Amendments to the Condominium Ownership Act in Bulgaria: Key Points

On 31 December 2024, significant amendments to the “Condominium Management Act” (ZUES) came into force in Bulgaria. These amendments aim to improve the management of condominium property and strengthen oversight of the technical condition of buildings.

Key changes:

Mandatory registration of governing bodies:

• Management boards and professional managers are required to register with the Unified Centralised Register of Condominium Property, maintained by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.
• Registration is carried out through the relevant municipality where the building is located.
• Chairpersons of general meetings (managers) must submit a notification to the local administration within one month of being elected.

Notification requirements:

The notification must contain:

• Names, email addresses, postal addresses and telephone numbers of the members of the management board or the professional manager.
• Details of the members of the audit commission (controller) and the treasurer.
• The amount of the monthly contributions to the “Repair and Renovation” fund.
• The number of independent premises in the building and its identifier.

A certified copy of the minutes of the meeting and the relevant annexes must be attached to the notification.

Holding general meetings:

• In buildings where no governing bodies have been elected or the amount of monthly contributions has not been established, a general meeting must be convened to resolve these matters.
• Decisions of the general meeting are considered legitimate with a quorum of 26%. 

Information for pet owners:

Pet owners are required to comply with the internal rules established by the general meeting of owners. The general meeting may adopt decisions concerning the keeping of animals, including possible restrictions on the number or species of pets. In case of violation of these rules, the governing body has the right to apply sanctions in accordance with the internal regulations.

Additional changes:

• Simplification of decision-making: Previously, a quorum of 67% of owners was required for the legitimacy of general meeting decisions; now the threshold has been lowered to 26%. This change is due to the fact that many owners do not permanently reside in their apartments and cannot attend meetings, which makes it difficult to take decisions.
• If a natural or legal person owns more than 51 percent of the ideal shares of the common parts of the condominium property, the general meeting is held provided that the owners of at least 75 percent of the ideal shares of the common parts of the condominium property are present in person or through authorised representatives.
• Monthly reporting by managers: Managers are required to submit monthly reports on the allocation of the funds collected. This is aimed at increasing transparency and trust between owners and governing bodies.
• Contributions for absent owners: Owners who do not reside in their apartments are now required to pay contributions equivalent to the expenses of one resident. Previously, they were exempt from such payments. The amount of the contribution is determined by a decision of the general meeting and may be calculated on the basis of the total sum of expenses for the maintenance of the common parts of the building.

Procedure for convening a general meeting

A general meeting is convened by the signing of an invitation by the persons convening the general meeting, which is posted in a visible and publicly accessible place at the entrance of the building no later than 7 days before the date of the meeting, and in urgent cases – no later than 24 hours in advance. The date and time of posting must be indicated in the invitation by the persons convening the general meeting, and a protocol is drawn up to that effect. A general meeting may be scheduled and held no earlier than the eighth day from the date of posting the invitation, and in urgent cases – no earlier than 24 hours from the date of its posting.

An owner or user who does not use their premises or will be absent for more than one month must notify the manager or chairperson of the management board in writing, indicating an email address and an address in the country to which invitations to convene the general meeting should be sent, as well as a telephone number.

Notification under paragraph 2 of the holding of a general meeting may be carried out by means of oral notification of the content of the invitation, which is attested by the signature of the persons convening the general meeting, or by sending the invitation to the address in the country, including by email, if such an address has been provided.

When the person referred to in paragraph 2 has not provided an email address or an address in the country to which invitations to convene the general meeting should be sent, nor a telephone number, they are deemed to have been notified of the convening of the general meeting in the manner established in paragraph 1.

Advantages of the innovations:

For property owners:

• Transparent building management.
• Clear conditions for the payment of contributions.
• Efficient allocation of funds for repairs and maintenance.

For potential buyers and investors:

• The opportunity to check the state of the building’s management before purchasing the property.

For state authorities:

• Enhanced oversight of compliance with housing legislation.
• Improved quality of maintenance of multi-apartment buildings.

Recommendations for owners:

Property owners are advised to register the governing bodies in a timely manner and to familiarise themselves with the internal rules concerning the keeping of pets, in order to avoid possible problems and ensure comfortable living. Should any questions arise or assistance be needed in the management of condominium property, professional consultants should be contacted to obtain qualified support.

If you own property in Bulgaria and need assistance with matters of condominium management – contact the specialists at the Bulgaria Avenue agency! We will help you navigate Bulgarian legislation on condominium property, prepare the documents correctly, and, if necessary, find a professional manager.