Condominium Administration

I. Read the definition of block of flats and condominium and express your opinion about the differences between the two
concepts
A. block of apartments = tower consisting of a multistoried building of offices or apartments
B. condominium = A building or complex in which units of property, such as apartments, are owned by individuals and
common parts of the property, such as the grounds and building structure, are owned jointly by the unit owners
II. Read the text below which makes the difference between an appartment and a condominium. Can you identify any
advantages or disadvantages of living in either of them?

4 Ways Condo Living Differs From Apartment Living

The terms condo and apartment are often used interchangeably in today's society, but in reality have quite different meanings.
Living in each of them is also a different experience. Knowing the differences in each can give you a greater sense of what you
are looking for in your next home.
The biggest difference between a condominium and an apartment building is the ownership property. In a condominium you
own the unit as a part of the whole building, whereas in an apartment you are responsible for your landlord's property.
Apartments are also rented, whereas condominiums, although sometimes rented, are bought to own while living in a community
setting. You can build equity on a condominium, and are free to make changes you wish. Apartment renters are not always free
to make those kinds changes and are dependent on the wishes of the landlord.
You're responsible for all aspects of care for your apartment within the rules set by your landlord. Condominium complexes
offer certain amenities and benefits including maintenance, pools, gyms, and clubs. These things create a sense of community
that apartment living does not afford. Many people who live in the city prefer this type of setting, especially when living among
people who are similar to them. Living in a condo is really all about the type of lifestyle that you lead, and finding a community
that shares that type of lifestyle.
Apartments are also better for people living on the budget. With the condominium you are not paying rent each month, however
you are paying for all of the living expenses that are sometimes covered in apartment rents such as cable, water, or electricity
bills. Condominiums also require an up front payment such as homes do, and are often viewed as more of a permanent living
solution rather than a temporary one such as an apartment.
One disadvantage of living in a condominium is that it is harder to move from place to place when necessary. You have the
possibility of renting it out to someone else when you move into a new home, but many condominium associations do not allow
this. Although the market for selling is good at the moment, it does take time that you would not need to worry about when
renting an apartment.

III. Why is it recommandable to live in a condominium?

........................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................

Vocabulary referring to condominium administration

association = An organized body of people who have an interest, activity, or purpose in common

the maintenance fee = a fee paid by each owner living in a condominium

regular cleaning = refers to the service of cleaning the inside and outside of a condominium

notice board = a board on which notices, advertisements, bulletins, etc, are displayed
condominii = owner possessing a flat in a condominium

the common parts = refer to the joint/ common parts in a condominium (e.g. the entrance, the hallways, the flights of stairs, the
area around the condominium)

The following text describes the role/ duties of the administrator of a condominium. Read it and fill in the gaps with the most
appropriate words in the box.

fix open keep records enforce empowered preserve collect chair execute call for

 _______________ all the decisions taken by the owners in the general meeting.
 _______________insurance coverage for the common areas, including Public Liability and Fire.
 _______________a bank account in the association’s name where all contributions will be deposited, and any ordinary
expenses withdrawn from.
 The Administrator will _______________the maintenance fee from the owners and deposit it into the bank account.
 _______________of money transactions and present the accounts at the general meeting, or upon request.
 _______________the common parts by ensuring regular cleaning and execute any required maintenance, seeking the
most advantageous conditions, reasonably obtained, for the benefit of all owners.
 The administrator shall also _______________general and extra ordinary meetings, _______________all meetings and
keep the minutes of the meetings
 _______________a notice board in the common entrance displaying any notices; decisions, as well as the administrators
contact numbers and information.
 The administrator will be_______________to perform all acts of administration, and is bound to undertake obligations on
behalf of the association. 
 Execute all the decisions taken by the owners in the general meeting.
 Enforce insurance coverage for the common areas, including Public Liability and Fire.
 Open a bank account in the association’s name where all contributions will be deposited, and any ordinary expenses
withdrawn from.
 The Administrator will collect the maintenance fee from the owners and deposit it into the bank account.
 Keep records of money transactions and present the accounts at the general meeting, or upon request.
 Ensure that an estimate of income and expenditure is drawn up for the year.
 Ensure the observance of the Rules and Regulations.
 Preserve the common parts by ensuring regular cleaning and execute any required maintenance, seeking the most
advantageous conditions, reasonably obtained, for the benefit of all owners.
 The administrator shall also call for general and extra ordinary meetings, chair all meetings and keep the minutes of the
meetings.
 Fix a notice board in the common entrance displaying any notices; decisions, as well as the administrators contact
numbers and information.
 Keep a register containing all details of condominii, minutes of meetings, and any notices that were fixed on notice board.
 Can sue, or be sued, since the legal and judicial representation in relation to the common parts vests in him.
 The administrator will be empowered to perform all acts of administration, and is bound to undertake obligations on
behalf of the association. 
 1. Tenant a.
Occupancy of lands, buildings, or other property by title, under a lease, or on payment of rent
2. Resident b. Electricity installation
3. To let a flat c. One who resides in a particular place permanently or for an extended period
4. Tenancy agreement d.
devices used in residential and public buildings for food preparation, for heating water
5. Electrics e.
One that pays rent to use or occupy land, a building, or other property owned by another.
6. Gas appliances f. A private business that provides a commodity,
such as water, electricity, transportation
7. The utility companies g. the act of allowing someone to use your house, land, in
exchange for regular payments
8. Burdens h. Responsibility for the repairs of the house
1. _____
2. _____
3. _____
4. _____
5. _____
6. _____
7. _____
8. _____
9. E
10.C
11.G
12.A
13.B
14.D
15.F
16.H

