Topic
Checking the owners' association
Buying a flat means buying two things: the flat itself, and a share in a community with its own history. The second part appears in no listing.
What you acquire besides the flat
You step into an existing community, with every resolution passed before you arrived. A renovation that has been resolved but not yet paid for becomes your payment obligation, even if the resolution is years older than your purchase.
The three documents that make the difference
The listing does not decide this; three documents you have to ask for explicitly do. Not receiving them is itself the finding.
The minutes of recent meetings
They show what was argued about, what was resolved, and what was postponed. A roof repair postponed several times over is a roof that is broken and that nobody wants to pay for.
The budget plan
It shows what is due on an ongoing basis and how it is split. Compare the figure against what the listing states as the monthly charge.
The state of the reserve fund
A thin reserve in an old building means the next major repair arrives as a special assessment, and that falls on whoever owns the flat at the time.
How to spot a badly run community
Three signs: minutes that are not handed over. A manager who has not been reconfirmed in years. And a monthly charge that has not risen in years even though every cost has.
The legal position in Germany
How ownership is split here
Flat ownership (Wohnungseigentum) combines exclusive ownership of the flat itself with a co-ownership share in the common property: the land, the roof, load-bearing parts, the stairwell.
The community and its decisions
The legally capable community of flat owners (Gemeinschaft der Wohnungseigentümer, GdWE) manages the common property. A manager carries out the resolutions of the owners' meeting, which since the 2020 WEG reform are mostly passed by simple majority.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners pay a monthly service charge (Hausgeld) as an advance under the budget plan, plus contributions to a maintenance reserve. A special assessment is resolved for larger works. An annual statement follows at year end.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The buyer is not personally liable for the previous owner's arrears of service charge; the community has to collect those from the former owner instead. The buyer IS liable for everything that falls due after the transfer of ownership, including a special assessment already resolved beforehand. That is why the resolutions on upcoming works are decisive for a buyer.
Basis: Set out in the German Condominium Act (Wohnungseigentumsgesetz, WEG): section 16 on bearing costs, section 28 on the budget plan and the annual statement.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-17.
The legal position in Austria
How ownership is split here
Flat ownership (Wohnungseigentum) is the right to use and dispose of a unit exclusively, combined with a share in the property and its common parts.
The community and its decisions
The community of owners manages the property, usually through an appointed manager. Decisions on ordinary management are taken by a majority weighted by ownership shares.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners bear the running costs and pay into a reserve fund. Since the 2022 WEG reform, a minimum monthly contribution per square metre of usable floor area applies, which may only be undercut in exceptional cases, and it is adjusted for inflation every two years in line with the consumer price index (section 31(5) WEG 2002). Since 1 January 2026 it has been 1.12 euros.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The buyer does not take on the debt, but a statutory preferential lien attaches to every co-ownership share: it secures claims of the community of owners against the owner of that share, and recourse claims of other flat owners arising from their liability under section 18 para 4 second sentence or from their payment of liabilities connected with managing the property (section 27 para 1 WEG 2002). WHAT MATTERS FOR THE BUYER IS PARA 2: the preferential lien accrues to the claimant ONLY if he asserts the claim together with the lien by court action within six months AND applies for the action to be noted in the land register against the defendant's co-ownership share. Where that has not happened, no effective preferential lien arises; where it has, the note stands in the land register and can be seen on inspection. That makes the position clearer for a buyer than in countries whose lien exists invisibly in the background. The harshest case is the purchaser at a forced sale: the secured claim is to be settled in cash so far as it is covered by the distribution fund, and otherwise taken over by the purchaser WITHOUT being credited against the highest bid (para 3). The extent is set by section 216 para 1 no 3 of the Enforcement Act, which covers claims under section 27 WEG 2002 outstanding from the last five years before the day the sale is confirmed. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: section 27 WEG 2002 was checked against the primary text in the RIS (document NOR40080386, version in force since 1 October 2006, BGBl. I no. 124/2006); section 216 para 1 no 3 of the Enforcement Act only through a secondary source quoting it verbatim. Separately from all this, the reserve fund belongs to the community of owners as a whole and passes with the flat ownership to the buyer; an owner who sells does not get their contributions back.
Basis: Set out in the Austrian Condominium Act (Wohnungseigentumsgesetz 2002, WEG 2002), section 31 on the reserve fund and section 27 on the statutory preferential lien (extent under section 216 para 1 no 3 of the Enforcement Act).. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
The legal position in Switzerland
How ownership is split here
Stockwerkeigentum (condominium ownership) is a co-ownership share in the property combined with the special right to exclusively use certain parts and to fit them out internally.
The community and its decisions
The Stockwerkeigentümergemeinschaft (association of condominium owners) passes resolutions at the assembly and appoints a management agent. The Nutzungs- und Verwaltungsreglement (regulations on use and management) governs the details.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Common costs are borne according to value quotas. An Erneuerungsfonds (renewal fund) for future renovations is common but not legally mandatory.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The Erneuerungsfonds (renewal fund) passes to the buyer together with the Stockwerkeigentum (condominium ownership) and is not refunded. A statutory Gemeinschaftspfandrecht (collective lien) attaches to the unit for unpaid contributions from the last three years. The buyer should verify outstanding contributions and the amount of the Erneuerungsfonds (renewal fund).
Basis: Stockwerkeigentum (condominium ownership) under Art. 712a ff. ZGB; the Gemeinschaftspfandrecht (collective lien) for contributions under Art. 712i ZGB. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
The legal position in 30 further countries
This theme also has a legal basis on record for these countries, each with its statute and verification date. Expand your country.
Belgium
How ownership is split here
The gedwongen mede-eigendom (copropriété forcée, forced co-ownership) divides the building into private units and common parts. The rules are set out in the basisakte (constitutive deed) and in Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 3.
