Owners' association, house fees, property management/rules in condominiums

Good day. Please excuse me for posting a new thread. I would like to put all my questions about the above-mentioned topics here. And thank you for the many tips I have already received here!

My niece and I are acquiring a new condominium in an apartment block with 5 units. The developer will soon hand over these turnkey apartments to the owners.

Our questions: - According to the contract, the developer arranges a property management company. I assume that this company has taken out a legally valid building insurance for the handover. Because from the handover on, the owners are liable and no longer the developer. Is that correct? May I inform the developer of this?

- When do the new owners usually meet? Immediately after the handover? With the property management?

- What must I as an owner do at these meetings? Will one "spokesperson" be selected from the 5 owners who discusses matters with the property management? Or?

- Do I as an owner have the right to review all invoices (e.g. pellets, repairs, etc.) to check them? Or does everything run on blind trust via the property management?

- Do you have the right to obtain a competing offer from elsewhere for new purchases (e.g. bicycle storage) or does the property management arrange everything?

- Does the property management bring house rules, or how is this regulated? Can proposals (e.g. sorting waste, front door must not be left unlatched/open, etc.) be included in the house rules by majority vote?

- Are minor cosmetic repairs allowed to be done without the property management to save costs? For example, painting over "moving scratches" in the hallway?

- Who determines the amount of the service charges currently set by the developer? The property management or the community?

- Is only one person per apartment allowed to attend these meetings, or can both of us attend sometimes? For us, dealing with the property management, community committee, etc. is new. We have no experience here.

I currently have little time, so here is a rather general answer that fits many points.

The HC ONLY manages, the decisions are always made by the owners' association. You want your own house rules? Then decide on them. You want to pay especially high service charges? Then decide on that. You do not agree with offers obtained by the HC? Then decide to get other offers and only implement the measure afterwards. And so on. There is also an auditor who checks once a year (from your community).

P.S. As joint owners, you can of course always attend an owners' meeting together. Or you can authorize Grandma to do so ;)

And you should quickly read the purchase agreement regarding the points about the WEG and what is already regulated there.

-When do the new owners usually meet? Right after handover? With the property management?

By arrangement. But you are also allowed to talk to each other between meetings!

-What do I have to do as an owner at these meetings? One of the 5 owners will probably be chosen as a "spokesperson" who discusses matters with the PM? Or?

The spokesperson will be the property management. The PM will contact you regarding an appointment as well as topics that need or should be discussed. You then register with two people but have only one vote. Owners of multiple apartments also have only one vote.
You vote on topics and resolutions.

-Do I as an owner have the right to inspect all invoices (e.g. pellets, repairs etc.) in order to check them?

I believe, yes.

-Do you have the right to get a counteroffer to the PM for new purchases (e.g. bike shelter etc.)? Or does the PM arrange everything?

Such matters are the basis of discussion at every owners' meeting, who obtains how many offers, where and when.

-Does the PM bring house rules, or how is this regulated? For example, can proposals (e.g. sorting of waste, front door must not be locked/open etc.) be included in the house rules by majority decision?

See above.

-Are smaller cosmetic repairs allowed to be done without the PM to save costs? For example, repainting "moving scuffs" in the hallway?

If all eligible voters agree, yes.

The property management works for you and is paid by you. So you decide, the PM only manages (as has already written).

My answers are based on what I have learned through my family. I do not know more.

You owners are also allowed to talk to each other outside the meetings and say hello and good day. You can also invite each other for a coffee. To what extent you deepen contacts is up to you, but there should always be time to talk, communicate, and gossip about the developer. This applies to owners moving into their apartments as well as to other tenants.

Sorry, the last sentence just slipped out:
You have some problems on your plate, you are worrying about the takeover and handover with the thermal bridge, etc. Apparently, you feel somewhat helpless without knowing what lies ahead.

Has it never occurred to you to talk to other owners about whether they have a good feeling, how they are handling things, etc.?
You are or will be a community – now is the time to start :)

You register with two people, but only have one voting right. Owners of multiple apartments also have only one voting right.

I don't want to leave it like that. It depends on what the division of the WEG provides.

For example, I have 320 voting rights. :eek: