Calculating the Quorum: Heads and Thousandths

The quorum of the condominium meeting is calculated neither on the thousandths value alone nor on the number of owners alone, but by combining the two parameters: the heads, that is how many people attend, and the thousandths (millesimi), that is the ownership value they represent. Article 1136 of the Italian Civil Code sets different thresholds for the valid constitution of the meeting, the constitutive quorum, and for the approval of resolutions, the resolutive quorum. Confusing the two levels is the most frequent mistake.

Constitutive and resolutive quorum

The constitutive quorum indicates how many owners and how much value must be present for the meeting to be validly constituted and able to begin deliberating. The resolutive quorum indicates how many votes, in heads and thousandths, are needed to approve a single decision. Constitution concerns the very existence of the meeting, the resolution concerns the outcome of the votes. A meeting may be validly constituted and yet fail to reach the resolutive quorum on a given item.

First calling

In first calling the meeting is regularly constituted with the presence of owners representing two thirds of the value of the building and the majority of the condominium participants. These are high thresholds, often not reached, especially in large buildings. The ordinary resolutive quorum in first calling requires the favorable vote of the majority of those present representing at least half the value, equal to five hundred thousandths.

Second calling

In second calling the requirements are lowered. The meeting is validly constituted with the presence of owners representing at least one third of the value of the building and one third of the participants. The ordinary resolutive quorum requires the majority of those present representing at least one third of the value, about three hundred and thirty-three thousandths. It is precisely because of these more accessible thresholds that most meetings resolve in second calling.

• First calling, constitutive: two thirds of the value and majority of participants.
• First calling, ordinary resolutive: majority of those present and at least half the value.
• Second calling, constitutive: one third of the value and one third of participants.
• Second calling, ordinary resolutive: majority of those present and at least one third of the value.

A practical calculation example

Consider a condominium with twelve participants and one thousand total thousandths. In second calling the meeting is constituted if at least four owners are present representing at least three hundred and thirty-four thousandths. To approve an ordinary resolution, the majority of those present must then vote in favor and represent at least one third of the value. If six owners attend with six hundred thousandths, approval requires at least four favorable votes reaching the required thousandths threshold.

How to count proxies and co-ownership

In counting the heads, the owner holding a proxy carries the thousandths and votes of the principals, within the limits set by law for the number of proxies. In the case of jointly owned units, the co-owners count as a single head and must cast a unitary vote, unless otherwise organized internally. These aspects directly affect the count of attendance and majorities and must be handled carefully so as not to distort the quorum.

Verifying the quorum in real time

The quorum must be verified at two moments: at the opening, to confirm valid constitution, and at each vote, to confirm approval. Attendance can change during the meeting because someone arrives or leaves, so the calculation is not static. Recording attendance, proxies and votes in favor, against and abstained precisely in the minutes is essential to make resolutions solid against any challenge.

Automating the count of heads and thousandths

Calculating heads and thousandths by hand, updating the totals at every entry, exit and proxy, is tiring and prone to errors precisely at the decisive moments. AmministraPro automatically calculates constitutive and resolutive quorums based on attendance and the thousandths of the units, handling proxies and co-ownership and recording the outcome of each vote. The meeting features are described on the /funzioni page and the plans on the /prezzi page.