The community and its decisions
The Vereniging van Mede-Eigenaars (VME, association of co-owners) takes decisions in the algemene vergadering (general meeting) and is managed by a syndicus (property manager).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
There is a werkkapitaal (working capital) for current expenses and a reservekapitaal (reserve fund), which is as a rule obligatory and amounts to at least five percent of the ordinary charges of the previous year.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The share in the reservekapitaal (reserve fund) is inseparably linked to the apartment and passes automatically to the buyer. The seller cannot reclaim it. The notary obtains information from the syndicus (property manager) on the seller's outstanding debts, current and planned works, resolutions, and the status of the reservekapitaal. ARREARS DO NOT REACH THE BUYER AS A DEBT; they are withheld from the purchase price by the notary: on execution of the deed the officiating notary must deduct the arrears owed by the departing co-owner on ordinary and extraordinary charges, including the costs of judicial and extrajudicial recovery (Art. 3.94 BW). WATCH THE ORDER OF PRIORITY: the notary first pays preferential and mortgage creditors and anyone who has notified him of a garnishment or an assignment of claim. If the purchase price no longer stretches after those, the deduction comes to nothing and the association is left with its claim. The syndicus must supply the required information within fifteen days on simple request to the agent or seller, and within thirty days to the notary where he requests it by registered letter. As for the working capital, the departing co-owner is a creditor of the association for the part of his share covering the period after he moved out. The buyer should review this information. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Belgian professional sources on Art. 3.94 BW, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 3 (gedwongen mede-eigendom) and the Code civil; the notary's duty to obtain information upon sale.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Bulgaria
How ownership is split here
Etazhna sobstvenost (Bulgarian condominium ownership) combines exclusive ownership of the individual unit with a share in the common parts, held as idealni chasti (undivided co-ownership quotas).
The community and its decisions
Administration is performed by the general meeting of owners and a manager or a management company.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay proportionate contributions toward administration and maintenance, and into a fund named Remont i obnovyavane (repair and renewal).
The risk that passes to the buyer
OLD DEBTS STAY WITH THE OLD OWNER, AND FOR THE REGISTERED OWNERS' ASSOCIATION THE STATUTE SAYS SO EXPRESSLY: under Art. 30 para. 1 ZUES, membership in a sdruzhenie na sobstvenitsite (registered owners' association) passes to the new owner upon a change of ownership, but liabilities toward the association that fell due before the change remain with the old owner. THE RULE CAN BE CONTRACTED AROUND: it applies only unless the parties agree otherwise at the change of ownership, so a buyer who signs an assumption of old debts in the purchase deed is bound by it; that clause is exactly what the buyer should look for in the draft contract. For the ordinary etazhna sobstvenost without a registered association, which is the standard case, the statute imposes no liability on the acquirer at all: the community enforces arrears against the debtor personally, through a payment order under Art. 38 para. 2 ZUES in conjunction with Art. 410 para. 1 no. 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure. There is no statutory charge on the apartment, no clearance certificate required at the notary, and no purchase-price retention. ONE SPECIAL CASE APPLIES IN GATED COMPLEXES (zhilishten kompleks ot zatvoren tip): the management contract between developer and owners, registered against each unit, is enforceable against every subsequent acquirer under Art. 2 para. 2 ZUES, so the buyer steps into its ongoing obligations and should read that contract before buying. RESEARCH SCOPE: verified against the consolidated full text of the ZUES (all amendments up to State Gazette No. 49 of 17 June 2025); the wording of Art. 30 para. 1 was additionally cross-checked, word for word, against the version published by the competent Ministry of Regional Development. The Property Act (ZS) was also reviewed; its Art. 41 only imposes the ongoing proportionate cost duty.
Basis: The applicable law is the Zakon za upravlenie na etazhnata sobstvenost, ZUES, in particular Art. 30 para. 1 and Art. 38 para. 2.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-20.
Denmark
How ownership is split here
An ejerlejlighed (condominium unit) is true apartment ownership; the owner automatically becomes a member of the ejerforening (owners' association).
The community and its decisions
The ejerforening (owners' association) manages the common parts in accordance with the Normalvedtægt (standard articles of association) and passes resolutions in the general meeting.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners bear the fællesudgifter (common expenses) according to the fordelingstal (allocation key).
The risk that passes to the buyer
The owners are personally liable for the obligations of the ejerforening (owners' association), proportionally according to the fordelingstal (allocation key) and subordinately, because the ejerforening is liable first. Upon purchase, the acquirer assumes this liability. The buyer should examine any outstanding fællesudgifter (common expenses) and the financial position of the ejerforening.
Basis: Ejerlejlighedsloven (Lov om ejerlejligheder); the Normalvedtægt under Bekendtgørelse 1738/2020. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Estonia
How ownership is split here
The korteriomand (apartment ownership) combines the exclusive ownership of the apartment with a share in the common property. The owners constitute a korteriühistu (association of apartment owners).
The community and its decisions
The korteriühistu (association of apartment owners) manages the building and passes resolutions in the general meeting.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay contributions toward management and into a reserve fund (remondifond).
The risk that passes to the buyer
In a purchase by ordinary notarial contract, the purchaser becomes jointly liable for the previous owner’s debts to the korteriühistu, limited to the market value of the apartment. Only in an acquisition through compulsory enforcement is the apartment free of such debts. The purchaser should verify outstanding contributions.
Basis: Korteriomandi- ja korteriühistuseadus (Estonian law on apartment ownership and associations of apartment owners). Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Finland
How ownership is split here
In Finland, one typically does not purchase the flat itself, but rather shares in an asunto-osakeyhtiö (limited liability housing company), which entitle the holder to occupy a specific flat.
