, which parts are private and which are common, and how costs and votes are split. Renovation plans, rental intentions and even flooring choices can be constrained by it, so read it before the bid, not after.
vragenlijstseller questionnaire
The seller questionnaire disclosing known defects, renovations, and disputes about the property.
The vragenlijst is the seller’s formal disclosure: known defects, renovations, leaks, disputes. It matters legally — what is disclosed here is hard to complain about later, and what is concealed can support a claim. Read every answer and chase the vague ones before you commit.
VvEVereniging van Eigenaren
The owners’ association every apartment owner in the building automatically joins. It manages shared maintenance, insurance, and finances.
When you buy an apartment in the Netherlands you buy into its VvE, whether you like it or not. A healthy VvE has a funded reserve, an up-to-date maintenance plan and clean meeting minutes; a weak one can hand you a special levy of thousands of euros shortly after you move in. Always review the VvE package before bidding.
WOZWaardering Onroerende Zaken
The official Dutch municipal property valuation, reassessed annually and used as the public tax reference value.
Municipalities publish a WOZ value for every home, so it is one of the few price anchors you can check for free. It lags the market and often sits below a realistic sale price, but a large gap between the asking price and the WOZ value is a useful prompt to ask why. The WOZ value also drives property tax and some mortgage conditions.
Put the jargon to work
See these terms analyzed for a real property
Makela reads the listing, public records and seller documents for you — VvE health, WOZ context, permits and risks — and explains what they mean for your offer.