In a statement sent to
SUPERCASA Notícias, the
Portuguese Association of Condominium Management and Administration Companies (APEGAC) highlights the
difficulties that condominiums face when dealing with banking institutions and demands fair and equitable treatment by banks.
According to APEGAC, almost all condominium managers, whether they are condominium owners or professionals in the sector, have faced problems with the stance of most banks that adopt inconsistent procedures, even within the same financial institution, creating difficulties in the daily management of condominiums.
Among the main complaints received by APEGAC are:
- Obstacles in changing account holders when there is a change of administrator, as well as in opening accounts, with documentation requirements varying from bank to bank and even from branch to branch within the same banking institution, with requirements that go far beyond what is legally provided for or imposed;
- Additional requirements related to the content of the minutes of election of the condominium administrator, which go beyond the legal provisions, taking into account that the elected administrator represents the condominium, in accordance with the provisions of the legal regime of horizontal property;
- Requirement to recognise signatures on condominium documents, especially minutes. As exemplified by Vítor Amaral, chairman of the board of APEGAC, "no one can force a condominium owner to sign the minutes if he does not want to do so, and this does not remove legal value from the document, but the fact is that it makes it impossible to change the holders of the condominium account";
- Requirement to make an appointment to start the process of opening accounts or changing holders, with a wait, in some cases, of more than two months;
- After the account opening process has been completed, or the process of changing holders has started, the need to wait for the opinion of the bank's legal department regarding the minutes of the condominium meeting and other documents, in some cases exceeding three months;
- Restriction on the maximum number of ten deposits per day;
- Charging of excessive and unreasonable expenses (ranging from two to ten euros), including on condominium savings accounts, including during periods of inactivity;
- Impact on the daily management of condominiums, which are prevented, pending the completion of the account opening process or change of holders, from paying suppliers, but most especially from paying condominium employees, such as cleaners, security, etc. with the negative social impact this can cause.
APEGAC emphasises that condominiums are not seeking privileged treatment, but equality and respect, according to the information in the communiqué to which
SUPERCASA Notícias had access. The practice of most banks jeopardises the daily management of condominiums, which receive money from the owners every day and have to deposit it in order to pay suppliers, most of whom are debited by account or bank transfer.
APEGAC argues that, although they are equivalent to legal persons, condominiums do not have organised accounting and, in many cases, have few funds available. As such, Vítor Amaral suggests that "the bank expands the "minimum banking services" to condominiums, in order to ensure a more efficient and accessible operationalisation".
In conclusion, the association calls for the standardisation of procedures and a faster and more attentive treatment for the modification and closure of condominium bank accounts, reinforcing the importance of these entities in the economy and in the lives of citizens.
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