Community fees in Spain: what they cover
Community fees are the owner's share of the annual budget of the community of owners, allocated according to the participation quota recorded in the deed of horizontal division, and they cover maintenance, insurance, services and the legally required reserve fund.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- Fees are allocated by participation quota, expressed as a percentage.
- Monthly fees commonly run 40 € to 250 € depending on services.
- Special levies for works are decided at the owners' meeting.
- Unpaid fees can be claimed from a new owner for the statutory period.
Two identical looking apartments in the same block can pay different amounts every month, and the reason sits in a percentage written into the original deed decades ago.
The participation quota
When a building is divided into separate units, each one is assigned a participation quota expressed as a percentage of the whole. It reflects the surface area, the location within the building and the use that can be made of common elements. All ordinary charges are allocated in that proportion unless the statutes say otherwise, so the quota, not the floor area alone, is what decides the bill.
| Item | Share of budget | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning and gardening | 20 to 35 % | largest single item in many blocks |
| Building insurance | 10 to 20 % | compulsory in practice |
| Lift maintenance and inspections | 10 to 20 % | where a lift exists |
| Electricity for common areas | 5 to 15 % | |
| Administrator fees | 5 to 12 % | |
| Pool maintenance | 5 to 20 % | seasonal peak |
| Reserve fund | at least 10 % of the budget | legal minimum |
| Typical monthly fee | 40 to 250 € | depending on services |
Ordinary fees and special levies
Ordinary fees fund the approved annual budget. A special levy, or derrama, funds works not covered by that budget: a facade repair, a lift replacement, a roof. It is approved at the owners' meeting with the majority the law requires for that type of work, and once approved it binds every owner including those who voted against and those who did not attend.
Arrears follow the property
A buyer takes on the seller's unpaid community fees for the year of purchase and the 3 preceding calendar years. That is why the seller must produce a certificate from the administrator confirming the position, and why the notary asks for it at completion. A buyer who waives that certificate is accepting a liability that can run to several thousand euros in a block with an approved levy.
An approved but not yet charged levy is a different matter again, and it is worth asking specifically whether any works have been voted through.
What to check before buying
The certificate of no arrears. The minutes of the last 2 or 3 annual meetings, which reveal disputes, planned works and the state of the building far better than a viewing does. The current budget and the monthly fee. The balance of the reserve fund. And whether any levy has been approved or is under discussion, since a 6,000 € share of a facade project changes the arithmetic of a purchase.
Frequently asked
+How are community fees calculated?
By the participation quota recorded in the deed of horizontal division, not by floor area alone.
+What do they cover?
Cleaning, insurance, lift maintenance, common electricity, administration, pool upkeep and the reserve fund.
+What is a derrama?
A special levy approved at the owners' meeting to fund works not covered by the annual budget.
+Can I inherit the seller's debts?
Yes, for the year of purchase and the 3 preceding calendar years, which is why the arrears certificate matters.
+What should I read before buying?
The arrears certificate, the last two or three sets of meeting minutes, the budget and the reserve fund balance.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)