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The management company closed, the owner who acted as administrator moved house or nobody wanted the job at the last general meeting. Months later, the electricity bills for the common parts are piling up, the insurance may have lapsed and nobody knows how many contributions are unpaid. An unmanaged condominium is a risk for every owner, but Portuguese law provides the tools to recover it. In this guide we explain who takes over management while there is no administrator, how to call the general meeting, how to rebuild the accounts and where to start putting the building in order.
In short
- With no administrator elected or appointed, the duties fall provisionally to the owner with the highest permillage, unless another owner volunteers.
- Owners representing at least 25% of the invested capital can call the general meeting.
- Any owner can ask a court to appoint an administrator.
- The first priorities are fire insurance, essential services and the accounts.
- The minutes that set the contributions allow overdue debts to be collected.
Who manages when there is no administrator
The law does not leave the building without someone in charge:
«1 – Se a assembleia de condóminos não eleger administrador e este não houver sido nomeado judicialmente, as correspondentes funções são obrigatoriamente desempenhadas, a título provisório, pelo condómino cuja fracção ou fracções representem a maior percentagem do capital investido, salvo se outro condómino houver manifestado vontade de exercer o cargo e houver comunicado tal propósito aos demais condóminos.» — Civil Code, article 1435-A(1)
In plain English: if the meeting does not elect an administrator and none has been appointed by a court, the duties must be carried out provisionally by the owner whose unit or units represent the largest share of the invested capital, unless another owner has said they want the job and told the other owners.
If the meeting does not elect an administrator, any owner can ask a court to appoint one (art. 1435(2)). And where there is an administrator who has simply stopped working, they remain in office until a successor is elected or appointed (art. 1435(5)), which does not release them from their responsibilities. See the role of the condominium administrator.
Calling the general meeting
The owners themselves can call the meeting, provided they represent at least 25% of the invested capital (art. 1431(2) of the Civil Code). Notice is given by registered letter sent 10 days in advance, by a notice of meeting with a signed receipt, or by email for owners who asked for this at a previous meeting (art. 1432). It must state the day, time, place and agenda. At the first meeting, include:
- Election of the administrator.
- An update on the accounts, the insurance and the contracts.
- Approval of a provisional budget and of the contributions.
- A decision on recovering debts.
- A mandate to ask the previous management for the documents.
See our guide to ordinary condominium meetings.
Priorities in the first weeks
| Priority | What to check | Why it is urgent |
|---|---|---|
| Fire insurance | Policy in force and sum insured up to date | It is mandatory (art. 1429) |
| Electricity and water for the common parts | Overdue bills and risk of being cut off | Safety and running of the building |
| Lift | Maintenance contract and last inspection | Safety of users |
| Bank account | Balance, who operates it, statements | Control of the condominium’s money |
| Contributions | Who has paid and who is behind | Basis for the budget and for collection |
| Documents | Minutes, regulations, contracts | Evidence and continuity |
Rebuilding the accounts
Without approved accounts, nobody knows exactly what each unit owes. The work is done in four steps:
- Get the bank statements for the whole period without management, requested from the bank by whoever has powers over the account.
- Match each movement against the contributions approved in the last minutes and the invoices paid.
- Work out the balance of each unit and the state of the common reserve fund.
- Present the result to the general meeting for approval.
The approved accounts and the minutes that set the contributions allow you to collect from those who have not paid. The minutes are an enforceable title against the owner who fails to pay their share (art. 6(2) of Decree-Law 268/94). See our guide to debts to the condominium.
The condominium's bank account
The account is often the hardest thing to unblock. If only the old management operated it, the condominium can go weeks without being able to pay bills. As a rule, the bank asks for the minutes of the meeting that elected the new administrator and that state who will operate the account. So draft that decision carefully: the administrator’s name, the length of the mandate, who has powers over the account and whether more than one signature is needed. Check with the bank before the meeting which documents it will ask for. If the account was in the company’s name and not the condominium’s, ask for the balance to be transferred to a new account in the condominium’s name, with its tax number (NIF), and record everything in the minutes.
Recovering the documents
If the previous management has disappeared, the files must be rebuilt: ask owners who have copies of the minutes for them, the insurer for the policy, suppliers for the contracts and the land registry for the title deed of horizontal property. If the management still exists but will not hand over the documents, send a written request with a deadline. The documents belong to the condominium. See why a paper condominium archive is a risk.
Liability of those who failed
An administrator who does not perform their duties is liable in civil law for that omission (art. 1436(3) of the Civil Code). If there are losses, such as an uninsured claim or interest on overdue bills, the general meeting can decide to hold them liable. Before going ahead, gather the evidence: the contract, minutes, correspondence and statements.
Preventing it from happening again
- Elect the administrator every year and record it in the minutes.
- Keep the bank account in the condominium’s name, with owners able to see the movements.
- Keep a digital copy of minutes, accounts, insurance policies and contracts.
- Demand regular reports and accounts at the January meeting, with time to read them before the meeting.
How Condoroo helps
When we take over a building, we start by checking the accounts, debts, insurance and contracts and by dealing with anything urgent. The bank account is in the condominium’s name. We manage more than 600 condominiums, with a team of more than 20 professionals, carry out more than 35 inspection visits a day and send hundreds of letters a month with tracking, so that notices of meetings and demands for payment can be proved.
Unmanaged condominium: frequently asked questions
Who manages a condominium with no administrator?
Provisionally, the owner with the largest share of the invested capital, unless another owner has volunteered and told the others (art. 1435-A of the Civil Code).
Can the owners call the general meeting?
Yes, provided they represent at least 25% of the invested capital (art. 1431(2)).
How much notice is needed to call the meeting?
Ten days, by registered letter, a notice with a signed receipt or email for owners who asked for it at a previous meeting (art. 1432).
Can a court appoint an administrator?
Yes. If the general meeting does not elect an administrator, any owner can ask a court to appoint one (art. 1435(2)).
How do I collect contributions owed from a period without management?
Rebuild the accounts, have them approved at a general meeting and use the minutes that set the contributions, which are an enforceable title (art. 6 of Decree-Law 268/94).
What should be checked first?
The fire insurance, the electricity and water bills for the common parts, the lift and the bank account.
This article is for information only. Legislation and websites checked on 26 October 2026.
