Preparing the general meeting (ALV): agenda, notice and proxies

Why preparation matters so much

At the ALV, the owners in a VvE (owners’ association, Vereniging van Eigenaars) decide on the budget, maintenance and who sits on the board. If something goes wrong with the notice or the agenda, an owner can later claim that a decision is not valid. That costs time and causes unrest. A fixed approach prevents this.

Step 1: choose the date and mind the notice period

Most sets of regulations in the deed of division (splitsingsreglement) require the association to meet at least once a year. This often happens within six months after the end of the financial year, so the annual accounts can be discussed.

The regulations also set a notice period: the number of days between the invitation and the meeting. In many regulations this is between eight and fifteen days. Allow plenty of time and do not count the day you send the invitation or the day of the meeting. Then you are almost always on the safe side.

Step 2: write a clear agenda

As a rule, the meeting cannot take a valid decision on a subject that is not on the agenda. So include everything you want to decide on, and be specific. Not “maintenance”, but “decision on painting the window frames, based on the € 18,000 quote”.

A fixed order helps everyone:

1. Opening and adoption of the agenda
2. Minutes of the previous meeting
3. Annual report of the board
4. Annual accounts and report of the audit committee
5. Discharge of the board
6. Budget and contribution for the new year
7. Maintenance and the long-term maintenance plan (MJOP)
8. Election of the board and the audit committee
9. Any other business and closing

Step 3: send the documents with the invitation

Owners need to be able to prepare. Send the documents with the notice: the draft minutes, the annual accounts, the budget and the quotes that will be voted on. Add where and when the meeting takes place, and how someone can give a proxy.

Step 4: arrange the proxies

Can an owner not attend? Then they can usually authorise someone else to vote for them. This nearly always has to be in writing. Some regulations limit how many proxies one person may hold. Collect proxies in advance and check them at the door. That way you know exactly how many votes are in the room.

Step 5: know how votes are cast and counted

In many associations, not everyone has the same number of votes. The number of votes often depends on the ownership share (breukdeel) of the apartment. The regulations also state what share of the votes must be present before a decision can be taken. This is called the quorum. Some decisions, such as changing the regulations or a large expense, often need a larger majority.

Was the quorum not reached? Many regulations then call for a second meeting, where a decision can be taken after all. If your regulations allow it, mention the date of that second meeting in the invitation.

Step 6: after the meeting

The work is not finished when the meeting ends. Send round the draft minutes within a few weeks, with the decisions and action points. For each action point, note who will pick it up and by when. That way residents see what happened with their vote, and you do not start from scratch at the next ALV. Keep the attendance list and the proxies with the minutes, in case questions about a decision come up later.

Checklist for the ALV

• Date chosen and notice period checked
• Agenda with specific decisions
• Documents sent with the notice
• Proxy form included
• Attendance list and votes per apartment ready
• Someone asked to take the minutes
• Agreement on who chairs the meeting