The community and its decisions
The company is owned by its shareholders, managed by a hallitus (board of directors) and usually by an isännöitsijä (property manager), and passes resolutions in the yhtiökokous (general meeting of shareholders).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Shareholders pay a yhtiövastike (monthly maintenance charge) to the company. The company itself may have loans, a yhtiölaina (company loan), the share of which is allocated to the flat.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The decisive factor is the company debt allocated to the flat. A low price may conceal a high share of company debt. THE BUYER IS LIABLE FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S OUTSTANDING vastike (maintenance charge), but subject to two limits, and together they make the isännöitsijäntodistus (certificate from the property manager) the single most important document of the whole purchase. The first limit is time: six months are covered, namely the month in which ownership passes and the five months before it. If ownership passes in October, arrears from before April are no longer the buyer's problem. The second limit is the sharper one: for an amount that fell due BEFORE the date of the isännöitsijäntodistus and was NOT listed on it, the new owner is not liable. A current certificate therefore cuts off the old debts; an outdated one, or none at all, leaves them open. This is why the date of the certificate is not a formality: the closer it sits to completion, the smaller the unprotected window. It also shows the flat's share of the company debt and any outstanding vastike. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Finnish professional sources on the Asunto-osakeyhtiölaki, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: The applicable law is Asunto-osakeyhtiölaki, 1599/2009.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
France
How ownership is split here
Co-ownership (copropriété) splits a building into privately owned units and common parts, both accounted for through a share, the tantièmes, attached to each unit.
The community and its decisions
The community of co-owners (syndicat des copropriétaires) decides at the general meeting (assemblée générale) and is run day to day by a syndic. Ordinary administration is decided by a simple majority of those present or represented.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners pay running service charges (charges de copropriété) plus contributions to a works reserve fund (fonds de travaux). Since an exemption for small buildings expired on 1 January 2025, the fund is compulsory for practically every residential co-ownership. The minimum annual contribution is 2.5 percent of the planned works where a multi-year works plan exists, otherwise 5 percent of the budget. Contributions stay attached to the unit.
The risk that passes to the buyer
Before the sale, the syndic draws up a dated statement (état daté) listing the seller's debts and the buyer's future charges. The buyer's share of the works reserve fund passes over without any reimbursement to the seller. Under article 20, the community can have the notary withhold part of the sale price to collect the seller's outstanding charges. The buyer should check the état daté and the maintenance logbook (carnet d'entretien).
Basis: Set out in the French Co-ownership Act (loi n° 65-557 of 10 July 1965): article 20 on outstanding charges at sale, article 14-2-1 on the works reserve fund.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-17.
Greece
How ownership is split here
Horizontal property (orizontios idioktisia) combines exclusive ownership of the apartment with mandatory co-ownership of the land and common parts.
The community and its decisions
The owners arrange management in the kanonismos (internal regulations) and through the owners' assembly, often with a diacheiristis (manager).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners bear the common costs (koinochrista) according to their chiliosta (thousandths).
The risk that passes to the buyer
THE NEW OWNER IS JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY LIABLE with the previous owner for outstanding koinochrista (common costs), regardless of when they arose. This is derived from the Civil Code: when the risk passes, the benefits and burdens of the thing pass with it (AK 525), and whoever bears the burdens for a given period is liable, in the case of periodically payable burdens, in proportion to the duration of his obligation (AK 965). The only real brake is limitation: claims of the building management for unpaid koinochrista are time-barred after five years. That is why the jahre field carries a 5, but it comes from limitation and not from any cap on liability; where limitation is interrupted, the claim reaches further back. A practical consequence that also affects the sale itself in Greece: unpaid koinochrista block the transfer. The buyer should check outstanding koinochrista and the kanonismos (internal regulations); a certificate from the manager on outstanding amounts is not merely advisable but the only protection. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Greek professional sources on AK 525 and AK 965, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: Law 3741/1929 on horizontal property, and Art. 1002 and 1117 of the Astikos Kodikas.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Ireland
How ownership is split here
Flats in a development are usually held on a long leasehold, often for 500 or 999 years, while the common areas and residual rights sit with an owners' management company (OMC). Every owner is also a member of that company. The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 requires the developer to hand the common areas over to the OMC before selling units.
The community and its decisions
The OMC is a real company under the Companies Act, run by a board drawn from the owners, usually supported by an appointed property agent. Decisions are made at the members' meeting, and the annual budget, the annual service charge, has to be put to the members for approval.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Two pots, both set out in law: the ongoing service charge under section 18 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, covering insurance, cleaning, lighting, lifts and management, and the building investment fund, known day to day as the sinking fund, under section 19, for larger costs that do not come up every year, such as the roof or the facade. The developer must also pay both charges for any units still unsold, once the most common source of disputes. The OMC can sue for either amount as a simple contract debt.
The risk that passes to the buyer
Outstanding service charges attach to the unit and are usually settled out of the sale price. Miss that step, and the buyer ends up facing the OMC's claim instead. The bigger risk in Ireland is an empty or underfunded sinking fund: if a roof or facade replacement comes up and the fund is empty, the cost is spread across the owners as a special levy, which can run into five figures. A third risk is the remaining term of the lease. Once it drops below roughly seventy years, mortgage lenders grow more cautious, which weighs on resale value.
Basis: Set out in the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 (section 18 service charge, section 19 building investment fund), the Companies Act 2014 for the OMC as a company, and the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 for the leasehold.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-17.
Iceland
How ownership is split here
The co-ownership share (hlutfallstala) is calculated mainly from the floor area and volume of the building, or from relative value where uses are mixed (section 14 of the Fjöleignarhús Act, Lög um fjöleignarhús nr. 26/1994). This same share fixes each owner's cost share, income share, voting weight and ownership share (section 15).
The community and its decisions
The house association (húsfélag) comes into being by law for every multi-owner building, with no separate act of formation needed. Every owner is automatically a member (section 56). The annual general meeting must be held by the end of April each year (section 59), and the board has at least three members (section 66), except that buildings with six units or fewer need no separate board at all (section 67).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The basic rule is that costs are shared by the ownership ratio (section 45.A). A fixed list of items, such as parking spaces, the laundry room, the lift and building management, is split equally per owner regardless of size (section 45.B), while anything that can actually be metered is charged by use (section 45.C). A maintenance fund (hússjóður) is not created automatically: it only comes into being if at least a quarter of the owners ask for one (section 49), and the law sets no minimum contribution.
The risk that passes to the buyer
On payment arrears, including arrears on hússjóður contributions, the house association gets a statutory lien (lögveð) on the defaulting owner's share, ranking ahead of both older and younger contractual liens and of younger other statutory liens (section 48). The lien attaches to the UNIT, not to the person, and must be enforced in court, or registered at a forced sale, within one year of arising, or it lapses.
