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Renovating in a community of owners: what needs permission and what doesn't
Most properties in La Zenia, Cabo Roig, Punta Prima or Villamartín belong to a community of owners, and that adds a layer of permissions that has nothing to do with the town hall. Here's the difference, and which renovations genuinely need the board's sign-off.
Town hall licence vs. community permission: the difference
These are two completely separate authorisations, and they're often confused. The town hall licence or declaración responsable is a public process, regulated by the local council, controlling what can be built under planning regulations — we cover it in detail in our permits and paperwork guide. The community's permission is a completely different matter: a private decision among neighbours, governed by Spain's Horizontal Property Law, protecting the building's outward appearance and its common elements. A single job can need both authorisations at once, and they're independent of each other.
What you can renovate without asking the community
Anything that stays inside your property and doesn't touch common elements or the building's structure: renovating the kitchen or bathroom, changing the layout with non-structural partition walls, replacing flooring, or renewing the electrics or plumbing within your own unit. It's roughly the same logic that separates a declaración responsable from a full building licence: the more a job stays "inside" the property, the fewer outside authorisations it needs.
What does need the board's authorisation
Anything that touches common elements or changes the building's external appearance needs the community's sign-off, usually by qualified majority. The cases we see most often on the coast: enclosing a terrace or porch, changing windows or frames visible from outside outside an already-approved building-wide criterion, fitting an outdoor air conditioning unit visible on the façade, or touching shared drainage or service risers. Many developments in La Zenia, Cabo Roig or Villamartín already have a uniform aesthetic criterion approved for the whole complex — before pricing a job, we check with the community or the property manager whether your project fits that criterion or needs its own vote.
FAQ
The community permission questions we hear most
Do I need the community's permission to renovate the inside of my property?
No, as long as the work is strictly internal and doesn't affect common elements or the structure: a kitchen or bathroom renovation, non-structural partition walls, flooring or installations inside your own unit don't need the board's authorisation. You may still need a declaración responsable from the town hall, which is a separate process.
Can I close in my terrace without the community's permission?
No: enclosing a terrace changes the building's external appearance and affects an element usually classed as façade, so it needs the board's authorisation, typically by qualified majority. Many coastal developments already have a uniform criterion approved for the whole building — worth checking before pricing the job.
Can I install an outdoor air conditioning unit without authorisation?
It depends on where the outdoor unit goes: if it's visible from outside or fixed to the façade, most communities require authorisation or, at minimum, compliance with an already-approved uniform placement. If it's housed in a private space that isn't visible, permission usually isn't needed.
What's the difference between the community's permission and the town hall's licence?
They're two separate, independent authorisations. The town hall's licence or declaración responsable is a public process that governs what can be built under planning regulations. The community's permission is a private decision among neighbours, governed by Spain's Horizontal Property Law, which protects the building's appearance and common elements. A single job can need both at once.
What happens if I renovate without asking the community for permission?
The community can go to court to demand the common element be restored to its original state, even years later, and the cost of that reversal falls on the owner. It's a real risk on resale too: it can complicate the sale if the buyer or their bank spots unauthorised work.
Do you handle requesting the community's permission for us?
We advise you on what needs authorisation and help prepare the technical documentation the board or the property manager usually asks for, but the formal request and the vote are a matter between the owner and their community — we can't stand in for you there.
Orientation only, 2026, not binding. Every community has its own by-laws: always check your building's specific rules before pricing a job that affects the exterior.