What is the Community of Owners?
The Community of Owners (Comunidad de Propietarios) is the legal body for controlling and maintaining spaces and facilities that are shared by owners. On an urbanisation these may include, for example, communal swimming pools, gardens and paths, lighting and drains, and in an apartment block stairways, lifts, entrance-halls, gardens and roof.
How much will my Community expenses be?
Each property is assigned a percentage (cuota) of the annual expenses, and this percentage may be shown on the Title Deeds of the property if the Community of Owners has already been set up (unlikely in the case of a new property). The charge will vary from Community to Community, so when you are looking to buy a resale property this is one of the questions you should ask.
How is the Community run?
There are laws stating how the Community of Owners should be run. There will always be a President (who must be one of the property owners), a secretary and an administrator (usually a professional Administrador de Fincas, well-versed in the relevant laws, who will charge a fee for his service and can also act as secretary).
What will be my involvement?
You become a member of your Community of Owners, with its legal rights and obligations, as soon as you purchase your property. As a member, you are entitled to attend any meetings, including the Annual General Meeting, at which you can make your opinions known, vote - and maybe get elected to office yourself.
Is the Community Charge the same thing as the Local Rates?
No. The Community Charge is completely separate from the local rates (I.B.I: Impuesto Sobre Bienes Inmuebles) which is a municipal tax paid annually to your Town Hall (or, in the Alicante province, to the SUMA office – an agency who collect payments on behalf of the Town Halls) and is applicable to both Residents and Non-Residents alike.
