{"id":33852,"date":"2023-01-13T18:29:23","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cbleon-abogados.com\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/"},"modified":"2023-01-13T18:29:23","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:29:23","slug":"keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/","title":{"rendered":"Keys to the civil liability of homeowners&#8217; associations"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Tabla de Contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Civil_liability_of_homeowners_associations\" >Civil liability of homeowners&#8217; associations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Understanding_civil_liability\" >Understanding civil liability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Origin\" >Origin<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Water_damage\" >Water damage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Claims\" >Claims<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Insured_capital\" >Insured capital<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Deadlines\" >Deadlines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#Reply\" >Reply<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/keys-to-the-civil-liability-of-homeowners-associations\/#It_is_necessary_to_make_sure\" >It is necessary to make sure<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Civil_liability_of_homeowners_associations\"><\/span><strong>Civil liability of homeowners&#8217; associations<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Owners of properties or developments have civil liability if they unfortunately cause damages to third parties as a consequence of mismanagement of common areas. In this sense, it is the duty of the owners to ensure the proper functioning and conservation of the construction elements.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">This liability implies that damage may be caused to the things that make up the community or personal injury, including death. With this in mind, the most sensible thing to do would be to take out insurance, even though it is not required by law. And in the absence of insurance, communities are not exempt from providing a response.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_civil_liability\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Understanding civil liability<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As for civil liability, we have already commented that the laws of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/new-horizontal-property-law-in-spain-with-positive-reforms-for-homeowners-associations\/\">horizontal property<\/a> do not require the contracting of a policy, with the exception of some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ekiser.es\/es\/2021\/06\/09\/responsabilidad-civil-comunidad-propietarios\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">autonomous communities<\/a>. Therefore, even if there is no insurance, communities must be liable for damages, whether in common or private areas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Damage may occur due to partial or total deterioration of a property because it was not attended to in time. In such cases, in order to determine whether the community is liable, it is sufficient to establish the existence of the damage and that it was due to the failure to repair the damage on time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Damage can be caused by action or negligence, for example, the presence of water in common areas where it can cause falls. Also, the absence of signs indicating that a repair is being made. Therefore, civil liability rests on key points.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Origin\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Origin<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Determining what causes the damage is fundamental, since if there are private elements the responsibility is of the co-owner and not of the community.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Water_damage\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Water damage<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Broken pipes or clogs in downspouts are the most common incidents occurring in communities. In these cases it is necessary to take out insurance to cover this type of repairs. There are policies that do not do so; those that do, do so subject to an excess.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Claims\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Claims<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Liability insurance for homeowners&#8217; associations covers unforeseen events that occur in a property and generate damages to third parties. They shall be responsible for paying any compensation that may be due if anyone is injured. On the other hand, most of these insurances cover damages due to lightning strikes, fire, explosions, damages due to abnormal electrical voltages and even floods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insured_capital\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Insured capital<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is very important to take this into account because in the event of a loss that causes extra expenses, the insurer will not cover them. It will be up to the community to cover these expenses, which, by the way, are very common in cases of fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deadlines\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Deadlines<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The laws on civil liability establish time periods subject to the statute of limitations when a community is sued for damages. For this reason, it is advisable to be alert to any kind of breakdowns that may occur in the properties before the established time expires.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reply\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reply<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Keep in mind that, although it is normal and customary for a community to receive a lawsuit, there are exceptions. For example, if the necessary maintenance of the common areas has not been undertaken and this causes damage to the neighbors, the administrator is liable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33845 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil.jpg\" alt=\"civil liability\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/responsabilidad-civil-760x506.jpg 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Liability is generated by not ordering or executing the works required for such maintenance. It is therefore crucial that the administrator(s) be aware of this type of work and avoid serious inconveniences.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_is_necessary_to_make_sure\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>It is necessary to make sure<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As a result of the above, it is advisable to take out liability insurance to protect third parties or the community as a whole against harmful events. We must make the necessary effort to provide all services and avoid unforeseen events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ideal is to present to the community the various insurance alternatives that fit their reality. This will guarantee liability coverage in the event of any event.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Civil liability of homeowners&#8217; associations Owners of properties or developments have civil liability if they unfortunately cause damages to third parties as a consequence of mismanagement of common areas. In this sense, it is the duty of the owners to ensure the proper functioning and conservation of the construction elements. This liability implies that damage may be caused to the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":33844,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[170],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbleon-abogados.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}