Selling an apartment: what to ask the association
Quick answer: Request bills from different periods, current arrears information and details of building loans and planned work. Distinguish approved commitments from preliminary plans.
The apartment does not describe the whole building
Sales presentations often focus on kitchens and bathrooms, but the buyer’s budget also depends on the building. Gather recent bills, available information about works and the board’s contact details. Distinguish documented information from past conversations. This avoids presenting proposals as decisions already made.
Explain the bill’s components
Choose bills from different seasons and explain whether the apartment was occupied normally. Separate consumption, fixed charges and one-off items. Ask for clarification of any loan or renovation line if needed. A single total does not show which costs may change with the new owner’s consumption.
Obtain a current arrears statement
The Chamber of Notaries recommends obtaining confirmation of whether association arrears exist and their amount. Check the statement date and agree how later bills will be handled. Describe disputed amounts separately. Work with the notary on the contractual arrangement; a verbal promise to pay later leaves uncertainty.
Clarify upcoming works
Ask which works have been approved and which remain under discussion. Separate the scope, expected timing and payment attributable to your apartment where possible. Say clearly if no firm budget exists. An honestly identified open question is more useful than a precise but unsupported promise of low costs.
Prepare a one-page buyer summary
Summarise the bill range with explanations, known works, parking and storage arrangements, and unanswered questions. Include document dates. Exclude other residents’ unnecessary personal data and unrelated correspondence. This supports a price discussion based on specific conditions rather than impressions.
Compare bills from different seasons
One summer bill does not show winter heating costs. Where possible, provide several bills and note occupancy and known one-off charges. Separate consumption, repair reserves and loan payments. For planned work, clarify whether it is a discussion, an approved decision or a signed contract. Do not present a preliminary estimate as a fixed future monthly charge. Buyers need to understand which costs depend on their consumption and which arise from the building’s shared commitments.
Request clarification in writing
Give the association the apartment address, the date you need figures for, and questions about arrears, borrowing and major work. Ask it to explain unclear bill entries. After a verbal answer, send a short written summary for confirmation. Refresh the figures before handover because new bills accrue during marketing. Agree how the final period’s costs will be divided and who submits readings. A statement obtained at the start of a sale is not a substitute for an up-to-date settlement.
Official information
This guide helps you prepare. Confirm the terms and required documents for your particular transaction with the notary.