Special levies: what they are, how they get approved and how they are split

Few words tense up a meeting like "levy". Understanding it properly is half the battle of approving it without a row.

What it is

An extraordinary payment — outside the monthly charge — to cover a specific cost the community fund does not: the facade, the roof, replacing the lift, accessibility works.

How it gets approved

It depends what it is for:

• Necessary works (conservation, safety, habitability): simple majority. If the facade is at risk of collapse, voting on it is not even optional.
• Improvements (new services, aesthetics): three fifths, and with limits — a dissenting owner may not be obliged to pay for expensive, non-essential improvements.
• Always: at a meeting called with the item on the agenda, and with the resolution (amounts, instalments, split) recorded in the minutes.

How it is split

Unless the by-laws say otherwise, by participation quota: a 30,000 € job is not divided equally — the flat with an 8% quota contributes 2,400 €, the one with 3% contributes 900 €. Splitting a levy "equally" without a basis in the by-laws is the fast route to a legal challenge.

Chair-to-chair advice

• Split it up: six payments of 400 € hurt less than one of 2,400 €, and reduce arrears.
• Document everything: compared quotes before the meeting, a detailed resolution in the minutes, and every payment recorded — who has paid what must be checkable at any time.
• Communicate early: a levy announced months ahead gets paid; one announced weeks ahead gets fought.