Non-profit building associations are legally obliged to collect a maintenance and improvement contribution from their tenants in good time in the interests of long-term maintenance and improvement of the building fabric. We have looked at exactly what this means for you:
What is a maintenance contribution or an improvement contribution (EVB)?
The maintenance and improvement contribution is collected by non-profit building associations, commonly known as cooperatives. These may only use the EVB for a specific purpose, i.e. exclusively to finance necessary maintenance and renovation work or useful improvement work. The amount of the maintenance and improvement contribution is capped by law.
Is the maintenance and improvement contribution part of the rent or the operating costs?
The maintenance and improvement contribution is a fixed component of the total rent if the apartment is rented out by a non-profit building association. However, these associations must settle the maintenance and improvement contribution in a similar way to the operating costs by June 30 of the following year and provide the tenants with a statement of income and expenditure.
How high is the maintenance contribution or the improvement contribution?
In the first five years after initial occupancy, the EVB is currently EUR 0.59 per square meter per month. From the sixth year and every year after the first occupancy, there is an increase of twelve percent. However, the maintenance and improvement contribution cannot be increased indefinitely – the statutory regulation stipulates that no more than EUR 2.33 per square meter per month may be charged 20 years after first occupancy of a residential complex.
Is the EVB value-secured?
Yes. The maintenance and improvement contribution is value-adjusted and thus linked to the consumer price index (CPI 2010). However, the originally planned adjustment of the EVB was already suspended last year due to the rent cap. A cap was also introduced for this year: From April 1, 2026, the adjustment will be subject to a cap of five percent. If there is an increase of more than five percent from April 1, 2027 (based on the average CPI increase of the last three years), only half of the amount in excess of this will be taken into account.
Is it possible to object to a maintenance or improvement contribution?
Tenants can have a court review whether the maintenance and improvement contribution is being collected in the correct amount. If the EVB is not used by the non-profit building association within 20 years, the association must repay it. In this case, tenants can also have the correctness of the amount paid back checked.
FAQ: Maintenance contribution and improvement contribution
The maintenance and improvement contribution is used to finance such measures on residential buildings
Non-profit building associations may levy the EVB on the basis of the Housing Non-Profit Act
No. The maintenance and improvement contribution is capped by law.
No, the EVB is part of the rent.
Related posts:
Cooperative apartment: everything you need to know
Operating costs: What tenants & owners should know
