Fiber Internet for HOAs (VvE) and Tenants in Amsterdam

Last updated: September 16, 2026

A large part of Amsterdam consists of apartment complexes and divided buildings. With a terraced house, the installation of fiber is simple: digging in the front yard and drilling a hole through the wall. In an apartment building, this process is much more complex. Here is what you need to know as a tenant or a member of an Owners' Association (VvE).

The Two Phases of Installation

Installation in a complex almost always takes place in two phases:

• Horizontal installation: The cable is laid under the street and brought inside to a central area in your building (often a basement or communal meter cupboard).
• Vertical installation: The cable must be pulled upwards from the basement via conduit pipes, shafts, or facades to your specific floor or front door.

Permission is Required

For the vertical installation, work often needs to be done in communal areas or on the exterior wall. For this, the network operator (such as KPN Netwerk or ODF) is legally obliged to request permission from the building owner.

• Are you an owner (HOA / VvE)? Then the HOA board must grant permission. Often, the HOA signs a 'consent declaration'. This costs the HOA nothing, but it regulates liability and agreements on how the cables are neatly concealed.
• Are you a tenant? Then your landlord (for example, a housing corporation such as Ymere or Stadgenoot, or a private landlord) must give permission. In most cases, you do not have to arrange anything yourself; the network operator will contact the owner.

The Obligation to Tolerate (Telecommunications Act)

Sometimes an HOA hesitates to give permission due to fear of damage or mess. However, according to Article 5.2 of the Telecommunications Act, there is a so-called Obligation to Tolerate (Gedoogplicht). This means that owners must generally tolerate (accept) the installation of a telecom network in their building. The law does stipulate an important condition: this must be done in the least burdensome manner. An HOA can therefore find it very difficult to block the installation, but does have a strong position to set requirements on how and where the cables are concealed, in order to minimize inconvenience and damage.

HOA Decision-Making: Usually a Simple Majority

Within an HOA, there is often the misconception that a 'qualified majority' or even unanimity is required during the General Meeting of Members (ALV) for the installation of fiber. This is generally not the case. Because fiber is legally considered infrastructure of the telecom provider and not a new 'communal installation' of the HOA itself, according to many model regulations and advice from interest groups, only a simple majority (half + 1) of the votes present is needed to approve agreements on the installation.

Safety: Fire Compartmentalization and Leaks

Although an HOA cannot prevent the installation, it may set strict requirements for the execution. The most important points of attention during the vertical installation in shafts are the maintenance of fire compartmentalization (fire-resistant sealing of passages) and the prevention of leaks in meter cupboards and landings. The costs for these restoration works are the responsibility of the network operator, but the HOA is advised to monitor this closely.

Installation in your home

Once the cable is at your front door or meter cupboard, it still needs to be terminated in a connection point (FTU). The contractor will make a personal appointment with you for this. This termination is almost always free of charge, as long as it falls within the standard promotional period of the rollout. Read more about the exact steps of fiber installation in your home.