Commentary on Judgment No. 18238 of 03/07/2024: The Super Condominium and Its Constitution

Judgment No. 18238 of July 3, 2024, issued by the Court of Cassation, represents an important clarification regarding the super condominium, a legal institution of increasing relevance in the Italian condominium landscape. The Court has established that the super condominium is constituted ipso iure et facto, without the need for assembly approvals, provided that there are multiple buildings connected by common facilities and services.

The Notion of Super Condominium

As highlighted in the judgment, the super condominium is configured when multiple buildings, each of which is a separate condominium, share certain assets, facilities, or services. This concept is well delineated by Article 1117 of the Italian Civil Code, which regulates the joint ownership of real rights.

  • The constitution occurs automatically, without the need for formal acts of will.
  • It is sufficient that there is a plurality of buildings with common properties.
  • Each owner of the individual buildings participates, pro quota, in the shared assets.
NOTION, DISTINCTIONS - IN GENERAL Super Condominium - Constitutive moment - Ipso iure et facto - Configurability - Assembly approval - Necessity - Exclusion - Conditions - Plurality of condominium buildings - Facilities and services connected to each of the buildings by necessary accessory bond - Pro rata belonging to each of the owners of the individual buildings. Just like the condominium in buildings, regulated by Articles 1117 et seq. of the Civil Code, the so-called super condominium comes into existence ipso iure et facto, unless the title provides otherwise, without the need for specific expressions of will or other declarations and much less for assembly approvals, as it is sufficient that individual buildings, formed into as many condominiums, share certain things, facilities, and services linked, through the accessory and principal relationship, with the buildings themselves and thus belonging, pro quota, to the owners of the individual real estate units included in the various buildings.

Practical Implications of the Judgment

The decision of the Court of Cassation offers important operational insights. First, it clarifies that the absence of the need for assembly approval facilitates the management of common services, making coordination among the different condominiums easier. Furthermore, the judgment reiterates the importance of the accessory relationship between the assets, which is fundamental for the configuration of the super condominium.

Conclusions

In conclusion, judgment No. 18238 of 2024 represents a significant step towards greater clarity in the regulation of super condominiums. Its jurisprudential interpretation promotes a more streamlined and collaborative management among the various condominiums, thereby encouraging optimal use of common resources. It is essential that owners are aware of these provisions to avoid disputes and to ensure harmonious coexistence within residential complexes.

Bianucci Law Firm