Practical guide
How to set up installment plans in the software
Once the assembly approves the annual budget, the property manager must translate the total amount into installments that owners can actually pay, each with a clear due date and a traceable collection method. Doing this by hand across spreadsheets and one-by-one reminders is one of the most common sources of errors in day-to-day management: forgotten installments, poorly rounded amounts, arrears discovered only months later. Dedicated software links the installment plan to the ownership share table, generates due dates automatically, records every collection with the payment method used, and flags unpaid installments before they become a cash flow problem for the building. This guide explains how to set up the plan correctly, from the approved budget to collection.
From the approved budget to the installment plan
The starting point is always the budget approved by the assembly with the majorities required under article 1136 of the Italian Civil Code: only after approval can the manager allocate the expense among owners according to their ownership shares or the special criteria that apply, such as staircase based shares for expenses affecting only some units, as provided by article 1123 of the Civil Code. Software that links the budget directly to the installment plan avoids recalculating shares by hand each time: the total amount is split into installments and each installment is already allocated among owners according to the correct share table.
In AmministraPro the installment plan is generated from the approved budget: you define the number of installments, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or according to the schedule decided by the assembly, and the system automatically calculates each owner's share for every installment, based on the ownership share tables already stored in the registry.
Setting realistic due dates that match cash flow
Installment due dates must match the payments the building actually has to make, suppliers, utilities, fees, not just a theoretical split of the year. A common mistake is setting quarterly installments when energy bills or maintenance contracts fall due monthly: the building risks running out of liquidity in months when it must pay but has not yet collected.
Good software lets you view installment due dates and expected outgoing payments on a single calendar, so the collection schedule is calibrated to real cash needs rather than administrative convenience. Installments can also be customized for a single unit when a special payment arrangement has been agreed with an owner facing financial difficulty, without altering the general plan for everyone else.
Recording collections with the payment method
Every collected installment should be recorded not just as an amount and a date, but with the payment method actually used, bank transfer, direct debit, cheque, cash where allowed, because this information is needed both for bank reconciliation and for the financial statement the manager must present to the assembly. Recording the collection against the specific installment, rather than generically against the owner, makes it possible to know at any time exactly which installments remain outstanding.
In AmministraPro, collecting an installment means linking it to the payment method actually used: the system automatically updates the owner's balance and transaction history, keeping a precise trail that is useful if auditors review the accounts or an owner asks for clarification.
Automatic reminders and arrears management
When an installment goes past its due date unpaid, the manager has a duty to act promptly: delaying reminders can translate into liability of the manager toward the building, on top of worsening the debtor's position. Software that generates automatic reminders at the due date, or after a configurable number of days, reduces manual workload and standardizes the procedure for every owner, avoiding unequal treatment that could later be disputed.
Reminders tracked in the system, with sending date and message text, also serve as useful evidence should it become necessary to pursue a payment order for unpaid contributions, under the procedure set out in article 63 of the implementing provisions of the Italian Civil Code.
- Due date passed: automatic reminder to the defaulting owner
- History of reminders sent, available at any time
- Overview of unpaid installments by building and by owner
- Data ready for any subsequent debt recovery procedure
Frequently asked questions
Does the installment plan need assembly approval?
Yes, the installment plan follows from the expense budget approved by the assembly with the majorities set out in article 1136 of the Italian Civil Code. The assembly can also explicitly approve the number of installments and their due dates; absent specific instructions, the manager sets a schedule consistent with the building's cash needs, which dedicated software automatically translates into installments linked to ownership shares.
What happens if an owner misses an installment due date?
The manager must act with a prompt reminder: delaying can amount to liability of the manager toward the building. If the reminder has no effect, the route set out in article 63 of the implementing provisions of the Civil Code is a court payment order, for which having organized records of installments, due dates and reminders sent, as software automatically maintains, is genuinely useful.
Can installments be customized for a single owner?
Yes, where specific arrangements exist, for example an extraordinary payment schedule granted to an owner in financial difficulty, the software allows that owner's plan to be adjusted without altering the due dates and amounts set for everyone else, while still keeping consistency with the total approved by the assembly.
Why record the payment method on every collected installment?
Because it is needed to reconcile bank movements with the building's accounts, and because the annual financial statement the manager presents to the assembly must be verifiable line by line. A collection recorded only as a generic amount, without the payment method and a reference to the specific installment, slows down and weakens the auditors' review.
Does AmministraPro generate installments automatically from the budget?
Yes: once the approved budget is loaded and the desired number of installments is set, AmministraPro automatically calculates each owner's share for every installment based on the ownership share table in the registry, generates due dates, lets you record collections with the payment method used, and sends automatic reminders on unpaid installments. Available features and plans are described on the site's features and pricing pages.
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