The first is the exact content of the fee structure. Behind a seemingly low monthly fee, organising general meetings, chairing extraordinary sessions or even administering individual fault reports often appear as separate charges. Ask what the monthly fee covers and what counts as an extra item. A transparent contract lists this in detail rather than hiding it under other duties.
The second is the scope of liability and professional insurance. The manager is liable for damage arising from their activity under the general rules of the Civil Code, unless the contract or the house rules state otherwise. Ask whether the manager has professional liability insurance and up to what amount it covers potential damages.
The third point is the notice period and the handover obligation. The law does not prescribe a mandatory notice period for management contracts, it is freely agreed, but a mutually workable 30 to 60 day notice period is a normal expectation. The contract should state that upon termination the manager must hand over the complete archive and financial records in order, within a defined deadline.
The fourth point, often missing, is the frequency and format of reporting. How often does the supervisory committee receive financial statements, at what level of detail, and how can an owner access the history of their own payments. If this is not in the contract, it is hard to enforce later.
Finally, clarify the response time for fault reports: in an emergency (burst pipe, power outage, lift breakdown) within how many hours must action be taken, and how is this documented.
Another point that often slips through is fee indexation: by how much and based on which index can the monthly fee rise automatically each year, and does this require separate approval by the general meeting. If this is not fixed, the manager can change the fee unilaterally, which can lead to disputes later.
Every Merbo offer sets out in detail what is included in the monthly fee, what counts as separately billed work, and what response time we commit to in an emergency. On request we are happy to send over a current sample contract for review.