What does the BRL 5016 entail, Managers of Owners' Associations?
The BRL 5016 regulates the professionalism of managers of Associations of Owners (VvE). The process certified by SKG-IKOB focuses on the organization and internal operations of managers, the management of Unions, the requirements for common (building) parts, and their maintenance. This BRL, together with the accompanying product certificate, offers certificate holders and third parties insight into the quality of their organization.
Originated by cooperation
SKG-IKOB Certificatie developed the 'Service Certificate for Managers of Owners' Associations - BRL 5016' in cooperation with VvE Belang, Vereniging Eigen Huis, Consen and Aedes. At the end of 2003, the first manager was certified according to the 'BRL 5016 dated September 1, 2003'.
VvEs in the Netherlands
There are approximately 1.8 million apartments in the Netherlands. By law, every owner is automatically a member of the Owners' Association in which his or her apartment is located. This results in over 125,000 CoEs with approximately 1,875,000 apartment rights, most of which are residential apartments. Approximately one-fifth of the housing stock of 8.1 million homes is covered by a CoE. Traditionally, VvEs are responsible for the maintenance of common building parts such as roofs, facades and foundations and common (traffic) areas. But due to increasing complexity, such as making complexes more sustainable and life-proof, management is often outsourced. With an average size of 15 apartments, this task is often too complex for volunteer board members.
Why a Certified Administrator?
When the board of a VvE wants to outsource the management (administrative, financial and architectural), it is crucial to get assurance in advance about the professionalism and integrity of the administrator. Certified managers are required to have a clear complaints procedure and must be affiliated with an independent dispute resolution committee. How the administrator handles disputes is an important part of the annual review for retention of certification. This also applies to managing the VvE's financial resources, reservations, insurance and having an up-to-date maintenance plan. In addition, there are strict requirements for accessibility and response times for certified managers.
Quality assurance of the Certificate
SKG-IKOB safeguards the quality of the certificate by placing supervision of the development and management of the assessment guideline with the Board of Experts BRL-5016 (BoE). This Board, which does not include SKG-IKOB, determines the requirements in the BRL. Since December 1, the Board has included representatives of municipalities, the housing sector, Stichting VvE-Belang, Vastgoed Belang, FICIM, VGMNL, and VvE Kennis & Advies. Independent chairman is P. van Lunteren, former alderman of Breda and former parliamentary group member in the Lower House.
BRL 5016 Renewed
As of December 1, 2023, following the Royal Notarial Association's Model Regulations for CoEs, the requirements for the CoE Administrator Certificate are further focused on small management offices. SKG-IKOB aims with the renewed BRL to lower the threshold for small VvE managers, because these SME companies often serve the smallest VvEs, where the level of organization and quality are still relatively low. This can lead to risks in the district-oriented approach to sustainability. The updated BRL ensures that an independent assessment of the quality of all VvE managers is within reach. As a result, VvEs can outsource the maintenance and management of their residential complexes even more safely, without worrying about the reliability of the party they are dealing with.
The new version of the Assessment Directive Service Certificate for Managers of Owners' Associations (BRL-5016) guarantees that the company meets high standards of professionalism that are reviewed annually by SKG-IKOB.
Information
For more information, please contact Jeffrey Bogaard, certification manager at SKG-IKOB Certificatie B.V., by phone at 088-2440100 or by e-mail at
