Kurier Housing Hotline

15. December 2025

What should I do if I cannot receive radio reception in my flat?

My wife and I live in an assisted living facility. Since moving in, we have had no radio reception, even though there is a receiving antenna on the roof. The management says it is not their concern that some residents have no radio reception. Is that correct?

Julia Fritz: Modern residential complexes must provide connections for radio, TV and internet reception in accordance with the state of the art. This applies in particular to assisted living facilities, where the equipment must be uniform and up to date. This means that if a central antenna is available, it must also be functional. The legal obligation is less about guaranteeing individual residents radio reception and more about ensuring that the building-wide system meets technical standards. If only individual flats have no radio reception while the central infrastructure is working, this indicates a technical problem. In this case, it makes sense to arrange for a technical inspection in your own flat. Reception can often be restored with minor measures (amplifiers).

Who pays for repairs to unauthorised installations?

I am the owner of a flat in a terraced house complex. One owner built a conservatory, which we agreed to. He then installed a roof sunshade for the conservatory, which is now defective. We now have the repair included in the operating costs statement. Do we have to pay for the repair if we did not agree to the installation of the sunshade?

Julia Fritz: Basically, no. A clear distinction must be made between the conservatory – for which the consent of the other flat owners was required – and the roof sunshade, which was installed later without consent. While the approved conservatory is legally part of the properly carried out alteration, the additional sunshade is considered an unauthorised alteration under the Flat Ownership Act. The respective owner is solely responsible for such unauthorised measures, in particular for repair and maintenance costs. These may therefore not be included in the general operating costs statement. Only if an additional component had actually become part of the general parts of the house – for example, through structural integration into the building structure – could communal costs be incurred. This is usually not the case with sun protection systems. A practical tip: for future approval resolutions – for example, for conservatories, extensions and superstructures or other structural changes – it is advisable to clearly regulate who will bear the maintenance and repair costs in future, especially if the conversion involves the use or strain of common parts of the building (e.g. façade, roof connections, drainage). Such an explicit agreement prevents later disputes and creates transparency for all owners.

How can I get the administrator to call a meeting?

Our property management company has not called a house meeting for over three years. When I, as an apartment owner, ask them to call a meeting because there are many issues to be discussed, I always get the brush-off. How should I proceed?

Julia Fritz: According to Section 25 (1) of the German Condominium Act (WEG), the administrator must convene a owners’ meeting every two years, unless otherwise agreed or decided by a two-thirds majority. Failure to convene a meeting for more than three years therefore constitutes a clear breach of duty on the part of the administrator. If the administrator fails to fulfil their duty to convene such a meeting, this can have legal consequences: claims for damages, a reduction in the administrator’s remuneration in accordance with Section 20 (10) WEG and, in extreme cases, the judicial dissolution of the administrator’s contract in accordance with Section 21 (3) WEG may be considered. Another option is to convene an extraordinary property management meeting. There are clear requirements for convening an extraordinary owners’ meeting: at least three apartment owners must act jointly and represent at least a quarter of the co-ownership shares. The request must be made in writing and an important reason must be given. This is only the case if not only the topic is mentioned, but also the urgency of the matter is clearly explained. A long period without a owners’ meeting and several unresolved issues may constitute such an important reason. It is also conceivable that the property management company could be dismissed by a resolution (simple majority) of the remaining co-owners.

First published in: Kurier: Immo Kurier on 13 December 2025