Bringing the common-parts electrical system up to standard

Bringing a condominium electrical system up to standard concerns all the common parts supplied with electricity: from the lighting of stairs and courtyards to the lift, from the water booster pump to video surveillance and automatic gates. These are systems serving all the owners, and their safety is the administrator's responsibility. Making a system compliant means bringing it into line with the technical rules in force and documenting its conformity.

What the common parts are in electrical terms

In electrical terms, the common parts include all the systems that serve the building as a whole rather than the individual units. These are the lighting of stairwells, entrance halls and outdoor areas, the supply to the lift, the water booster pumps, fire safety systems, video surveillance and motorised gates. These systems are common property and their management falls to the administrator on behalf of the condominium.

The CEI 64-8 standard

The main technical reference is the CEI 64-8 standard, which governs the design, installation and testing of low-voltage electrical systems, as condominium systems at 230 or 400 volts are. The standard sets the rules for protection against direct and indirect contact, the sizing of conductors, earthing, the use of residual-current and thermal-magnetic circuit breakers, and protection against overloads. A system compliant with CEI 64-8 is considered built to professional standards.

DM 37/2008 and the declaration of conformity

Ministerial decree 37 of 2008 governs the installation of systems in buildings and requires that they be built to professional standards by qualified firms. When the works are complete, the installing firm issues the declaration of conformity, the document certifying that the system was carried out in compliance with the technical rules. When the declaration of conformity cannot be found, for systems built before the current rules, a declaration of correspondence can be used, drawn up by a qualified professional or by a firm meeting the requirements.

When bringing the electrical system up to standard is needed

The need to act arises in several recurring situations worth keeping in mind.

• Old systems lacking earthing or a residual-current device.
• Absence of the declaration of conformity or of correspondence.
• Extension or modification works involving the existing system.
• Reports of malfunctions, frequent tripping or overheating.
• Upgrades needed to install new loads, such as charging points or heat pumps.

Who decides and how the resolution works

Bringing the common-parts electrical system up to standard is usually extraordinary maintenance and, as such, must be resolved by the meeting. If the work amounts to an innovation, for example creating a new system that did not exist before, the majorities of article 1120 apply. Where there is a serious and imminent danger to safety, the administrator may order urgent works on their own initiative, then reporting to the meeting.

Periodic checks of the earthing system

Bringing a system up to standard is not a task that is done once and for all. Presidential decree 462 of 2001 requires earthing systems to undergo periodic checks by accredited bodies, at intervals that vary according to the type of environment and activity. For condominium systems, checking the efficiency of the earthing is the guarantee that protection against indirect contact keeps working over time. An administrator who schedules these checks and keeps the reports shows that they manage the system with the required diligence, reducing risks in the event of an inspection or an accident.

How the costs are shared

The costs of bringing the common-parts electrical system up to standard are shared among the owners according to the thousandth tables of ownership, as these are expenses relating to the preservation and safety of a common asset. If the work serves only some of the owners, for example the system of a single stairwell, the cost falls on the interested owners alone under the criteria of article 1123 of the Civil Code. Quotes, resolution and cost allocation should be kept linked, so that every owner can verify their share and its correspondence with the meeting decision.

The administrator's responsibility

The administrator is the keeper of the common parts and answers for their safety. Neglecting to bring a dangerous electrical system up to standard can lead to civil and criminal liability in the event of harm to people or property. For this reason it is good practice to keep the declarations of conformity, schedule periodic checks and document the works carried out, so as to be able to prove diligence in management.

Documenting systems and deadlines with software

With management software the technical records of each building gather in one place the declarations of conformity, the inspection reports and the maintenance contracts for the systems. The deadlines of periodic checks can be planned and flagged, and the quotes for compliance work stay linked to the meeting resolution that approves them.

AmministraPro stores the technical documentation of the common-parts systems, from declarations of conformity to maintenance contracts, with deadlines and quotes linked to the resolutions. You can see how it works on the features page or compare the plans in the pricing section.