Choose the best answer for each issue:

1. Choose the correct meaning of 'upkeep'

a. To keep up

b. To continue doing something

c. To maintain

d. To put something above

2. Choose the correct meaning of 'terraced houses'

a. Houses with terraces in front

b. Houses organized in a row

c. Houses without terraces

d. Houses with ground floor terraces

3. Choose the correct meaning of 'semi-detached houses'

a. two independent houses

b. two houses with one common wall

c. two houses with two common walls

d. two houses with three common walls

4. Choose the correct meaning of 'driveways'

a. A road that is used for driving one's car

b. The direction in which the road goes

c. The distance between the sides of the road

5. Choose the correct meaning of 'communal gardens'

a. The garden in a village

b. The garden shared by the people living in a community

 c. A garden where people can walk

d. A common/ ordinary garden

6. Choose the correct meaning of 'play areas'

a. A playground for children

b. The action of playing in certain areas

c. A game that is currently played

Do you need to rent a house or an apartment?

Maybe these abbreviations will help you to make the right choice.

bedroom bdrm air conditioning ac

condominium condo house hse
utilities utils paid pd
near nr included incl
bathroom bath refrigerator refr
apartment apt fireplace frpl

Discussion Topic: My New Home

Activity A

Your students are going to buy a new home, get them to list off their priorities. For example, I got the following:
 It must face South (Why?)
 It must have a lot of natural light
 It should have nice views/Nice location
 It must be near the countryside
 I prefer a house to a flat (Why?)
 It must have amenities nearby (parks, mountains, culture centres, sports centres ...)
 I want my privacy
 I would not live in a tough area (Why not?)
 My flat has to be in the city centre (Why?)

You can even give your students these comments and ask them to rate them in importance (for them).

You could also get them to debate the needs/priorities of single people as opposed to married couples with children, for
example.

Tastes and priorities differ from country to country so the English might emphasise the importance of the house as an
investment, while the Spanish could underline the necessity to have a comfortable home with a good kitchen, for example.

Activity B

 Inside the house, the most important thing for me is ...

Some answers I got:

 A balcony (Why?)
 Two bathrooms! (If you have sisters ...)
 A big TV
 An enormous bed
 A really comfortable sofa
 Book shelves
 Big kitchen
 A fire place (Why?)
 A big bath
 Distribution of the house (the lay-out), ie having the bedroom far from the
 kitchen or living room (Why?)

As always, anything they say must be supported by explanations/elaboration. No short answers. You could also mention the
word "facilities" here, letting them see how it differs from "amenities".

Activity C

Name two or three amenities you consider essential for you. The most common answers I got were:

 Sports centre
 Public transport
 Mountains
 Open country
 Shopping centre
What are structural parts?

The structural parts are:

 the ground below the building and its foundations

 the external walls, gable wall and any load bearing wall, beam or column
 the roof.

Structural parts don't include:

 doors, windows or skylights that only belong to your flat

 a chimney or chimney stack that only belongs to your flat
 any extensions which only belong to your flat.

Any structural parts located within the boundaries of your flat belong to you, but, unless the title deeds state otherwise, all the
flat owners in the building will have an equal say in maintenance and repair of the structural parts, and will be responsible for
covering the cost of the work.
What is common property?
e
r
p
m
o
c
 if the lift needs repairing, only owners on the first floor and above will need to arrange and pay for the work
 if a fire escape just leads from the top floor, only the owners of the top floor flats will have a say in how the repair work
should be done and will be responsible for paying for it.

Answer question III

 In order to ensure the smooth running of the maintenance and upkeep of the common areas within the block.
 An administrator is appointed to act on behalf of all unit holders and decisions taken in a general meeting are binding to
all condominii.