Basis: Set out in the Fjöleignarhús Act (Lög um fjöleignarhús nr. 26/1994), sections 14, 15, 45, 48, 49, 56, 59, 66 and 67.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-18.
Italy
How ownership is split here
The condominio (mandatory co-ownership regime) divides the building into units under separate ownership and into common parts pursuant to Art. 1117 c.c. The common parts are allocated to the units in thousandths (millesimi).
The community and its decisions
The assemblea (general meeting of co-owners) adopts the resolutions, and the amministratore (condominium manager) implements them. From a certain number of units upward, an amministratore is mandatory.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The spese condominiali (condominium expenses) are borne according to the thousandths (millesimi). For extraordinary works, a fund may be established.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The purchaser is jointly and severally liable with the seller for the contributions of the current year and the preceding year (Art. 63 disp. att. c.c.). The amministratore (condominium manager) may also demand these amounts from the purchaser. The purchaser should therefore request a certificate from the amministratore regarding outstanding contributions.
Basis: Codice Civile, Art. 1117 ff. on the condominio; the joint and several liability of the acquirer for the current and the preceding year under Art. 63 of the disposizioni di attuazione.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Croatia
How ownership is split here
Vlasništvo posebnog dijela (ownership of a separate unit) is tied to a co-ownership share.
The community and its decisions
The co-owners appoint an upravitelj (property manager) and decide jointly on administration.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay into a zajednička pričuva (common reserve) and bear the burdens according to their shares.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The zajednička pričuva (common reserve) is attached to the building and passes with it; its funds are earmarked, since only payments for maintenance and improvement of the property or for repaying a loan taken out for those purposes are permitted, and enforcement against the pričuva is allowed only for those same claims. ARREARS OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER DO NOT REACH THE ACQUIRER: the Zakon o vlasništvu contains neither a liability of the acquirer for contribution arrears nor a statutory lien of the community over the unit. The general rule therefore holds, that a debt stays with its debtor. WHAT DOES EXIST, and this is the real point to check on a purchase: where a co-owner cannot immediately pay his share of a larger maintenance measure that recurs less often than annually and is not covered by the pričuva, he may be granted payment by monthly instalments over at most ten years, secured by a MORTGAGE on his co-ownership share and carrying the usual interest. Such a mortgage is entered in the land register and passes with the unit to the buyer. Anyone who asks only about arrears therefore misses the charge that actually matters here: the land register extract counts for more than the manager's statement. The buyer should check both, outstanding contributions and the state of the pričuva. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked against the full text of the Zakon o vlasništvu i drugim stvarnim pravima (7,253 lines, searched on 19 August 2026 for the terms stjecatelj, pričuva and založno pravo, whose hit counts confirm the search was effective). A negative finding in this statute does not rule out a rule in another one.
Basis: Zakon o vlasništvu i drugim stvarnim pravima. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Latvia
How ownership is split here
The dzīvokļa īpašums (apartment ownership) combines exclusive ownership of the apartment with a share in the common property.
The community and its decisions
The owners administer the building jointly or appoint a manager (pārvaldnieks) and pass resolutions in proportion to their shares.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay ongoing costs and contribute to a reserve fund (uzkrājumu fonds).
The risk that passes to the buyer
Since the beginning of 2025, the principle applies that the debt follows the apartment: the new owner is liable for outstanding amounts which arose no earlier than one year before acquisition. The buyer should therefore request information on outstanding amounts and check the status of the fund.
Basis: Dzīvokļa īpašuma likums (Latvian Law on Apartment Ownership). Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Liechtenstein
How ownership is split here
As in Switzerland, condominium ownership in Liechtenstein is called Stockwerkeigentum (ownership of a storey or unit) under Sachenrecht Art. 170a ff. There is no separate act governing this institution. The share of a storey in the value of the property is recorded as a Wertquote (value quota) in hundredths or thousandths in the Begründungsakt (deed of constitution), see Art. 170e.
The community and its decisions
The owners are organised in a Versammlung der Stockwerkeigentümer (assembly of storey owners), which is followed by a Verwalter (manager), see Art. 170m ff. Details were not researched in depth for this review.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Contributions to the burdens of the common property and the costs of communal administration are determined according to the Wertquote (value quota), see Art. 170h. An Erneuerungsfonds (renewal fund) for maintenance and renewal works is the responsibility of the Versammlung. The law does not stipulate any statutory minimum allocation.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The acquirer does not assume the previous owner's contribution debt, but the unit itself can be charged for it: for contribution claims falling on the last three years the community has a claim against EACH RESPECTIVE Stockwerkeigentümer (storey owner) for the creation of a lien on that owner's share (Art. 170i Abs. 1 SR). The word "jeweiligen" (respective) is what decides it: the claim runs against whoever owns the unit now, even where the arrears were run up by the predecessor. It is a claim for the CREATION of a lien and not a lien that already exists, and that is the trap on purchase: as long as nothing is registered the land register shows nothing, yet the claim is there. Registration can be demanded by the administrator or, where none is appointed, by any storey owner authorised to do so by majority resolution or by the court, and likewise by a creditor for whom the contribution claim has been attached (Abs. 2); otherwise the rules on creating a builder's lien apply by analogy (Abs. 3). Alongside this the community holds, for the same three years, a right of retention like a landlord's over movable property located in the rooms and belonging to their furnishing or use (Art. 170k). The Erneuerungsfonds (renewal fund) belongs to the community and not to the individual owner, since the community acquires in its own name the contribution claims and the funds generated from them (Art. 170l Abs. 1); on a sale it is therefore not paid out but stays with the property. Unrelated to arrears but also worth checking: changes to the Wertquote (value quota) require the consent of all directly affected parties AND the approval of the Versammlung (Art. 170e Abs. 2); anyone whose quota was fixed incorrectly by mistake is entitled to a correction.
