What is a condominium in Italy? | Help Westhouse Blog

In Italy, condominiums are very common. In fact, the term “condominium” has been in everyday use for many years.

What is a condominium?

When looking for a condo to buy or rent, always ask about condominium costs. A condominium (Latin con – together and dominium – possession) is a joint ownership, possession of a single object, most often a residential complex, where each flat is the private property of one owner, and common areas (stairwell, hall, courtyard, technical floors, etc.) are jointly owned by all residents.

Expenses in a condominium

In order to jointly maintain the above mentioned common areas and unavoidable expenses arise: cleaning of the entrance, territory, lighting of public areas, maintenance of the lift, entrance gates, etc.

The fees depend largely on the size of the property, the amount of work determined by the condominium members at the annual meetings, and the presence or absence of such improved features of the property as: condominium swimming pool, communal sauna, availability of a large territory, concierge, etc.

In direct dependence on the above-mentioned indicators, condominium costs per year range from 3.5 thousand CHF and up to 10 thousand CHF.

There are condos where there are no such expenses or they are minimal. Or condominium residents decide to do some cleaning of common areas, mowing the lawn, etc. themselves, thus reducing the cost of condominium fees. The latter option is rare and not popular with local residents.

All works agreed upon by the residents at the annual condominium meeting are carried out by specialised companies.

Contracts with these companies are signed on behalf of the condominium by the administrator. The administrator is elected at the same annual residents’ meeting once every three years. Condominium fees are paid either quarterly or biannually (every six months). The form of payment is determined by the residents at the same annual condominium meeting.

In Campione D’Italia, condominium fees include all utilities in the building except for: rubbish tax, electricity in your condo, gas in your condo (if available), TV antenna in your condo and landline phone in your condo.

These services are at your request (except for the rubbish tax) and connection request.

Condominium meetings

Back to the condominium. Once a year there is a condo owners meeting. One month before the meeting, you will find an envelope in your mailbox with last year’s reports and cost estimates for the coming year, as well as an invitation to the meeting and a power of attorney in case you are absent.

It is advisable to attend in person. Costs and types of work for the coming year are discussed. Reports are given for the past period. At the meeting the Administrator explains each item of future costs. Whether or not to accept them into execution is decided by the condominium residents by voting.

All costs in the estimate are divided into annual planned and emergency costs. Emergency works such as: replacement or repair of the roof, replacement of the boiler or part of the heating system, replacement or partial replacement of the lift, etc. are more expensive for the condo owners. The amount for the next year of these works may increase many times over.

It should always be remembered that all costs, including additional costs associated with renovation and improvement work, are shared in proportion to the size of the flats + the shared ownership.

In many condominiums there is such a concept as “millezimi”. This is not the square footage of the flats, but a register of the ownership shares of each condominium resident. It includes both the square footage of the flat and the square footage of your ownership share of the entire condominium property.

Let’s not get into the formula for calculating the millezimi. That is handled by the condominium administrator. It is this figure that your condominium expenses will be calculated on later on. So far we have not come across a situation where someone pays less than 1500 Euros per year even in Italy, but 3-4 thousand CHF in Campione is always welcome.

Anyway, there are condominiums in almost every house in Italy.Just don’t leave the once a year meetings to chance. If you are unable to attend this meeting in person, sign a power of attorney for the person in charge. Before the meeting, discuss with him/her all the items on the agenda and estimates. Decide which items you are in favour of and which you are against. After all, the acceptance or not of this or that figure in the cost estimate for the next year may depend on your vote.

And you, paying such a considerable amount of money per year, will know clearly and clearly what you are paying for. This will give you a sense of ownership and, as a result, confidence and peace of mind.

The topic of condominiums is vast and it is almost impossible to cover all the nuances in detail in one article.