The Owner's Right to Request Information From the Manager

Every owner has the right to request information from the condominium manager about the management of the building, because they contribute to expenses and take part in common decisions. The Italian Civil Code explicitly recognises certain information rights, such as the certificate of the state of payments and pending litigation, and the inspection of the supporting documents behind the annual statement. The law does not set a rigid deadline for ordinary requests, but the manager must reply within a reasonable time: prolonged silence or obstruction amounts to a breach of the mandate.

What information an owner can request

The right to information stems from the mandate relationship between the condominium and its manager and from the principle of transparent management. In practice, an individual owner can ask for clarification on an item in the statement, on the state of the condominium bank account, on the execution of a resolution, on expenses incurred and on contracts with suppliers. This is not private curiosity but a check on how resources the owner themselves contributes to are actually used.

• The certificate of the state of payment of condominium charges and any pending litigation, provided for by Article 1130 no. 9 of the Italian Civil Code.
• Inspection and copies, at the owner's own expense, of the periodic bank account report, under Article 1129 paragraph 7 of the Italian Civil Code.
• Inspection of the supporting expense documents attached to the annual statement, recognised by Article 1130-bis of the Italian Civil Code.
• Updates on the progress of approved works and on the state of the condominium cash position.

How to make the request

A clear, written request is always preferable. It is advisable to state precisely the subject (for example copies of the invoices for a project, or the account statement for a period), the reference period and how the reply should be delivered. The written form, ideally by certified email or registered letter, dates the request and starts the reasonable period within which the manager must act. Actual copying costs may be charged to the requesting owner.

How quickly the manager must respond

The Italian Civil Code does not set a fixed number of days for ordinary information requests. The test is reasonableness: the manager must respond without unjustified delay, taking into account the complexity of the request and the time needed to retrieve documents. For the certificate on payments and litigation, a typical request ahead of a sale, the reply must be prompt because it affects the completion of the deed. An unmotivated refusal or prolonged silence can be raised at the owners' meeting and, in the most serious cases, before a court.

Limits and good faith

The right to information must be exercised in good faith and must not become harassment or an obstacle to management. Repeated, generic or vexatious requests, or the demand for immediate answers to complex questions, are not consistent with a balanced relationship. Equally, the manager cannot invoke privacy to deny an owner the data they are entitled to on common management, but must handle third parties' personal data with due confidentiality.

What to do if the manager does not respond

If the request goes unanswered, the first step is a written reminder recalling the legal references and setting a fair deadline. The matter can be placed on the agenda of the owners' meeting, which has the power to assess the manager's conduct. In cases of systematic obstruction or of hindrance to the verification of management, the conduct may amount to a serious irregularity and justify removal from office, including through the courts on the application of any owner.

Transparency as a working method

A manager who works in an orderly way reduces conflictual requests almost to zero: up-to-date documents, a readable statement and easy access to information make disputes unnecessary. Management software such as AmministraPro helps keep account statements, receipts and certificates within reach, and offers owners a private area where they can consult their own data independently. The features are described on the /funzioni page, while the plans and costs are set out on the /prezzi page.