Basis: Sachenrecht (SR), the Liechtenstein property statute, LR 214.0, Art. 170a to 170t on Stockwerkeigentum, the ownership of individual floors or units (costs and liability for contributions in Art. 170h to 170k, legal capacity of the community in Art. 170l, the assembly in Art. 170m to 170p, the administrator in Art. 170q to 170t), version of 1 July 2019, checked against the primary text. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Lithuania
How ownership is split here
Apartment ownership ties the unit to a share in the common property. The owners either establish a bendrija (community of apartment owners) or enter into a management agreement.
The community and its decisions
Administration is carried out by the butų savininkų bendrija (community of apartment owners) or by a manager.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay running costs and contribute to a maintenance reserve (kaupiamosios lėšos).
The risk that passes to the buyer
THE SELLER'S ARREARS DO NOT REACH THE BUYER: if the seller still owes the bendrija (owners' association), it must recover the claim from HIM and not from the new unit owner. The position differs only where the buyer voluntarily assumes the debt. To make sure nobody does so unknowingly, Lithuania puts an obligation at the very start that few other countries state as plainly: on notarisation the seller must produce a certificate from the chairman or the board of the bendrija stating whether he has met all his obligations and whether any debts remain. The buyer therefore learns of arrears as a matter of law, not on request. Where a debt exists the sale can still go ahead, but the parties must then settle in the contract who pays it and when; the usual routes are settlement out of the purchase price or assumption by the buyer with his consent. That is contract drafting, not a statutory retention: whoever agrees nothing has agreed nothing. Separately, the rights and obligations attaching to the accumulated funds (kaupiamosios lėšos) pass to the new owner. Prior to purchase the buyer should verify outstanding contributions and the balance of the maintenance reserve. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Lithuanian professional sources on Art. 4.82 to 4.85 of the Civil Code and the bendrija statute, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: The legal basis is the Daugiabučių gyvenamųjų namų ir kitos paskirties pastatų savininkų bendrijų įstatymas (Lithuanian law on communities of apartment owners).. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Luxembourg
How ownership is split here
The copropriété divides the building into private lots and common parts, with ownership shares expressed in quotas.
The community and its decisions
The syndicat des copropriétaires (association of co-owners) takes decisions at the general meeting, which is chaired by a syndic (property manager).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay ongoing charges and contribute to a fonds de réserve (reserve fund), which has been mandatory since 2018.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The share in the funds remains with the building. Within eight days of notification of the sale, the syndic may object to the payment of the purchase price in order to recover outstanding amounts owed by the seller. The buyer should verify the status of the funds and any outstanding charges.
Basis: Law of 16 May 1975 on the status of copropriété (Loi du 16 mai 1975 portant statut de la copropriété). Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Malta
How ownership is split here
Condominium ownership divides the building into private units and common parts. A unit cannot be sold without the corresponding share in the common parts.
The community and its decisions
The condomini (co-owners) decide jointly and appoint an administrator.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Costs for the maintenance and repair of the common parts are divided according to the value of the units.
The risk that passes to the buyer
THE BUYER IS NOT LIABLE FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S ARREARS, AS A TWICE-CHECKED NEGATIVE FINDING: the Condominium Act (Cap. 398), read in full from articles 1 to 33, contains no buyer liability for outstanding common costs, no statutory security right of the community over the unit, and no clearance certificate requirement on a sale. The administrator collects contributions from the defaulting condominus personally (article 16), and disputes go to mandatory arbitration under the Arbitration Act (articles 26 and 30). Cross-checked against the Civil Code (Cap. 16): the exhaustive list of privileged creditors over immovables (article 2010) does not include condominium contributions, and a hypothec against the unit arises only from a judgment against the debtor personally (article 2023); only what is registered before the purchase follows the unit into the buyer's hands (article 2013). WHAT CAN BURDEN A MALTESE UNIT IN REM INSTEAD is the ground rent: where the apartment stands on an emphyteusis, the dominus is a privileged creditor over the property itself for the ground rent under article 2010(a) of the Civil Code, a separate field to check alongside the common costs. Resolved extraordinary repairs also bind every owner's future payments (articles 21 and 22), so reading the resolutions remains worthwhile. RESEARCH SCOPE: Condominium Act read in full as the official PDF from legislation.mt (consolidated version, last amended by Legal Notice 425 of 2007); Civil Code checked through the privilege and hypothec articles (articles 1996 to 2029); the word condominium appears nowhere in the Civil Code in connection with creditor rights.
Basis: Condominium Act, Chapter 398 of the Laws of Malta; Civil Code, Chapter 16, articles 2010 and 2023. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-20.
Netherlands
How ownership is split here
The appartementsrecht (apartment right) grants a share in the building and the exclusive right to use the unit. The division is recorded in the splitsingsakte (deed of division) under Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 5.
The community and its decisions
Every owner is a compulsory member of the Vereniging van Eigenaars (VvE, owners' association), which is managed by a bestuur (board) and passes resolutions in the vergadering (general meeting).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay a monthly contribution and fund a reservefonds (reserve fund), which has been legally mandatory since 2018. For larger works, the meerjarenonderhoudsplan (MJOP, multi-year maintenance plan) serves as the basis.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The new owner is jointly and severally liable with the seller under Art. 5:122 lid 3 BW for VvE contributions that became due in the current and the preceding calendar year. The notary must request this data from the VvE and attach it to the deed of transfer. The buyer should verify the status of the reservefonds (reserve fund) and any outstanding contributions.
Basis: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 5 (appartementsrecht, apartment right); the acquirer's joint and several liability under Art. 5:122 lid 3 BW.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Norway
How ownership is split here
Two forms are distinguished. The eierseksjon (unit ownership) is genuine separate ownership with a land register entry. The borettslag (housing cooperative) is a share in a cooperative that owns the building.
The community and its decisions
In the eierseksjonssameie (owners' association), the owners decide jointly. In the borettslag, a styre (board) manages the cooperative, often with a manager.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owner pays felleskostnader (common costs). In a borettslag, these also include the proportionate share of the fellesgjeld (joint debt).
