Italy has roughly four million condominiums and somewhere between 250,000 and 300,000 people working as condominium administrators. Before the 2012 reform — Law 220/2012 — almost anyone could take on the role. Today, the requirements are considerably more specific, and a pending parliamentary proposal would tighten them further still. Understanding what the administrator is legally required to do — and what they cannot do without the assembly’s authorisation — matters whether you are an owner evaluating a candidate, a tenant trying to understand who to contact, or someone considering the profession.
When is an administrator required?
Under Article 1129 of the Italian Civil Code, any building with more than eight condominios (units) is required by law to appoint an administrator. Buildings with eight or fewer can choose to operate without one, managed directly by the owners through assembly resolutions. In practice, even small buildings often appoint someone to handle the administrative workload, particularly if the building is older and has significant maintenance demands.
The administrator is elected by the assembly and serves for one year, with the possibility of renewal. The first appointment typically comes at the time of the building’s formal constitution as a condominium, often organised by the developer.
A post-war residential building near Rome, typical of the condominium stock that administrators manage daily. Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Qualifications after 2012
Law 220/2012 introduced mandatory qualifications for external administrators — those who are not themselves owners in the building they manage. To take on the role professionally, a person must hold at least a secondary school diploma, have completed a specific training course, and not have been convicted of certain offences including fraud, theft, and abuse of office. They must also have no pending personal insolvency.
Since 2013, professional administrators are required to attend periodic continuing education to maintain their qualification. Several associations, including ANACI (Associazione Nazionale Amministratori Condominiali e Immobiliari), maintain registers of members who meet current standards.
The DDL 2692/2025, currently in parliamentary discussion, would significantly raise the bar: a master’s degree in law, economics, or engineering; a mandatory liability insurance policy of at least €500,000; enrolment in a national register held by the Ministry of Economic Development (MIMIT); and a complete ban on cash transactions, with all payments made by bank transfer or card.
The financial duties
One of the most consequential changes introduced by the 2012 reform is the requirement for every condominium to hold a dedicated bank account in the building’s name. Before 2012, administrators commonly pooled funds from multiple buildings they managed, creating significant risk for owners if the administrator became insolvent or acted improperly. The dedicated account makes the building’s funds legally separate from the administrator’s personal finances.
Each year, the administrator must prepare a financial statement showing all income — primarily the periodic contributions from owners — and all expenditure. This statement must be presented to the assembly for approval. Any owner has the right to inspect the accounts and request supporting documentation at any time. If the administrator refuses to provide access, any owner can apply to a judge to compel disclosure.
What the administrator can do alone
The administrator acts as the legal representative of the condominium in dealings with third parties. Within that role, they can take actions that fall within ordinary administration without seeking assembly approval each time:
- Enforcing the building regulations and decisions already passed by the assembly.
- Contracting for routine maintenance (cleaning, lift servicing, minor repairs) up to the limit set in the budget.
- Taking urgent action to address imminent danger — for example, making safe a damaged section of facade that poses a risk to pedestrians — provided they report to the assembly at the first available opportunity.
- Collecting the annual contributions from owners and pursuing recovery from those who fall into arrears.
The administrator cannot authorise new construction, major renovations, the disposal of shared property, or any expenditure significantly exceeding the approved budget, without explicit assembly resolution.
Grounds for removal
The assembly can remove the administrator at any time, with or without cause, by a resolution passed with the same majority required for appointment. However, if the administrator is removed without valid reason before their term ends, they may be entitled to compensation.
Some grounds justify immediate removal and exclusion from re-appointment. These include: failing to open or maintain the dedicated bank account, misappropriating building funds, serious negligence in maintaining common areas, refusing to provide financial records, and acting in a conflict of interest without disclosing it to the assembly.
Any individual owner — not just the assembly as a whole — can petition a judge for the administrator’s removal if they can demonstrate one of the serious grounds listed above. This is a significant protection for minority owners who may lack the votes to call an extraordinary assembly.
The administrator’s display obligation
A small but telling obligation introduced in 2012: the administrator must post a notice in a visible location in the building — typically near the main entrance or letterboxes — showing their name, professional address, telephone number, and the number of the building’s dedicated bank account. This requirement exists to ensure every resident always knows who is responsible for the building and how to reach them.
For more on how the assembly votes on the administrator’s appointment and budget, see how condo assemblies work. For the financial mechanics behind expense division, see common expenses and millesimi.
