Comparisons
Condominium costs: tenant versus owner
When a condominium unit is rented out, the running costs split between two parties with different roles: the owner, who remains the only party the condominium deals with directly, and the tenant, who under the lease reimburses the owner for the ordinary running charges. This split is not left to goodwill, it follows a settled criterion: whoever uses the property day to day covers the cost of that use, whoever owns the property covers the cost of preserving and improving it. Knowing exactly where that line falls, and being able to prove it with clear paperwork, prevents most disputes at the end of a tenancy. This guide walks through the standard cost table, the most common grey areas, and how to organize documentation, including with the help of a condominium management platform such as AmministraPro.
Compared
| Criterion | Tenant | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning and lighting of shared areas | Covered, an ordinary running cost | Not owed, unless capital works on the system are involved |
| Elevator | Ordinary maintenance and service contract | Full replacement or regulatory upgrade |
| Central heating | Consumption and ordinary boiler maintenance | Boiler replacement or system overhaul |
| Facade and roof | No liability | Renovation at their own cost as a capital expense |
| Property manager's fee | Share tied to ordinary management, if itemized separately | Remaining share, usually the larger one when not itemized |
| Point of contact with the condominium | Can attend and speak at meetings, without voting, on matters within their remit | The only party the condominium deals with for statements and resolutions |
The guiding rule: day to day use to the tenant, capital value to the owner
Italian law 392 of 1978 on regulated leases, at article 9, sets out the criterion still used in practice today: the tenant covers cleaning services, the operation and ordinary maintenance of the elevator, the supply of water, electricity, heating and cooling, sewage and septic tank clearing, and other shared services. The owner covers extraordinary works, structural repairs, and anything that increases the value or extends the useful life of the building.
In everyday terms this becomes a simple rule: if a cost keeps the condominium running today, whoever lives there now pays it, if a cost keeps the building standing for the coming decades, whoever owns it pays it. The condominium bylaws and the lease can spell out details, but they cannot shift capital expenses onto the tenant: a clause attempting that would be void between landlord and tenant, even though it remains valid toward the condominium, which continues to bill the owner regardless.
A practical table: who pays what
This table reflects the most common practice in residential leases, but it is still advisable for the lease to reference it expressly or attach it, so both parties have a written point of reference if a disagreement arises.
- Tenant: cleaning of stairwells and common areas, lighting of shared spaces, condominium water supply, central heating and its ordinary maintenance, ordinary maintenance and the service contract of the elevator, routine garden upkeep, day to day concierge management, liability insurance premiums tied to everyday use.
- Owner: roof, facade and terrace renovation, full replacement of the elevator or its regulatory upgrade, structural reinforcement works, installation of new systems such as external insulation or a shared photovoltaic system, building insurance covering the property itself, the portion of the property manager's fee related to capital management.
- The property manager's fee, when the budget does not split an ordinary and an extraordinary portion, is a frequent point of friction: common practice attributes it to the owner, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.
The property manager's role and communication between the parties
Under article 1130 of the Italian Civil Code, the property manager deals with the owner, not the tenant: financial statements, meeting notices and payment requests are sent to the owner. The owner is however required to inform the manager of the tenant's details when the unit is leased, and the tenant has the right to attend and speak, without voting, at meetings deciding on matters within their remit, such as the ordinary running of shared services.
To avoid misunderstandings, many owners forward the tenant a copy of the condominium statement, highlighting the tenant's share, or document the charges with separate receipts and summaries. Digital management of these charges, keeping ordinary and extraordinary items separate from the moment they are recorded, meaningfully reduces the risk of disputes at the end of the tenancy.
Documenting charges and preventing disputes
Most disputes between landlord and tenant do not arise from disagreement over the allocation rule itself, which the law defines clearly enough, but from the difficulty of reconstructing after the fact which costs were actually incurred and in what proportion. Keeping annual statements, meeting minutes approving extraordinary works, and payment receipts is therefore essential for both parties.
A management platform such as AmministraPro lets the property manager keep ordinary and extraordinary costs separate from the moment a charge is recorded, and produce statements the owner can forward to the tenant with the split already worked out. This does not replace the contractual agreement between the parties, but it makes what was actually charged verifiable at any point, cutting down the time and grounds for dispute once the tenancy ends.
Frequently asked questions
If the property manager sends a payment request, does the owner have to settle it, or can the tenant pay directly?
Toward the condominium, the owner remains the only liable party, listed in the condominium records as the unit holder. Nothing prevents the tenant from actually transferring the amount as a matter of convenience under the lease terms, but liability toward the condominium stays with the owner, who must still recover the tenant's share from them if reimbursement is not made.
What happens if the lease does not specify how service charges are split?
In the absence of a specific clause, the criterion in article 9 of law 392 of 1978 applies, listing the ordinary running items the tenant covers. It is still advisable for the lease to reference this split explicitly or attach a cost table, so there is less room for differing interpretations between the parties.
Can the tenant attend the condominium meeting?
Yes, but only for resolutions on matters within their remit, such as managing the shared services whose cost they bear: in these cases they can attend and speak, but they do not have a vote, which remains reserved to owners. For capital matters, such as extraordinary works, the tenant has no standing to take part.
If a reserve fund for extraordinary works is approved during the tenancy, does the tenant have to pay for it?
No: a reserve fund for extraordinary works, such as facade renovation or elevator replacement, falls under capital expenses owed by the owner, regardless of whether it was approved while the unit was leased. The tenant is only liable for ordinary running costs accrued during the lease period.
What is a simple way to verify which charges were genuinely ordinary during the year of the tenancy?
The most reliable way is to ask the owner for a copy of the annual condominium statement, where cost items are listed individually. When the property manager uses a platform such as AmministraPro, the split between ordinary and extraordinary charges is already set at the point the cost is recorded, so the statement is easier to review and to match against what was actually charged to the tenant.
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