The risk that passes to the buyer
With an eierseksjon, the risk is the same as when buying a house. With a borettslag, the fellesgjeld (joint debt) is decisive: a low purchase price may conceal a high proportionate joint debt, which is repaid through the felleskostnader (common costs). THE SAME RULE ON ARREARS APPLIES TO BOTH FORMS: the community holds a statutory lien on the unit (legalpant, section 31 eierseksjonsloven, and correspondingly in the burettslagslova). It secures the claims arising from the community relationship and attaches to the unit, so it also bites against a new owner. IT HAS A HARD CEILING, though, and that is the number that matters most to a buyer: at most two base amounts of the national insurance scheme (2G) per unit. The Grunnbeløp is adjusted every year on 1 May, so the current figure has to be looked up. Beyond that ceiling nothing reaches the buyer. There is no settled view on whether the lien covers only the common costs already due when enforcement begins or also those accruing while it runs; a ruling of the Ankeutvalget points to the narrower reading, the ministry to the wider one. The purchaser should review both the fellesgjeld and the felleskostnader. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Norwegian professional sources on section 31 eierseksjonsloven, not against the statutory wording itself; the current value of G was not established.
Basis: The Eierseksjonsloven governs the eierseksjon (unit ownership), and the burettslagslova governs the borettslag (housing cooperative).. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Poland
How ownership is split here
Unit ownership (własność lokalu) comprises exclusive ownership of the specific unit combined with a share in the common property.
The community and its decisions
The wspólnota mieszkaniowa (community of unit owners) manages the common property through a zarząd (management board) or a zarządca (property manager), and decides by uchwała (resolution).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners pay advances (zaliczki) toward management costs. A fundusz remontowy (repair and maintenance fund) is not mandatory. It is established by owner resolution.
The risk that passes to the buyer
Rights and obligations attach to the unit. The new owner succeeds to the existing fundusz remontowy (repair and maintenance fund), and a departing owner receives no refund of his contributions. ARREARS OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER DO NOT REACH THE BUYER, and more clearly so than in most neighbouring countries: the association may not demand them from the new owner, neither in court nor through the bailiff. Liable is whoever was the owner at the moment the particular charge fell due. On handover of the property the benefits and burdens pass, but the DEBTS do not; the buyer pays from the day the flat was handed over to him. There is neither a statutory lien on the flat nor a deduction by the notary. The only exception is a deliberate assumption of debt under Art. 519 Kodeks cywilny, which requires the association's consent and therefore does not happen by accident. A practical consequence: a buyer in Poland should still know the outstanding advances, but for a different reason than elsewhere. Not because he would have to pay them, but because an association deep in arrears cannot fund its own maintenance. The purchaser should verify outstanding advances and the balance of the fundusz remontowy before the purchase. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Polish professional sources on the Ustawa o własności lokali, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: Ustawa o własności lokali (Polish law on unit ownership). Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Portugal
How ownership is split here
The propriedade horizontal (horizontal property regime) divides the building into fracções autónomas (autonomous private units) and common parts; each unit is assigned a permilagem (share in per thousand). Código Civil, reformed in 2022.
The community and its decisions
The condomínio (owners' association) resolves matters in the assembleia de condóminos (general meeting of owners) and is managed by an administrador (manager).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The encargos de condomínio (common expenses) are borne according to the permilagem (per thousand share). A fundo comum de reserva (common reserve fund) is mandatory and amounts to at least ten percent of the contributions.
The risk that passes to the buyer
Since the 2022 reform, the new owner is not liable for works on common property decided before acquisition. The seller must provide a declaration from the administrador (manager) regarding outstanding debts. The buyer should verify this declaration and the status of the fundo comum de reserva (common reserve fund).
Basis: Código Civil, Art. 1414 ff. for the propriedade horizontal (horizontal property regime), as reformed by Lei 8/2022; the fundo comum de reserva (common reserve fund) under Decreto-Lei 268/94.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Romania
How ownership is split here
Apartment ownership ties the apartment to a share in the common property. The owners constitute an asociație de proprietari (owners' association).
The community and its decisions
The asociație de proprietari (owners' association) is managed by a board and an administrator, and it passes resolutions in the general meeting.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners bear ongoing costs, including contributions to a fond de reparații (mandatory repair fund) and a fond de rulment (working capital fund).
The risk that passes to the buyer
ROMANIA PROTECTS THE BUYER MORE SHARPLY THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THIS COMPARISON, and it does so not through a rule on liability but through a bar on notarisation. Under Art. 33(2) of Legea 196/2018 a notary may authenticate the transfer of a condominium unit only if the owner produces an adeverință from the asociație de proprietari: it evidences the contribution instalments paid to that date and, where payment is not complete, must state the amount of the outstanding debts expressly. The certificate needs a registration number from the association's records and a date of issue, is valid for thirty calendar days, and must be produced in the original, signed by hand by both the administrator AND the president, with their names and the association's stamp. THE CONSEQUENCE FOR THE BUYER: where debts exist, the sale can proceed only if the new owner expressly undertakes in the contract to assume the full amounts stated in the certificate. Without payment by the seller and without that express undertaking, nothing is authenticated. An old debt therefore cannot ambush the buyer: it either comes to the table quantified, or there is no contract. Whoever does sign, though, has taken the debt on knowingly and cannot later plead ignorance. The buyer should also verify the balance of the fond de reparații (mandatory repair fund). SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Romanian professional and notarial sources quoting Art. 33(2) verbatim, not against the official text of the statute itself.
Basis: The legal regime is set out in Legea nr. 196/2018 privind asociațiile de proprietari.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Sweden
How ownership is split here
A bostadsrätt is not title to the apartment. It is an indefinite right of use as a member of a bostadsrättsförening (housing association), which owns the building.
