Cleaning glass and common surfaces in a condominium

Cleaning glass and common surfaces, such as entrance-hall glazing, stairwell windows and handrails, is an ordinary running cost shared among owners under Article 1123 of the Italian Civil Code: by general thousandths (millesimi) if it serves the whole building, and by the criterion of Article 1124 for stairwell surfaces. Organising the service falls among the manager's duties, who must ensure hygiene, appearance and safety of the common parts.

A recurring service to schedule

Unlike a one-off work, cleaning common surfaces is a recurring service to be scheduled at a frequency suited to the building's use. Glazing, stairwell windows, glass doors, hall mirrors and handrails collect dust and fingerprints and directly affect how tidy the building feels. Regular planning prevents decay and spreads the cost predictably across the budget.

Who organises the service

Under Article 1130 of the Italian Civil Code, the manager must regulate the use of common things and ensure compliance with the rules, guaranteeing ordinary maintenance. They may therefore entrust cleaning to a company or a worker, within spending limits and the meeting's decisions. When the contract is significant in amount or duration, it is advisable that the choice of supplier and the economic terms be approved by the meeting for transparency.

Contract with a company or an employment relationship

Cleaning can be carried out through a contract with a specialised company or by directly hiring a worker. The two options have different implications for costs, obligations and liability.

• Contract with a company: service contract, invoice, check on the contractor's contribution compliance.
• Employee or caretaker with cleaning duties: employer obligations and related contributions.
• Occasional service: only for sporadic works of limited amount.
• In any case: a clear definition of frequency, surfaces included and products used.

Cost sharing

Cleaning surfaces that serve everyone, such as entrance-hall glazing, is shared by general thousandths under Article 1123, first paragraph. Cleaning stairwell windows and surfaces follows the criterion of Article 1124, half by thousandths and half by floor height, consistent with the nature of the staircase. If a common part serves only some units, the cost falls only on them under Article 1123, third paragraph.

Tax obligations: withholding on service contracts

The condominium is a withholding agent and, when it pays fees to a company under service contracts, it must apply the withholding tax provided by the tax rules and pay it with the F24 form, issuing the relevant certificate to the recipient. It must also check the company's compliance and keep the documentation. These obligations apply to fees for services rendered under contract, not to mere supplies. An error at this stage can lead to penalties for the condominium.

Service quality and oversight

To avoid disputes it is best to define in the contract the surfaces included, the frequency and a verifiable standard. The manager can keep a simple log of works and collect owners' reports, so as to have objective evidence in case the supplier defaults. Transparency on checks strengthens the meeting's trust in the management.

Managing contracts, withholdings and splits in one place

Between recurring contracts, invoices, withholdings and splits, cleaning the common parts touches several areas of management. Management software such as AmministraPro lets you record the contract, track invoices, calculate withholding tax and share the cost according to the correct table, with the full history available. The features are described on the /funzioni page and the plans with costs can be viewed at /prezzi.