Condominium administrator: what they must do

Who is the condominium owner and what does the administrator manage?

The condominium owner (condomino) is the owner of a flat, a garage or a shop inside a building with common parts. The common parts are, for example, the stairs, the roof, the façade and the central heating system.

The administrator is not the owner of the building. They act on behalf of all the condominium owners and are accountable for their management to the assemblea.

When is it compulsory to have one?

The law, under article 1129 of the Civil Code (codice civile), requires the appointment of an administrator when there are more than eight condominium owners. Below this threshold the condominium may choose to appoint one, but it is not obliged to.

The appointment is made by a resolution of the assemblea. The minutes (verbale) show the name, the length of the appointment and the powers granted to them.

What must they do each year?

In summary, the administrator must:

• collect the contributions that condominium owners pay towards common expenses;
• pay the suppliers and the bills for the common parts;
• keep the condominium's money in an account in the name of the condominium, separate from their own;
• convene the assemblea and report to it on the management;
• prepare the annual statement of accounts (rendiconto), meaning the yearly budget of income and expenses, which the assemblea approves (article 1130-bis of the Civil Code);
• issue a certificate of payments (attestazione dei pagamenti) to anyone who asks for it, for example to someone buying a home (article 1130, number 9).

If there is no approved statement of accounts for a year, ask how the common money was spent. This is the first thing to check when you enter a condominium.

How are expenses divided among condominium owners?

Common expenses are divided according to the thousandths (millesimi) of each flat (article 1123 of the Civil Code). The thousandths are a number that shows how much your share weighs in the total of the building. The calculation is explained in the guide condominium thousandths: how they are calculated.

Invented example with round numbers. The condominium spends €10,000 on redoing the façade. Your flat has 50 thousandths out of 1,000.

• Share: 50 / 1,000 = 5%.
• Your part: 5% of €10,000 = €500.

The administrator will ask you for this sum, divided into instalments or as a single payment, according to what the assemblea has decided. To understand who pays what between owner and tenant, read condominium expenses: who pays what.

What can they not decide on their own?

The administrator carries out the decisions of the assemblea and handles day-to-day matters. Important choices, such as extraordinary works or spending more than expected, are for the assemblea. The majorities required are set by article 1136 of the Civil Code.

If you want to understand how a meeting works and how voting takes place, read condominium assembly: how it works.

Why does it matter to those buying a home?

This is the point that matters most to a buyer. Anyone who takes over the rights of a condominium owner is jointly liable with the previous owner for the contributions of the current year and of the year before (article 63, paragraph 4, of the implementing provisions of the Civil Code).

Invented example. The notarial deed (rogito) is in March 2026. The seller has left arrears from 2023 to 2026.

• For the older years, that is 2023 and 2024, the condominium turns to the seller.
• For 2025 and 2026, the condominium can also ask you for the sum.

For this reason, before signing, ask the administrator for the certificate of payments. For arrears, the topic is explained in condominium arrears: who pays them when you buy.

What happens if a condominium owner does not pay?

If a condominium owner does not pay their contributions, the administrator can take action to recover them. The timing depends on the situation. The general picture is in the guide defaulting condominium owner: what the condominium can do.

How much does the administrator cost and who pays them?

The administrator's fee is decided by the assemblea and its amount is written in the appointment contract. There is no single price: it depends on the size of the building and the services requested. To understand how it is calculated and who pays it, read condominium administrator: how much they cost, how long the appointment lasts, who pays.

The most common mistakes

• Not asking for the statement of accounts and the certificate of payments before buying.
• Paying a sum requested by the administrator without checking that it has been approved by the assemblea.
• Not reading the minutes of the assemblee from the last two years, where ongoing works and future expenses are recorded.

In practice

• Ask the administrator for the certificate of payments before signing the notarial deed, and check that there are no arrears.
• Ask for the latest approved statement of accounts and check that it was voted on in the assemblea.
• Calculate your share using the thousandths shown in the condominium's thousandths table, not by guessing.
• Read the minutes of the latest assemblee and note the extraordinary works already approved.

Frequently asked questions

Must a condominium always have an administrator?

No, the law requires one when there are more than eight condominium owners. Below this threshold the condominium can choose whether to appoint one or to manage itself in another way, as the assemblea decides.

Can I ask the administrator for the accounts at any time?

Yes. The condominium owner has the right to consult the condominium's documentation and to receive information about its management. Ask in writing, so that you have proof of the request.

If the administrator changes, what happens to the money?

Management passes to the new administrator, who must receive from the previous one the documents, the account and the state of payments. The handover should be checked in the minutes of the assemblea that appoints them.

Sources

• Civil Code (articles 1123, 1129, 1130, 1136 and 1130-bis)
• Implementing provisions of the Civil Code, art. 63