The community and its decisions
The bostadsrättsförening (housing association) is an association with a styrelse (board) and passes resolutions in a stämma (general meeting). Acquisition requires admission as a member.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Members pay a monthly avgift (fee) to the association. It is important that the association itself may have loans secured against the building.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The financial position of the association is decisive: high association debt entails the risk of rising avgift (fees). In the event of serious payment arrears, the bostadsrätt may be forcibly realised through the Kronofogdemyndighet (Swedish Enforcement Authority). ON THE SELLER'S ARREARS: the seller owes the avgift only up to the point at which the association was notified that the bostadsrätt had passed to the new member (6 kap. 6 § bostadsrättslagen), and the buyer does not step into that debt. That does not settle the matter, because the association holds a statutory lien over the bostadsrätt. If the seller does not pay and there is nothing to recover from him, the association can enforce that lien, and the buyer is then left choosing between settling someone else's debt and losing the flat in a forced sale. In law he owes nothing; in practice he pays. That is exactly why confirmation from the association that the seller is clear belongs in the file before completion; the årsredovisning (annual report) alone does not show it. The buyer should examine the association's årsredovisning and its indebtedness, and requires the association's consent to membership. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through Swedish professional sources on the bostadsrättslagen, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: Bostadsrättslag (1991:614), the statute governing bostadsrätt, the cooperative right of use. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Serbia
How ownership is split here
The etažna svojina (condominium ownership) combines exclusive ownership of the individual apartment with a proportionate share in the common parts; the owners constitute a stambena zajednica (owners' association).
The community and its decisions
The stambena zajednica (owners' association) is a legal person, managed by an upravnik (administrator), and administers the common parts.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners bear the maintenance costs in proportion to their respective shares in the common parts.
The risk that passes to the buyer
THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S ARREARS DO NOT REACH THE BUYER, AS A NEGATIVE FINDING ON THE FULL TEXT: the Zakon o stanovanju i održavanju zgrada (Housing and Building Maintenance Act, Official Gazette 104/2016 and 9/2020), which expressly repealed the earlier housing and maintenance statutes, contains neither buyer liability for contribution arrears nor a statutory charge of the stambena zajednica over the unit. The cost duty binds whoever currently owns the unit (articles 14 and 63 to 65, monthly payment to the association's account or through the municipal joint billing system); old debts remain personal debts of the previous owner. To raise credit the association may only pledge its own RECEIVABLES (article 66), not the debtor's apartment, and hypothecs or other charges over the common parts are expressly excluded unless they attach to the building as a whole (article 9). TWO ONGOING RISKS ARE STILL WORTH KNOWING. First, the owners are subsidiarily liable for damage to third parties caused by the common parts if the stambena zajednica fails to pay in time (article 69); that hits whoever owns the unit when the damage occurs. Second, in cases of serious management failure the municipality may impose forced administration by a professional upravnik (article 57), whose municipally set fee the owners bear (article 64). RESEARCH SCOPE: verified against the consolidated full text in a Serbian legal database (1,443 lines of text, all article headings mapped, the chapters on duties, management, costs and liability read in context, search runs for sticalac, novi vlasnik, hipoteka, založno pravo and prinudna naplata; the terms vlasnik with 93 and prinudn with 10 hits show the search was effective). The Act on the Foundations of Property Relations was also reviewed and regulates only the basic structure of condominium ownership. A negative finding in these statutes does not rule out a rule in yet another statute.
Basis: Zakon o stanovanju i održavanju zgrada, Official Gazette 104/2016 and 9/2020. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-20.
Slovakia
How ownership is split here
Ownership of apartments and non-residential premises carries with it a proportionate share in the common property.
The community and its decisions
Management is carried out by a spoločenstvo vlastníkov bytov (association of unit owners) or a správca (property manager).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Owners pay contributions into a fond prevádzky, údržby a opráv (fund for operation, maintenance and repairs).
The risk that passes to the buyer
The fund passes to the acquirer together with the apartment ownership. The community holds a statutory lien against the unit for its claims. The purchaser should verify outstanding contributions and the current balance of the fund.
Basis: Act on Ownership of Apartments and Non-Residential Premises (Zákon č. 182/1993 Z. z. o vlastníctve bytov a nebytových priestorov). Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Slovenia
How ownership is split here
Etažna lastnina (unit ownership) combines sole ownership of the apartment with a co-ownership share in the common parts.
The community and its decisions
An upravnik (manager) conducts the administration; the owners pass resolutions in proportion to their co-ownership shares.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
A rezervni sklad (reserve fund) is mandatory when there are more than two owners and more than eight apartments; its assets are community property.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The rezervni sklad is community property and passes with the unit; paid-in amounts are not refunded, because the funds are strictly earmarked: only payments for maintenance, necessary improvements and the repayment of loans taken out for those purposes are permitted, and enforcement against the funds is allowed on those grounds alone (119. člen paras 4 and 5 SPZ). THE UNIT ITSELF IS CHARGED, by way of a statutory REAL BURDEN: where the property has more than two unit owners and more than eight individual units, each unit carries a real burden in favour of the other unit owners for management costs and payments into the mandatory reserve fund (120. člen para 1 SPZ). It runs against whoever owns the unit, so it also catches the buyer for his predecessor's defaults. TWO FIGURES DECIDE HOW MUCH THAT MATTERS. First the ceiling: the real burden extends at most to FIVE TIMES the lowest payment into the reserve fund, whose minimum is set by regulation. Beyond that nothing reaches the buyer. Second the ranking: the real burden takes the BEST rank (120. člen para 2 SPZ), so it comes ahead of every mortgage, including an older one. For the buyer's bank that is a detail worth knowing. Where an owner does not pay, the administrator must call on him in writing, and that demand counts as an authentic instrument under the enforcement statute (119. člen para 6 SPZ): the community needs no judgment in order to enforce. Separately, the community of unit owners does not end on a sale; the buyer steps into the position of the former owner as his legal successor, and the party liable to pay is always the unit owner and never the tenant. Collection remains unevenly regulated: for payments into the rezervni sklad the administrator MUST act, whereas for outstanding running costs he does not do so of his own motion. The buyer should check the balance of the rezervni sklad and any outstanding contributions, and obtain confirmation that nothing is owed. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: 119. and 120. člen SPZ checked against the primary text. The earlier entry stated that no statutory lien had been found; that held for the secondary-source research of the time and is superseded by the primary text.
Basis: Stvarnopravni zakonik (SPZ), the Slovenian property code, 119. člen on the mandatory reserve fund. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Spain
How ownership is split here
The propiedad horizontal (horizontal property) regime divides the building into separate ownership of apartments and commercial premises, alongside common elements. Each unit is assigned a cuota de participación (participation quota).
