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Many buildings have owners who have lived there for decades. Some use email and video calls every day; others prefer a letter, a phone call or a chat in the entrance hall. Good condominium management for seniors does not choose between digital and in person: it makes sure nobody is left out of the building’s decisions because they do not have a computer, find it hard to leave home or need more time to read the documents. In this guide we explain what the law already guarantees and what you can ask of the management company.
In short
- Notices by email only apply to those who asked for it at a general meeting; everyone else receives a registered letter or a notice with a receipt.
- If the meeting is held online, the management must provide the means to anyone who, with good reason, cannot take part remotely.
- Any owner can be represented by a proxy.
- Anyone whose household includes a person with reduced mobility can install ramps or lifting platforms, after giving prior notice.
- The management can adapt its communication: phone, notices posted in the building, documents in legible print.
| Need | What the law provides | What to ask the management |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving the notice of meeting | Registered letter or notice with receipt, unless email was requested | Confirm the address and preferred method |
| Taking part in the meeting | In person, remote or hybrid; means for those who cannot join online | An in-person or hybrid meeting |
| Being unable to attend | Representation by a proxy | A simple proxy template |
| Accessibility | Ramps and lifting platforms (art. 1425(4)) | Help with the prior notice |
| Understanding the accounts | Accounts presented to the general meeting | A paper summary and an explanation by phone |
The notice of meeting reaches everyone
The general rule is a registered letter sent at least 10 days in advance, or a notice of meeting delivered against a signed receipt (art. 1432(1)). Email can only be used for those who asked for it:
«2 – A convocatória indicada no n.º 1 é efetuada através de correio eletrónico para os condóminos que manifestem essa vontade em assembleia de condóminos realizada anteriormente, devendo essa manifestação de vontade ficar lavrada em ata com a indicação do respetivo endereço de correio eletrónico.» — Civil Code, article 1432(2)
In plain English: the notice is sent by email to owners who said they wanted this at an earlier general meeting, and that wish must be recorded in the minutes together with their email address.
In other words, nobody has to have email to be called to a meeting. Those who did not ask for it continue to receive the notice on paper.
Online meetings without leaving anyone out
Since Law 8/2022, the general meeting can be held remotely, preferably by videoconference, if the management decides so or a majority of owners requests it. But the law protects those who cannot do so:
«2 – Caso algum dos condóminos não tenha, fundamentadamente, condições para participar na assembleia de condóminos por meios de comunicação à distância e tenha transmitido essa impossibilidade à administração do condomínio, compete a esta assegurar-lhe os meios necessários, sob pena de a assembleia não poder ter lugar através daqueles meios.» — Decree-Law 268/94, article 1-A(2)
In plain English: if an owner, with good reason, is unable to take part remotely and has told the management so, it is up to the management to provide them with the necessary means; otherwise the meeting cannot be held by those means.
In practice, the simplest solution is often a hybrid meeting: those who want to come to the room do so, and those who prefer join remotely. See the advantages and challenges of online meetings.
Representation by proxy
Anyone who cannot attend the general meeting can be represented by a relative, a neighbour or another trusted person:
«3. Os condóminos podem fazer-se representar por procurador.» — Civil Code, article 1431(3)
In plain English: owners may be represented by a proxy.
As a rule, a written and signed document is enough, identifying the owner, the proxy and the meeting. See our guide to ordinary condominium meetings.
Accessibility in the building
When a household includes a person with reduced mobility, the law allows any owner to carry out some works without waiting for the general meeting’s approval:
«4 – No caso de um dos membros do respetivo agregado familiar ser uma pessoa com mobilidade condicionada, qualquer condómino pode, mediante prévia comunicação nesse sentido ao administrador e observando as normas técnicas de acessibilidade previstas em legislação específica, efetuar as seguintes inovações: a) Colocação de rampas de acesso; b) Colocação de plataformas elevatórias, quando não exista ascensor com porta e cabina de dimensões que permitam a sua utilização por uma pessoa em cadeira de rodas.» — Civil Code, article 1425(4)
In plain English: if a member of the household has reduced mobility, any owner may, after notifying the administrator and following the technical accessibility standards, install access ramps or lifting platforms, the latter where there is no lift with a door and car large enough for a wheelchair user.
Prior notice to the administrator is mandatory, and the works must comply with the technical accessibility standards. See our guide to reduced mobility in condominiums.
Communication that fits
The law sets minimums, but the way the management communicates makes all the difference:
- Phone: a line answered by a person, to explain a notice of meeting or a payment reminder.
- Notices posted in the building: water cuts, works or cleaning announced in the entrance hall, in large print.
- Legible documents: accounts and budgets with a one-page summary.
- Time: sending documents in advance, so they can be read calmly or with a relative’s help.
- Visits to the building: the manager knows the residents and understands problems that never arrive by email.
See how we combine technology and proximity in condominium management.
Looking out for each other in hot and cold weather
During heatwaves, the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) recommends keeping an eye on older or isolated people. A notice in the entrance hall with the DGS recommendations and a word between neighbours help. In winter, it is worth checking that the stair lighting and handrails are in good condition, to reduce the risk of falls.
Protection against scams
Older owners are often targeted by fake technicians or by requests for payment through unusual channels. Agree a clear rule with the management: notices of works are posted in advance, and payments to the condominium are made only to the condominium’s account, never to people who knock on the door.
How Condoroo helps
Condoroo manages more than 600 condominiums and combines technology with proximity. We hold general meetings in person, hybrid or online, as the building prefers, and we send paper notices of meeting to anyone who did not ask for email, with hundreds of letters a month sent with tracking. Owners can speak to a person by phone: according to Condoroo’s call metrics, the average call lasts 5 minutes and 15 seconds. Our managers visit the buildings, with more than 35 inspections a day. The bank account is in the condominium’s name.
Condominium management for seniors: frequently asked questions
Do I have to have email to receive the notice of meeting?
No. Email is only used for those who asked for it at a general meeting, with the address recorded in the minutes. Everyone else receives a registered letter or a notice with a receipt.
Can the meeting be online only if I do not have a computer?
If you have told the management, with good reason, that you cannot take part remotely, it must provide you with the necessary means; otherwise the meeting cannot be held by those means alone.
Can I ask my son or daughter to vote for me?
Yes. Any owner can be represented by a proxy (art. 1431(3) of the Civil Code).
Can I install a ramp without the general meeting's approval?
If your household includes a person with reduced mobility, yes, after giving prior notice to the administrator and complying with the accessibility standards.
How can I understand the condominium's accounts?
Ask the management for a paper summary and an explanation by phone before the general meeting.
What do I do if someone turns up asking for money on behalf of the condominium?
Do not pay. Check with the management; payments to the condominium are made to the condominium’s account.
This article is for information only. Legislation and websites checked on 26 October 2026.
