I have problems with my co-owner(s), now what?

Co-ownership is the division of ownership between several people. The best-known example is probably the flat right where the flat itself belongs to your private property, but the hallways, lifts and so on belong to the common parts. But co-ownership also exists when you buy a property together or when several heirs become owners of a house. Finally, there are also more modern, alternative forms of cohabitation such as co-housing that fall under the legal heading of co-ownership.

A lawyer can guide you through your exact rights and obligations for any co-ownership situation. They can of course assist you in legal proceedings if necessary, hopefully it will not come to that. You can also seek advice from a lawyer in finding a good solution. This gives you the advantage that your lawyer has the necessary legal knowledge and experience.

However, this does not mean that they will always be able to act on every question. As an individual co-owner in a flat block, there is little you can legally do against other co-owners who do not pay the common costs, for example. This is because that is where the trustee will have to declare the co-owner in default. Only if the dispute directly affects private life can you, as a co-owner, decide to act personally.

If you have problems with certain decisions (or lack thereof) within the association of co-owners (e.g. necessary renovation works are refused, your share in the common costs is too large), it may also be useful to contact a lawyer. In those cases, the justice of the peace may be asked to intervene and you will end up in legal proceedings. And a lawyer has experience with that too.