The community and its decisions
The comunidad de propietarios (community of owners) adopts resolutions at the junta (general meeting), which is chaired by a presidente (president) and usually managed by an administrador de fincas (property administrator).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The gastos generales (general expenses) are borne according to the cuota. A fondo de reserva (reserve fund) is mandatory and must equal at least ten percent of the ordinary budget.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The acquirer is liable with the purchased property by way of afección real (real encumbrance) for debts owed to the community from the current year and the three preceding calendar years. The seller must declare in the purchase contract that all costs have been paid, and must provide a certificate from the community regarding the debt position. The buyer should request this certificate.
Basis: The statutory basis is Ley 49/1960 de Propiedad Horizontal, Art. 9, establishing the acquirer's afección real (real encumbrance).. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Czechia
How ownership is split here
The jednotka (unit) comprises the apartment together with a share in the common property; the owners form a společenství vlastníků jednotek (SVJ) (association of unit owners).
The community and its decisions
The SVJ administers the building through a výbor (committee) or a manager, and adopts resolutions in the shromáždění (owners' meeting).
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay contributions toward administration and into the fond oprav (repair fund).
The risk that passes to the buyer
The seller's debts to the building administration pass to the acquirer if the acquirer knew of them or could have discovered them. The buyer should therefore request a certificate from the manager (potvrzení) regarding outstanding amounts, and verify the balance of the fond oprav (repair fund).
Basis: Law No. 89/2012 Sb. (Občanský zákoník), § 1186 on the transfer of debts to the acquirer.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Hungary
How ownership is split here
The társasház (condominium) divides the building into separate ownership of the apartments and common parts.
The community and its decisions
The owners' association is managed by a közös képviselő (common representative) and takes decisions in the general meeting.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
The owners pay közös költség (common costs) in proportion to their share, often together with a felújítási alap (renovation fund).
The risk that passes to the buyer
If arrears reach at least six months, the common representative may cause a lien (jelzálogjog) to be registered against the apartment for the common costs. This encumbrance then affects the buyer. The buyer should verify any outstanding közös költség (common costs).
Basis: 2003. évi CXXXIII. törvény a társasházakról. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
United Kingdom
How ownership is split here
In England and Wales, a flat is usually held as leasehold, a long-term right of occupation for a fixed term, not full ownership. The freeholder owns the land itself. Genuine commonhold ownership remains rare.
The community and its decisions
Management runs through the freeholder or a managing agent. Leaseholders can take over management themselves through the Right to Manage, or form a resident management company.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Leaseholders pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building, which must be reasonable under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, often alongside a sinking fund and ground rent. For leases granted since 30 June 2022, ground rent is capped at a peppercorn, in effect nothing.
The risk that passes to the buyer
The buyer takes on the lease with its remaining term and all service charge obligations. A short remaining term, roughly under eighty years, makes a later extension considerably more expensive because of marriage value. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 has legislated to abolish that surcharge, but this part of the Act is not yet in force. Already in force since February 2025: a new owner can apply for a lease extension right after buying, without the two-year ownership wait that used to apply. Outstanding service charges and planned major works (Section 20) are the central risks. ON THE ARREARS THEMSELVES: outstanding service charges of the previous owner remain that owner's debt under the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995, and the buyer does not have to pay them. That is only half the answer, and the more dangerous half runs the other way: the freeholder can forfeit the lease for the non-payment, and those proceedings run against the flat, that is against the NEW owner. He can lose possession although he owes nothing and has no obligation to pay. Two safeguards stand in the way: forfeiture requires a notice under section 146 of the Law of Property Act 1925, and such a notice for service charges is only permitted under section 81 of the Housing Act 1996 once the amount has been determined by a tribunal or admitted by the leaseholder. This is why the LPE1 information pack on outstanding amounts is not a formality but the actual point to check; it is common practice to have any outstanding amounts retained from the purchase price at completion. The buyer should check the remaining lease term and the LPE1 information pack. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through secondary sources on English leasehold law, not against the statutory wording.
Basis: Set out in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (service charges, sections 18 to 30) and the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (lease extension, marriage value below eighty years remaining). The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 has abolished the two-year ownership wait for a buyer, in force since February 2025. Its planned abolition of marriage value itself is legislated but not yet in force.. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-17.
Cyprus
How ownership is split here
In a jointly-owned building, each owner owns his unit together with a share in the common parts.
The community and its decisions
A Management Committee administers the common parts and collects the contributions.
What you pay on an ongoing basis
Each owner bears the common costs in proportion to the share of his unit.
The risk that passes to the buyer
THE HARSHEST CASE IN THE WHOLE COMPARISON: the new owner of the unit is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for outstanding common costs, and expressly regardless of when the debt arose (Immovable Property Law, Cap. 224, Art. 38ΚΗ(2), together with Art. 38ΙΑ and the standard regulations in Table B). So there is no six-month window as in Finland, no five-year limit as in Spain, and no monetary ceiling as in Norway. That is why the jahre field is left empty here: a number would assert a limit the statute does not draw. The legislator wanted the management of jointly owned buildings to run smoothly and placed the cost of that on the acquirer. The Management Committee may enforce the costs. The buyer MUST therefore obtain a certificate of outstanding contributions rather than rely on the seller's assurance; an unknown old debt from long before the purchase hits him unchecked. SCOPE OF RESEARCH: checked through a Cypriot professional source on Art. 38ΚΗ(2) Cap. 224, not against the statutory wording itself.
Basis: Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law, Cap. 224, Part IVA on the management of jointly-owned buildings. Last checked against the legal text: 2026-08-19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the seller have to give me the minutes?
They have to disclose whatever is material to your decision, and a resolved special assessment belongs on that list. You get the minutes themselves through the seller or through the management. If they refuse, that is a reason not to sign.
Am I liable for the previous owner's arrears?
That is regulated differently from country to country, and it is one of the most expensive differences there is. In some legal systems the flat itself is liable for outstanding contributions, regardless of who caused them.
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