Your First Community of Owners Meeting in Spain: What to Expect

If you have bought an apartment, townhouse, or villa within a shared development in Spain, you are now a member of a comunidad de propietarios — a community of owners. This is the Spanish equivalent of a residents' management company or freeholders' association in England and Wales, but with stronger legal standing and more direct owner involvement. Understanding how it works is essential for protecting your investment and avoiding unpleasant surprises.

This guide covers everything a UK buyer needs to know about community of owners meetings — from the legal framework and voting rules to derramas, proxies, and strategies for non-resident owners. For the complete buying process, see our step-by-step buying guide.

What Is a Comunidad de Propietarios?

Under Spain's Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (LPH) — the Horizontal Property Act of 1960, substantially reformed in 1999 and 2013 — any building or development with two or more separate ownership units must constitute a comunidad de propietarios. This applies to apartment blocks, townhouse complexes, gated urbanisations, and mixed-use developments.

The community is a legal entity. It has a CIF (tax identification number), can hold bank accounts, enter contracts, sue and be sued. Every owner is automatically a member from the moment they acquire their property — there is no opt-out.

What the Community Manages

• Common areas: Hallways, stairwells, lifts, entrances, gardens, pools, parking areas, boundary walls, roofs, and structural elements (foundations, load-bearing walls, facades)
• Shared services: Cleaning, gardening, pool maintenance, security, pest control, insurance for common areas, lift maintenance contracts
• Building maintenance: Roof repairs, plumbing for shared pipes, electrical common areas, facade painting and structural repairs
• Community employees: Porters (porteros), gardeners, pool technicians — the community is their employer and handles social security contributions

The Key Roles: President and Administrator

The President (Presidente)

Every community must have a president, elected from among the owners. The role rotates — in most communities, each owner takes a turn (turno rotativo). You cannot permanently refuse the role; under the LPH, if nominated, you can only decline by presenting valid reasons to a judge. In practice, many communities find volunteers, but in difficult communities, the rotation is enforced.

The president's responsibilities include chairing meetings, representing the community in legal matters, authorising urgent repairs (up to a limited amount without a full vote), and ensuring that decisions taken at the junta are executed. The role is unpaid.

The Administrator (Administrador de Fincas)

Most communities — especially those with 20+ owners — hire a professional administrator. This is a colegiado (registered professional) who handles the day-to-day management: collecting community fees, paying suppliers, preparing the annual budget and accounts, organising meetings, and maintaining records. Administrator fees typically range from EUR 20-40 per unit per month, depending on the size and complexity of the community.

The administrator is appointed by the community and can be changed by majority vote at any meeting. If your administrator is unresponsive, provides unclear accounts, or charges excessive fees, pushing for a change of administrator is one of the most impactful things you can do.

Types of Meetings

Ordinary General Meeting (Junta General Ordinaria)

Held once per year, usually in the first quarter. The agenda (orden del día) must be sent to all owners at least 6 days in advance (8 days for communities with more than 25 owners, per many community statutes). The standard agenda covers:

• Approval of the previous year's accounts (cuentas) — income received, expenses paid, balance
• Approval of the annual budget (presupuesto anual) — the community fee for the coming year
• Appointment or ratification of roles — president, vice-president, secretary (if separate from administrator)
• Discussion of maintenance issues — pending repairs, quotes for works, complaints
• Any other business (ruegos y preguntas) — owners can raise issues, though decisions on new matters cannot be taken unless they were included in the convocatoria

Extraordinary General Meeting (Junta General Extraordinaria)

Called when an urgent matter cannot wait until the next ordinary meeting. Common triggers: emergency structural repair, dispute between owners, a proposal to install a lift or modify common areas, a legal action against a debtor owner. Any owner or group of owners representing at least 25% of the cuotas de participación can require the president to convene an extraordinary meeting.

Voting Rules: Quorum and Majorities

This is where many UK owners get caught out. Spanish community voting rules are complex and depend on the type of decision being made:

Quorum

First call (primera convocatoria): More than 50% of owners representing more than 50% of cuotas de participación must be present or represented. Second call (segunda convocatoria): No minimum attendance required — the meeting proceeds with whoever is present. In practice, most communities go to second call, which is usually scheduled 30 minutes after first call.

Majority Types

Decision Type	Required Majority	Examples
Ordinary decisions	Simple majority (more than 50% of those present/represented)	Approving annual budget, appointing administrator, routine maintenance contracts
Structural improvements	Three-fifths (3/5) of total owners AND total cuotas	Installing a lift, building a new pool, major facade renovation, solar panels for common areas
Changes to community statutes	Three-fifths (3/5) of total owners AND total cuotas	Modifying rules on pet ownership, rental restrictions, use of common areas
Changes affecting the building title deed	Unanimity of all owners	Changing the cuotas de participación, modifying the building's intended use, selling common elements

Critical point: For simple majority votes, absent owners who were properly notified and did not vote against the decision within 30 calendar days of receiving the minutes (acta) are counted as voting in favour. This silent consent rule means that if you ignore the acta, you are deemed to have approved whatever was decided — including derramas.

