Owner Voting Rights: How Condominium Meetings Decide

The right to vote is the owner's main prerogative in the life of the condominium. Every owner of a unit has the right to attend the meeting and to cast a vote on resolutions, but the weight of that vote is not equal for everyone: it depends on the thousandths (millesimi) of ownership. Decisions are formed by counting both the number of heads and the value in thousandths, according to the quorums set by Article 1136 of the Italian Civil Code. Understanding this double criterion is essential to know when a resolution is valid.

Who has the right to vote

The right to vote belongs to the owner of each unit within the condominium. The owner is the holder of the condominium relationship and the recipient of the notice of meeting. When a unit is jointly owned by several people, Article 67 of the implementing provisions of the Italian Civil Code states that the co-owners are entitled to a single representative at the meeting, who votes for the entire share. In the case of usufruct, the voting right is split: the usufructuary votes on decisions concerning ordinary administration and the simple enjoyment of common things and services, while the bare owner votes on other resolutions, in particular those relating to improvements and extraordinary administration.

Heads and thousandths: the double count

Condominium majorities are always calculated on two combined parameters: the number of those present in favour (the so-called heads) and the value in thousandths they represent. An owner with few thousandths counts as one head but weighs little in terms of value; a large owner weighs heavily in thousandths but is still a single head. This balance prevents both the dominance of the largest owner and a deadlock created by many small owners, and it forces a genuine consensus to form around important decisions.

The majorities required by law

Article 1136 of the Italian Civil Code sets different quorums depending on the subject matter. On first call, the meeting is properly constituted with a majority of participants representing at least two thirds of the building's value. On second call, one third of participants and one third of the value is enough. Resolutions require increasing thresholds according to their importance:

• Ordinary administration on second call: a majority of those present and at least one third of the building's value;
• Appointment and removal of the administrator, lawsuits, major reconstructions and repairs: a majority of those present and at least half of the value (500 thousandths);
• Improvements aimed at the betterment or more convenient use of common things: a majority of those present and at least two thirds of the value (667 thousandths);
• Special matters such as certain incentivised improvements or works on architectural barriers: specific thresholds set by law.

The voting proxy

An owner who cannot attend may be represented by a delegate. The proxy must be in writing and gives the delegate the right to vote in place of the person represented. Article 67 of the implementing provisions sets a quantitative limit in buildings with many owners: when there are more than twenty owners, a delegate cannot represent more than one fifth of the owners and of the proportional value. Moreover, the administrator cannot receive proxies for meetings. The proxy is meant to ensure participation, not to concentrate decision-making power in a few hands.

When a vote can be limited or does not count

There are situations in which an individual vote is excluded or does not affect the quorum. An owner in a conflict of interest with the condominium should abstain from voting on the matter that directly concerns them, and their vote may be treated as irrelevant for the count. Abstainers are counted among those present to verify the validity of the constitution, but they do not contribute to forming the favourable majority. Being in arrears does not, in itself, deprive an owner of the right to attend and vote, except in cases where the law or the regulation provides specific limitations, such as suspension from common services capable of separate enjoyment.

Why an accurate count is decisive

An error in counting heads and thousandths can make the resolution voidable and open a dispute. That is why the precise recording of those present, of proxies and of thousandth values is a delicate moment of every meeting. With AmministraPro the administrator manages the formation of majorities automatically: the software calculates present heads and thousandths in real time, checks the quorums for each matter and produces minutes consistent with the voting outcome. To see how digital meeting management works you can visit the /funzioni page, while /prezzi lists the plans suited to the practice and the number of units managed.