How to become a condominium administrator in Italy

Understanding how to become a condominium administrator in Italy means knowing two paths: the personal requirements set by the Civil Code and the training obligation introduced by the 2012 reform. After law 220/2012 and ministerial decree 140/2014, the profession can no longer be improvised: it takes a qualification, an initial course and an annual refresher. Let us look in detail at the steps to become a fully compliant condominium administrator.

The requirements to become a condominium administrator

Article 71 bis of the implementing provisions of the Civil Code lists the requirements for taking on the role. You must be in possession of your civil rights, you must not have been convicted of offences against the public administration, the administration of justice, public trust, property or of other non negligent crimes punished with imprisonment of at least two years. You must not be subject to preventive measures, must not be legally incapacitated and must not appear among protested debtors. A secondary school diploma is also required.

The initial training course

Anyone who wants to practise professionally must attend an initial training course covering legal, technical, accounting and tax subjects. DM 140/2014 sets the minimum duration at 72 hours, of which 48 are theory and 24 are practical exercises. The course may also be delivered by e-learning, but it must end with a final exam held in person to verify actual preparation.

The annual refresher obligation

Training does not end with the initial course. DM 140/2014 requires professional administrators to complete a periodic refresher of at least 15 hours a year, to keep up with changes in legislation and case law. Failing to attend the refresher removes one of the requirements for holding the role.

Professional administrator and in-house administrator

The training obligation applies to professional administrators, that is those who manage other people's buildings as a business. The case of the in-house administrator is different, chosen from among the owners of the building to manage their own property: in this case the law does not require the course, while the other requirements of good standing remain. Even the in-house administrator, however, must comply with all the management obligations of the Civil Code.

Opening a VAT number and getting organised

Those who work professionally must open a VAT number and, as a rule, take out a professional liability policy, which the meeting may request at appointment. A dedicated bank account is then needed for each building managed, as required by article 1129 of the Civil Code, along with a system to keep registers, deadlines and accounting in order.

• Check the good standing requirements of article 71 bis.
• Attend the 72 hour initial course with a final exam.
• Plan the annual refresher of at least 15 hours.
• Open a VAT number and set up dedicated bank accounts.

The skills you need every day

Beyond formal qualifications, the job calls for practical skills: reading a report, allocating expenses by the thousandth tables, managing supplier relationships, calling and minuting meetings, following up on the recovery of arrears. These are activities learned on the field that weigh on an administrator's reputation more than any certificate.

Starting out with management software

Those entering the profession find an ally in management software that keeps the register, accounting, reports and deadlines together from the very first building. Automating repetitive obligations frees up time for the choices that require judgement and reduces mistakes in the early years, when the routine is not yet in place.

AmministraPro supports the administrator from the start, with dedicated bank accounts, mandatory registers and compliant reports generated from the firm's accounting. You can see how it works on the features page or compare the plans in the pricing section.