As a general explanation, the COMMUNITY OF COPROPRIETORS or HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATION is a legal entity comprised exclusively of the owners of the apartments in a
building, or villas on an estate. The purpose of the Community is to own and maintain the COMMON ELEMENTS of the building or estate in question, and a homeowner participates
in the expenses of the community on a pro-rata basis with the other owners. Usually, his percentage of the costs is fixed by the size of the apartment, or plot, divided by the total area of all the apartments or plots.

A budget for the annual community expenses is presented at the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF COPROPRIETORS, and the owners or their representatives must approve the budget by majority vote of those present at the meeting. Expenses can vary substantially, according to the services required and normally include salary and social security of the hall porter, garden maintenance, lift maintenance, repairs to building, refuse collection, electricity for lighting common areas, insurance for building, security if required, and administration
fees. The President of the community must, by law, be an owner and serves without pay.

In the case of an individual villa, community fees are often less as the private gardens and exteriors of such properties are not maintained by the community.