Reviewing the owners' or cooperative association
What to read in the articles, budget and annual accounts, and particular risks in cooperatives.
Applies to: Denmark. Reviewed 2026-09-25.
Key takeaways
- In a cooperative you pay both your own loan and your share of the cooperative's loan through the monthly charge.
- The valuation principle decides the share value and can lower it if changed.
- Owners' associations have common charges and often a maintenance plan and reserve fund.
The housing cooperative
- Valuation method: acquisition cost, independent valuation or public valuation.
- The cooperative's debt per square metre and loan type.
- Reserves held back from the share value.
- Rules on letting, waiting lists and transfer.
The owners' association
- Articles and house rules.
- Budget, common charges and planned increases.
- Maintenance plan and reserve fund.
- Minutes of the last general meetings.
Questions to ask
- Does the association have variable-rate loans or interest-rate swaps?
- Is there a maintenance plan and how large is the reserve?
- Are major renovations decided or planned?
Red flags
- The share value rests on a valuation that is several years old.
- The monthly charge has risen sharply several years running.
Sources
- Act on housing cooperatives (Retsinformation)