Protecting condominiums from raiding

Although the association of co-owners of an apartment building (COA) is not a full-fledged business, it is this legal entity that directs the co-owners’ cash flows, concludes service contracts, and influences the quality of life of everyone in the building. Therefore, a COA can become a target for raiding in various scenarios: from fake meetings and the election of a new “leadership” to classic forceful pressure with the physical seizure of documentation and seals.

How to prevent a raiding seizure of a COA and what to do in the first 72 hours after the attack, told Ivan Topor, head of the real estate and construction practice of the law company “DE-JURE”, lawyer, candidate of legal sciences.

All raiding scenarios succeed in conditions of weak procedures, confusion, and slow reaction of the COA members. To prevent the raiders from achieving their goal, it is necessary to take care of protection in all areas: correctly draw up the Charter of the condominium association, prescribe the powers of the participants, the procedure for organizing meetings, notifying co-owners, etc. All provisions and document templates must be standardized, and the CEP and physical media require clear discipline.

In addition, the condominium association must develop a rapid anti-crisis algorithm of actions in advance, which includes communication with counterparties and co-owners, recording changes, collecting evidence and a parallel appeal to the Ministry of Justice and preparing lawsuits.