Becoming a Condominium Administrator: Requirements and Certification

Role of Condominium Administrator: Duties and Requirements

Becoming a condominium administrator is a demanding task that can be very rewarding both professionally and financially.
The figure of the administrator has been revised by the 2012 condominium reform, updating duties and rights, including in terms of training requirements.

To become a professional condominium administrator, specific professionalism requirements must be met, while becoming an internal condominium administrator is simpler, at least in terms of training obligations.
Let’s delve into how to become a condominium administrator, what the requirements are, and how to obtain certification.

Why Become a Condominium Administrator: Rights and Duties

Condominium administrators have various responsibilities, including managing property taxation, mediating between condominium owners, and overseeing the building’s administration.
Some of the key duties of a condominium administrator include ensuring the proper use of common areas, drafting and enforcing the condominium regulations, collecting condominium fees for maintenance, executing assembly decisions, convening annual meetings for budget approval, handling tax obligations, maintaining meeting minutes, and managing the accounting registry.

Apart from the diverse tasks, this profession can be quite challenging due to the need to coordinate different owners’ needs and expectations, acting as a mediator.
An administrator’s income depends on several factors and should not be the primary motivation for pursuing this career.
Instead, individuals should be driven by the desire to utilize their skills, including relational abilities, which can be highly rewarding.

Motivation aside, internal condominium administrators are also motivated by directly managing condominium interests, ensuring fair and impartial representation.
However, motivation alone is not enough.
Besides being of legal age and an Italian citizen, administrators must meet specific requirements.
The following sections will delve into who can become a condominium administrator, the pathway to certification, and necessary preliminary information.

Requirements for Becoming a Condominium Administrator

Before exploring how to become a condominium administrator, it is essential to establish a crucial distinction.
A condominium administrator can be a professional who provides administration services to one or more condominiums, known as an external administrator.
An internal administrator is a condominium owner who performs the administrative tasks for the property they inhabit or co-own.

This distinction, although affecting training obligations, does not change the rights and duties of the administrator, who must meet certain basic requirements outlined in Article 71 bis of the Implementing Provisions of the Civil Code.
These requirements include full civil rights enjoyment, no convictions for severe offenses, no interdictions or incapacities, and no registration in bill protest registers.

Professional administrators, in addition to these requirements, must meet professionalism standards, including possessing a high school diploma, completing a 72-hour training course (with practical exercises), and attending annual training courses in condominium management for at least 15 hours.

Regardless, those who served as administrators for at least one year before the 2012 condominium reform are exempt from the initial diploma and training requirements but must attend annual updates.
If administration is carried out by a company, these requirements apply to unlimitedly liable partners, administrators, and employees handling condominium administration functions.

Losing these requirements results in immediate dismissal, prompting the rapid appointment of a new administrator.
Beyond legal obligations, administrators must possess legal and financial expertise, strong relational and managerial skills, and problem-solving abilities to address potential challenges.

Becoming a Condominium Administrator: Steps to Certification

As mentioned, aspiring administrators must complete an initial 72-hour training course, with one-third dedicated to practice.
The course’s legal requirements are set out in Ministerial Decree No.
140/2014 and must be overseen by a competent scientific coordinator.

The course curriculum, communicated to the Ministry of Justice, aims to equip administrators with the necessary knowledge in legal, financial, and economic management.
Even those not required to take the course should adequately prepare in these disciplines to fulfill their duties effectively, given the responsibilities of the role.

Individuals can choose to attend a formal course or pursue self-study, possibly through specialized manuals.
Additionally, they can opt for training programs offered by professional associations such as the National Union of Property Administrators and the National-European Association of Property Administrators.

The basic course typically costs between 250 and 600 euros (depending on format) with an additional exam fee (usually around 50 euros) for certification.
Upon completing the course and passing the exam, individuals can register in the electronic registry of condominium administrators and obtain a VAT number.
Obtaining professional liability insurance is advisable but not mandatory for added protection.