Derramas: Special Levies

Derramas are the issue that causes the most anxiety among UK owners. A derrama is an extraordinary charge levied on all owners to cover expenses that exceed the ordinary annual budget. They are divided according to each owner's cuota de participación — a percentage set in the building's deed of division (escritura de división horizontal) based on the size and value of each unit.

Common Triggers for Derramas

• Structural repairs: Roof replacement, foundation issues, facade cracks — EUR 3,000-15,000+ per owner depending on building size and the extent of damage
• Lift installation or replacement: EUR 2,000-8,000 per owner in a typical 20-unit block. Mandatory under accessibility law if requested by a disabled or over-70 owner (if their share does not exceed 12 monthly community fees)
• Pool renovation: EUR 500-3,000 per owner for relining, new filtration, or structural repair
• ITE compliance: The Inspección Técnica de Edificios is mandatory for buildings over 50 years old in many municipalities. If the inspection reveals deficiencies, the community must remedy them — potentially triggering a large derrama
• Insurance shortfall: If the building's insurance does not fully cover a major event (fire, flood, subsidence), owners must fund the difference

Can You Refuse to Pay a Derrama?

No. If a derrama is properly approved at a community meeting, all owners must pay — even those who voted against it. The only recourse is to challenge the decision in court within 3 months, and you must be up to date on all community fee payments to have legal standing to challenge. In practice, courts rarely overturn properly convened derrama votes.

Non-payment of community fees (including derramas) results in debt that attaches to the property, not just the owner. When you sell, the buyer's lawyer will check the community debt certificate — any unpaid fees must be settled at completion. The community can also pursue legal action to recover debts, including placing an embargo on the property.

Attending Remotely or by Proxy

Proxy Attendance (Delegación de Voto)

If you cannot attend in person, you can delegate your vote to any person — another owner, a friend, your lawyer, or anyone you trust. The delegation must be in writing and should specify whether the proxy has full authority to vote on all matters or is restricted to specific agenda items. Many communities include a delegation form with the meeting convocatoria.

For non-resident UK owners, appointing a permanent proxy — typically a trusted neighbour, your property manager, or your Spanish lawyer — is essential. Without a proxy, your absence means silent consent to whatever is decided.

Remote Attendance

Since reforms accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities have updated their statutes to permit video attendance. However, this is not a legal right — it must be specifically authorised in the community's statutes. If your community does not offer remote attendance, propose a statute amendment at the next meeting (requires 3/5 majority).

Common Disputes and How They Are Resolved

• Noise complaints: The most frequent dispute. The community can issue formal warnings, impose fines (if authorised in the statutes), and ultimately seek a court order to suspend the offending owner's right to use their property for up to 3 years
• Unauthorised modifications: Enclosing a terrace, changing the facade colour, installing an antenna — any alteration to common elements requires community approval. The community can require restoration of the original state
• Non-payment of fees: The community can pursue a fast-track legal procedure (proceso monitorio) to recover debts. Debtors lose their voting rights at meetings but remain liable for decisions taken
• Short-term rentals: Since the 2019 LPH reform, communities can restrict or ban tourist lets by a 3/5 majority vote. This has been a major source of conflict in coastal communities

Tips for Non-Resident UK Owners

• Appoint a reliable proxy — ideally someone who attends every meeting and will report back to you. Provide them with clear instructions on how to vote on key issues, particularly budget approval and any proposed derramas
• Read every acta (minutes): The administrator must send you a copy of the minutes after each meeting. Read them carefully and within the 30-day window. If you disagree with a decision, you must notify the community in writing within 30 days or you are deemed to have approved it
• Understand your cuota de participación: This percentage determines your share of all community expenses. Check it matches the building's deed of division. It is set when the building is first registered and can only be changed by unanimous vote
• Pay your community fees on time: Set up a direct debit (domiciliación bancaria) from your Spanish bank account. Late payment incurs interest and can result in loss of voting rights
• Check the community's financial health before buying: Before purchasing, ask the administrator for the latest annual accounts, the current balance, any pending derramas, and any ongoing legal disputes. This is part of standard due diligence — see our costs and taxes guide for more detail
• Attend at least one meeting per year in person if possible: Being present — even once — builds relationships with other owners and the administrator. You will understand the dynamics of the community far better than reading minutes alone

What to Do Before Your First Meeting

1. Get a copy of the community statutes (estatutos de la comunidad) from the administrator or the property registry. These are the internal rules — they supplement the LPH and cover building-specific issues
2. Request the last 2-3 years of annual accounts and minutes to understand the community's financial position, recurring issues, and any patterns of dispute
3. Identify your cuota de participación in the escritura de división horizontal — this is your share of all community costs
4. If your Spanish is limited, arrange a translator. Meetings are conducted in Spanish. Some expat-heavy communities run bilingual meetings, but you cannot rely on this
5. Prepare questions in advance and submit them to the administrator so they can be added to the agenda under ruegos y preguntas

Understanding your community of owners is as important as understanding the property itself. A well-managed community protects your investment; a dysfunctional one can cost you thousands in unexpected derramas and reduce your resale value. Take it seriously from day one.

For the full picture on buying costs, including community fees, see our costs and taxes guide. For step-by-step guidance on the purchase process, read our buying process guide. Ready to start your property search? Join MUNDO to browse listings across Spain's most popular coastal regions.