Renovations can involve the owners' community even when the new equipment will serve only your apartment. An AC unit may change the façade, a cable may pass through shared space, or a new pipe may connect to a common system. Find out which parts of the building your proposal affects before assuming the decision is yours alone.
Follow the work beyond your front door
Draw where the cables, pipes, fixings and openings will go. Include the roof, shafts, façade and shared supply lines. Something serving only your apartment can still pass through or alter a common element.
Ask the administrator what is private, what is common and what existing rules apply. A neighbour's similar installation may have approval—or may simply never have been challenged. You can't tell by looking at it.
Get the right decision, not just a friendly yes
Ask for the statutes and relevant meeting minutes. There may already be a rule about AC locations, colours or screening. Article 7 of the Horizontal Property Act sets limits on private alterations; Article 17 provides different decision routes for different kinds of improvement.
That means a verbal yes from the president may not settle a proposal that needs a formal decision. Ask the administrator to confirm the route and outcome in writing, especially for solar, shared equipment or exterior changes.
Provide the details needed for a decision
Give the administrator a drawing, equipment details, drainage and cable routes, noise information and proposed work dates. Include how the contractor will access and protect shared areas. This makes it possible to assess the actual installation and resolve objections before work starts.
Ask for the decision or acknowledgement in writing and make sure the contractor follows the agreed proposal. Check the municipal process separately: approval from the community and compliance with Town Hall requirements address different responsibilities.
Before you go ahead
- Private and common elements identified
- Statutes and minutes checked
- Drawings and routes supplied
- Required decision recorded
- Municipal route checked separately
Common questions
Can the president give verbal permission?
Do not rely on an informal conversation where a formal community decision may be required. Ask the administrator to confirm the correct process and outcome in writing.
What about an urgent leak?
Take immediate steps to prevent damage and inform the administrator without delay. Document the emergency, access and repair; urgent mitigation does not authorise unrelated renovation.
Sources and further reading
Official information checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and procedures can change; verify the live source for your exact circumstances.