Certificate of completion
What is meant by the term certificate of compartmentalization?
A certificate of separateness should be available for condominiums and partial ownership. The Condominium Act requires that rooms must be structurally separated if legally independent sole ownership is to be established as condominium or partial ownership.
When is a certificate of separateness required?
A certificate of compartmentalization is required for apartment buildings that belong to a single owner if the owner wants to sell the apartments individually. Only then can the individual apartments be converted into residential property and subsequently sold separately.
Therefore, without an existing certificate of compartmentalization, only the apartment building as a whole can be sold, and the sale of individual residential units is not permitted.
What does the compartmentalization (or self-containment) of apartments look like in practice?
To be considered a self-contained, independent condominium, it must not be connected to other apartments; therefore, physical separation is crucial. This separation must meet the requirements of the supervisory authority. Final access must be directly from the outside or via a stairwell or hallway. If other rooms in your apartment are part of the building, such as storage rooms in the attic or basement, these must be lockable.
Parking spaces in the underground garage must be provided with a permanent and visible marking so that they can be considered enclosed. Any other type of separation is also permitted, provided it is permanent and visible. Special rights of use may be granted for parking spaces and lifting platforms (duplex parking spaces).
Where do you apply for a certificate of separateness (Abgeschlossenheitsbescheinigung) and what conditions must be met?
A certificate of separate ownership is applied for at the competent building authority. For this purpose, the building authority requires a current land register extract, a site plan including all buildings and facilities, and a subdivision plan showing the separate ownership of the units. Elevations and floor plans of the apartment building must also be included.
Share
Download as PDF
Print page

