Reviewed September 2026. Contact routes, account requirements and service procedures can change. Confirm current instructions with the organisation or professional involved.
Owning a home in Aruba from abroad becomes much easier when essential information is kept in one controlled property file. The purpose is not to collect every document. It is to make routine decisions and urgent responses possible without relying on one person’s memory, inbox or telephone.
Start with a one-page property summary
The first page should identify the property, the owner or owning entity, the local emergency contact and the person authorised to approve work. Record the physical address as used by utilities and service providers, plus clear access directions where street addressing is not enough.
- Owner and local representative contact details
- Property manager or keyholder
- Emergency spending limit and approval route
- Insurer, policy number and claims contact
- Utility account references
- Alarm, gate and essential equipment contacts
Do not place passwords, alarm codes or copies of identity documents in a widely shared file. Keep sensitive information in a suitable password manager or restricted folder and use the property summary to explain where authorised people can retrieve it.
Document utilities and shut-offs
Record the location of the water meter, main water shut-off, electrical panel, internet equipment and any pool or irrigation controls. Add labelled photographs. For WEB, ELMAR and SETAR, retain current account references, the registered account name and the official support route. Our utility guide for Aruba homeowners explains the different roles.
Photograph meter readings at purchase, handover and before an extended absence. A baseline helps a local contact recognise unexpected consumption or a device that should not be operating.
Create a service and maintenance register
For every important system, record the model, installation date where known, supplier, last service, next expected service and warranty documents. Air-conditioning, pool equipment, pumps, roofing, appliances, security and solar equipment deserve separate entries.
Attach quotations and invoices to the relevant item rather than leaving them scattered through email. A short work log—date, problem, action, cost and photographs—makes repeat faults easier to spot and gives a future buyer or new manager better context.
Define authority before something fails
A contact list is not the same as authority. Write down who may call a contractor, allow access, approve diagnostic work and authorise repairs. Use different limits for emergencies and routine improvements. Require a written quotation above an agreed amount and decide when the owner needs photographs or a second opinion.
For larger work, use the checks in our Aruba building and renovation permit guide. A local representative should not be expected to decide legal, structural or insurance questions without the appropriate professional.
Keep an access register
List every physical key, remote control and digital account needed to enter or operate the property. Record who holds each item and when it was issued or returned. Avoid naming keys with the complete property address. Change codes and remove digital users when a contractor, tenant or manager no longer needs access.
Review the file twice a year
Schedule a review before the home’s busiest rental period and before a long absence. Remove obsolete contacts, check policy and service dates, test that shared links still work and confirm that the local contact can find shut-offs and essential documents.
A practical folder structure
- Property summary and authority
- Ownership, notarial and cadastral records
- Insurance
- Utilities
- Access and security
- Maintenance systems
- Suppliers, quotations and invoices
- Permits, plans and warranties
- Emergency plan and incident records
Also keep an offline copy of the essential emergency page. The separate emergency plan for absentee Aruba homeowners provides a fuller response checklist.
Official starting points
This guide provides general organisational information. It is not legal, insurance, tax or technical advice. Confirm formal authority and document requirements with the relevant professional or organisation.