Damp and the condominium: when the cause is in the common parts
Façades, roofs, roof terraces and shared pipes are common parts of the building. When damp comes from there, the repair is, as a rule, a matter for the condominium (the owners' association) — but you need to show it.
What is common and who pays, as a rule
As a rule, common parts include the structure, the roof and roof terraces, the façade and shared pipes and installations (Código Civil — Civil Code — art. 1421). Maintenance costs of the common parts are shared by the owners in proportion to each unit's permilagem (share of the building) (art. 1424). Essential and urgent repairs may be carried out by an owner if the management fails to act (art. 1427).
Signs that the source is common
- A patch near the ceiling of the top floor, below the roof or a terrace.
- Patches on façade walls that get worse 1–3 days after rain.
- Visible cracks in the façade or outside render at the level of the patch.
- Damp next to shared water or drain stacks, or the same problem in several units.
Step by step
- 01Take the diagnosis: if the likely cause is water ingress, a common source becomes more plausible.
- 02Photograph inside and outside (façade, roof if possible) and note the dates of rain.
- 03Ask the neighbours in the same column of flats whether they have similar signs.
- 04Send the letter to the management with the report, asking for a technical assessment and for it to go on the meeting agenda.
- 05If it's urgent (water coming in, a risk to the electrics), say so in the letter and phone the management.
Letter to the building management
Fill in the fields, then copy, email or print. The letter is in Portuguese because it goes to a Portuguese administration. You can also create it pre-filled from your diagnosis result.
03/10/2026 Exma. Administração do Condomínio [nome / morada do prédio], Na qualidade de [proprietário(a) / arrendatário(a)] da fração [letra / andar], informo que existe humidade em: [divisões], há [duração], com possível origem nas partes comuns do edifício (fachada, cobertura, terraço ou canalizações comuns). Solicito que o assunto seja avaliado por um técnico no prazo de 15 dias e, se necessário, incluído na ordem de trabalhos da próxima assembleia de condóminos. Com os melhores cumprimentos, [o seu nome] [contacto]
Notification template — not legal advice. Send it ideally by registered post with proof of receipt (carta registada com aviso de receção) or email with read receipt, and keep a copy.
Read next
Frequently asked questions
As a rule, maintaining the common parts, including the façade, is an obligation of the owners, decided at the general meeting and paid in proportion to each unit's share. If the management doesn't act on an essential and urgent repair, the law lets an owner carry it out and claim the cost back — get advice before going ahead.
It depends on the source and what the policies cover: the building's insurance, your own home policy or that of whoever caused the damage. Keep photos and quotes for the inside repair and notify the insurer as early as possible.
You can inform the management, but the owner (condómino) is your landlord. The most effective approach is to write to both: the landlord, to get the repair done, and the management, to put the problem on record.