Practical guide
How to split concierge costs in a condominium
Concierge or doorman costs are one of the most delicate expense categories in an Italian condominium budget, because article 1123 of the Civil Code sets out an allocation criterion for this service that differs from the general rule applied to maintenance expenses. The concierge cost is split into two parts: one based on the general ownership shares and one based on the actual use each unit can make of the service, taking into account floor level and accessibility. This guide explains how the criterion works, which items make up the labor cost, and how to organize the dedicated allocation table in the annual statement, including with the help of management software such as AmministraPro.
Article 1123: ownership and use combined
Article 1123 of the Italian Civil Code provides that expenses for common services meant to satisfy shared needs are allocated in proportion to the use each unit owner can make of the service, whenever that use can be assessed differently across units. For concierge services, established case law and condominium practice identify a double key: a share based on general ownership millesimi, which compensates for the custody and supervision of the building as a whole, and a share based on use, which accounts for factors such as the floor the unit is on and whether it has an alternative lift or an independent entrance.
Many contractual condominium bylaws already fix this double proportion as a percentage, for instance 50 and 50 or with different weights. Where no bylaw governs the matter, the administrator must refer to the specific millesimal table for the concierge service if one exists, or propose in assembly the adoption of a criterion reflecting the differentiated use.
The items that make up the labor cost
The concierge cost is not limited to the net salary paid to the doorman: it includes the social security and pension contributions borne by the employer, the severance pay accrued during the year, any allowances required by the applicable national collective labor agreement, and the cost of covering absences during holidays or sick leave. The administrator must list these items separately in the annual statement, because they are condominium expenses in every respect even when not yet paid out, severance pay in particular must be accrued year by year.
- Gross salary and social security contributions borne by the condominium
- Severance pay accrued during the financial year
- Any share for covering absences
- Personal protective equipment and mandatory training, where required
The dedicated millesimal table for concierge services
When the building has a specific table for the concierge service, that table runs alongside the general ownership table and should only be applied to expense items attributable to the service: salary, contributions, cleaning supplies used by the doorman, and any staff accommodation if provided. All other general building expenses remain allocated under the ownership table.
In practice, some buildings that never adopted a dedicated table continue, for convenience, to use the general ownership table for concierge costs as well. This is a legitimate choice if no unit owner objects, but it does not match the use based criterion set out in article 1123 and can be challenged in assembly by anyone who considers themselves disadvantaged.
Managing the split in the statement and in software
Condominium management software such as AmministraPro allows every concierge expense item to be linked to the correct millesimal table, automatically separating the share calculated on ownership millesimi from the share calculated on use millesimi, and produces the annual statement showing both shares clearly for each unit. This reduces the risk of manual errors and makes it easier to answer unit owners' questions during the assembly that approves the budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is concierge service always allocated by ownership shares?
No. Article 1123 of the Civil Code provides that, when use of the service can be assessed differently across units, the allocation must also take use into account, not ownership alone. For concierge services, established practice and contractual bylaws therefore apply a double proportion, between ownership millesimi and use millesimi, unless the bylaws provide otherwise.
Does a ground floor shop with an independent entrance have to pay for the concierge?
It depends on the bylaws and the use table adopted. If the unit has an independent entrance and makes no use of the service in any way, the specific use table often provides for a total or partial exemption from the use based share, while the share calculated on general ownership millesimi generally remains due, unless the bylaws state otherwise.
What happens if there is no specific millesimal table for the concierge service?
Without a dedicated table, the administrator can propose to the assembly the adoption of a specific use based criterion, which requires approval with the majorities set for millesimal tables. Until then, absent objections, many condominiums continue to apply the general ownership table to concierge costs as well, even though this is not the technically correct solution.
Should the doorman's severance pay be included in the statement even if it is not paid out immediately?
Yes. Severance pay accrues year by year and is a labor cost borne by the condominium already in the year it accumulates, regardless of when it will actually be paid to the employee. It should therefore appear in the annual statement as an accrual, so unit owners get an accurate picture of the overall economic commitment tied to the employment relationship.
Can management software automatically calculate the double share for concierge costs?
Yes, software such as AmministraPro lets you link concierge expenses to a dedicated millesimal table, separating the ownership share from the use share and generating the annual statement with the breakdown for each unit, reducing the administrator's manual work and calculation errors in more complex allocations.
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