Can the headquarters of an association be the home of one of its members?

Verified 18 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you an executive or a member of the association and wondering if its head office can be located in your home? The registered office of an association may be located in your home, whether you own or rent your home. We explain the rules to follow.

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You own your home and it's in a condominium

In this case, the fact that an association has its address within a condominium entails compliance with certain rules.

Domiciliation must not affect the rights of the other co-owners and cause neighbourhood disorder.

It must also comply with the rules on co-ownership, in particular the rules on the use of private parts (residential or commercial use) and common parts.

Indeed, as a co-owner, you need to get the agreement of the other co-owners before you can change the assignment of your co-ownership lot (transition from residential to associative use). This is the case when the activity of the association takes place within your home.

Please note

By providing part of your accommodation, you can ask the association for a compensation. Thus, upon proof, the association can pay you rent and reimburse you the charges you have advanced on its behalf (water, electricity, telephone, internet,...).

You own your home and it's not in a condo

You are free to reside the head office of your association at your home.

You don't need permission to do that.

Please note

By providing part of your accommodation, you can ask the association for a compensation. Thus, upon proof, the association can pay you rent and reimburse you the expenses you have advanced on its behalf (water, electricity, telephone, internet,...).

You're a tenant

A lease cannot prohibit a tenant from carrying out an associative activity.

Thus, the head office of an association can be fixed at your home and you do not need the authorization of your owner.

However, if your address is the association's address, you must meet your obligations towards your landlord and other tenants or neighbors.

In particular, domiciliation must not lead to the creation of noise nuisance in case of meetings, irregular occupancy of common areas,...

Housing must remain your place of residence. It cannot become the place of the actual activity of the association through the transformation of the housing into an office. Otherwise, the lease could be terminated.

Please note

By providing part of your accommodation, you can ask the association for a compensation. Thus, upon proof, the association can pay you rent and reimburse you the expenses you have advanced on its behalf (water, electricity, telephone, internet,...). To do this, as a tenant, you must have a subleasing authorization.

FYI  

The registered office of an association may also be situated in a municipal building such as the town hall, in institutional premises (school, library,...) but also in a commercial or private office.

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