Practical regulations
Managing the condominium intercom and video intercom
The intercom and video intercom are common parts of the building under Article 1117 of the Italian civil code, on the same footing as staircases or the entrance hall: they serve the use and enjoyment of all unit owners, so their management falls to the property manager and the assembly. In daily practice, however, specific issues arise that a traditional building never posed: how to allocate costs when the system is split between common and private parts, ordinary versus extraordinary maintenance duties, the criteria for deciding on an upgrade to a color or smartphone connected model, and the privacy implications of recording entrance footage. This guide clarifies responsibilities, assembly voting thresholds and practical steps for managing the system without disputes.
Legal nature of the system and who is responsible
The intercom or video intercom system is a common part for the section running from the external entry panel to the branch connection into each individual unit, while the handset or interior monitor and its wiring inside the private unit belong to the unit owner, unless the condominium bylaws state otherwise. This distinction, consistent with Article 1117 of the civil code, determines who pays for what: the entry panel, the control unit, the vertical wiring in common areas and the power supply are condominium expenses; replacing only a faulty interior handset remains the individual owner's cost.
The property manager is responsible for keeping the system in working order under Article 1130 number 4 of the civil code and must promptly flag to the assembly any work that goes beyond ordinary administration. For ordinary maintenance, such as replacing a faulty entry panel with an equivalent model, the manager can act within ordinary management powers; for larger interventions, such as a full system overhaul or introducing video intercom capability, an assembly resolution is required.
Ordinary and extraordinary maintenance: what to do and when
Ordinary maintenance includes cleaning contacts, periodically checking that the electric door release works, and replacing worn components such as buttons, speakers and power supplies. It is advisable to include this in the building's annual maintenance plan so faults are caught before they inconvenience residents.
Extraordinary maintenance covers rebuilding the control unit, replacing the entire system, or upgrading to video intercom technology, often driven by component obsolescence (parts no longer available on the market) or by residents requesting better security. In these cases the assembly votes with the majorities required for improvements or extraordinary maintenance works depending on the size of the expense, and the manager collects comparable quotes to present to unit owners before the vote.
- Periodic checks: electric door release, audio, power supply
- Replacing worn components: entry panel, power supply, shared monitors
- Full replacement or upgrade to video intercom: assembly resolution required
- Collecting multiple comparable quotes before the vote
Replacing the intercom with a video intercom: the assembly decision
Switching from a traditional intercom to a video intercom is generally treated as a useful improvement to the shared property that makes it more convenient to use. Since it is not a non recoverable expense but a functional upgrade of an existing system, it is typically voted with the ordinary majorities required for extraordinary maintenance works, unless the condominium bylaws provide otherwise. The meeting agenda should clearly state the type of system proposed (wired or with smartphone connectivity), the compared costs, and the allocation according to general ownership shares, since this is a common part serving the whole building.
When some unit owners do not wish to use the new video feature, for instance for privacy reasons, established case law still considers it lawful to allocate the cost among everyone according to general ownership shares, since the system remains a shared service as a whole: those who prefer not to use the monitor can simply keep using the audio function only.
Video intercom and privacy: limits on the use of images
A video intercom that only shows in real time who is ringing the buzzer, without recording or storing images, does not raise significant data processing concerns: instant viewing falls within the normal use of the system. The situation differs when the system includes a recording function for entrance footage: here the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) apply, in particular data minimization and proportionality of the camera angle, which must be limited to the entrance area and must not capture public spaces, third parties' private property, or unrelated residential areas.
It is good practice for the assembly to explicitly resolve on the features of the system when recording is included, to designate a party responsible for the retention of images, and to consider posting a privacy notice at entrances, consistent with what already applies to condominium video surveillance systems in general.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for replacing the intercom in a condominium?
Replacing the common part of the system, meaning the external entry panel, control unit and wiring in common areas, is an expense borne by all unit owners allocated according to general ownership shares, since it qualifies as a common part under Article 1117 of the civil code. Replacing only a faulty interior handset within an apartment remains the individual owner's expense, unless the condominium bylaws provide otherwise.
Is an assembly resolution needed to upgrade to a video intercom?
Yes, since this goes beyond ordinary maintenance, an assembly resolution is required with the majorities set for extraordinary maintenance works or useful improvements, depending on how the condominium bylaws are structured. The property manager is responsible for preparing the agenda with comparable quotes and for correctly recording the decision in the minutes.
Does a video intercom with recording violate residents' privacy?
Not necessarily, but if the system records images, GDPR principles of data minimization and proportionality apply: the camera angle must be limited to the entrance area without capturing unrelated spaces, and the assembly should designate a party responsible for image retention and consider a privacy notice at entrances. Real time viewing without recording does not raise the same concerns.
Can a unit owner refuse to pay their share for the new video intercom?
Generally no: if the resolution was properly adopted with the required majorities, the expense is owed by everyone according to ownership shares, even by those who do not intend to use the video function, since the system remains a shared service benefiting the whole building. A dissenting owner may challenge the resolution within the legal time limits if they believe there are procedural or substantive defects.
How can building management software help organize the intercom system in practice?
Management software such as AmministraPro allows the manager to track quotes collected for replacement or renovation of the system, attach technical documentation and the assembly resolution to the building's file, and automatically allocate the expense among unit owners according to general ownership shares, reducing the risk of errors in cost allocation.
Try AmministraPro
Accounting, thousandths-based cost splitting, meetings, communications and artificial intelligence in a single Italian software, compliant with UNI 10801 and GDPR.