Communal Charges: What They Cover and What a Fair One Looks Like
How service charges are set in Cypriot apartment buildings, what drives them up, and how to compare two buildings honestly.
What the charge actually buys
Cleaning, lighting and power for common parts, lift maintenance and inspection, pump and pressure system servicing, garden irrigation, insurance of the common structure, management fees and — in a well-run building — a sinking fund for the repairs that arrive on a fifteen-year cycle.
Why cheap can be expensive
A building with no sinking fund shows a low monthly charge and then issues a five-figure special levy the year the lifts or the waterproofing need replacing. Ask specifically whether a reserve is being built, and at what rate.
Comparing two buildings
Normalise to euro per square metre per month, then adjust for amenities. A pool, a gym and landscaped grounds are real recurring costs, not free features. Decide honestly whether your household will use them enough to justify paying for them every month for a decade.