Who maintains the balcony in an owner-occupied apartment?
The homeowners' association is generally responsible for the exterior maintenance of the balcony: structural elements, underside, drainage, and the outer sides of the railing. As an apartment owner, you are responsible for the cleaning and surface treatment of the balcony's interior sides, and in practice, this typically includes the balcony floor. This is in accordance with the standard bylaws for homeowners' associations, Executive Order no. 1738 of November 29, 2020. Check the association's specific bylaws and any later balcony agreement before deciding who is responsible.
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The brief overview
- For existing shared balconies, the standard bylaws generally divide exterior maintenance and interior care between the association and owner. Newly added balconies have a specific rule, so check the project documents.
- Cleaning and surface treatment of the balcony's interior sides are the owner's own responsibility and expense.
- Validly adopted deviations can change the standard rules. Registration protects those deviations against third-party transactions and enforcement; lack of registration does not by itself settle their validity between owners.
- Retrofitted balconies are an improvement that is decided at the general meeting with a qualified majority, and they often have their own maintenance agreement.
- Report balcony safety defects to the board or administrator. BR18 section 58 sets protective railing criteria, including heights of 1.0 m for balconies and 1.20 m for access balconies, subject to the applicable building requirements.
Contents of this guide
- Who owns the balcony in a condominium?
- What do the standard bylaws say about balcony maintenance?
- Who does what on the balcony, task by task
- Who is responsible for the maintenance of retrofitted balconies?
- What does the responsibility mean for a wooden deck on the balcony?
- When is the balcony a safety issue?
- How to check your own bylaws
- What determines the price of balcony sanding?
Who owns the balcony in a condominium?
A balcony can include common structural components while an individual apartment has exclusive use of its surface. The building documents, bylaws and any later balcony project determine the precise rights, maintenance duties and cost allocation.
Therefore, maintenance is divided into two parts. The building component - the deck, suspension, railing, membrane - is the responsibility of the association, because a failure here affects the entire property. The usable surface, i.e., what you stand on and touch daily, follows the right of use and thus you. The rules were modernized with the new Condominium Act, Act no. 908 of June 18, 2020, which came into force on July 1, 2020.
What do the standard bylaws say about balcony maintenance?
The standard bylaws for homeowners' associations, Executive Order no. 1738 of November 29, 2020, oblige the homeowners' association to responsibly maintain the common components of the property, including balconies. The individual owner is responsible for the cleaning and surface treatment of doors, windows, and any balconies internally.
The executive order has a sister, Executive Order no. 1739 of November 29, 2020, but it applies to a narrow group: homeowners' associations established by the sale of public housing or by the establishment of new attic dwellings with a public housing department. If your association does not have that background, Executive Order no. 1738 applies to you. Both executive orders are issued by the Ministry of Housing and are reproduced on the public portal Boligejer.dk.
The standard bylaws apply unless validly departed from. Under section 5 of the Condominium Act, registration concerns protection against third-party transactions and enforcement. Review both the registered documents and the association's valid decisions with the administrator.
Who does what on the balcony, task by task
The table is a practical starting point for existing balconies, not a decision about liability in a particular building. Structural maintenance, interior care and later additions may follow different rules. Check the association's documents before ordering work or expecting reimbursement.
| Balcony task | Who typically has the responsibility | Who typically pays | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load-bearing deck, suspension, and attachment to facade | Homeowners' association | Common expense according to allocation ratios | Have structural responsibility confirmed before ordering repairs |
| Membrane, sealing against facade and drainage | Homeowners' association | Common expense | Water ingress is a building problem |
| Railing and balustrade exterior: paint, rust, attachment | Homeowners' association | Common expense | BR18 § 58: minimum 1.0 m for balconies, 1.20 m for balcony accessways |
| Railing, side walls, and ceiling interior: surface treatment | Owner | Owner | The standard bylaws expressly mention the interior side |
| Wooden deck on the balcony: cleaning, sanding, and oiling | Owner | Owner, unless the association adopts a comprehensive plan | Untreated wood greys and becomes slippery when wet |
| Tiles or concrete on the balcony: algae, dirt, discoloration | Owner | Owner | Have water ingress and any membrane defect assessed separately |
| Glass in railing: cleaning | Owner | Owner | Check the maintenance allocation, cause of damage and insurance position |
| Balcony boxes, awning, windbreak, and furniture | Owner | Owner | If it changes the facade's appearance, the board usually needs to approve it |
Who is responsible for the maintenance of retrofitted balconies?
A new balcony project normally requires approval under the standard bylaws' rules for substantial changes. The general two-thirds threshold is measured by both all owners' numbers and allocation shares; repeat-meeting rules and required consents can also matter.
For balconies added under the standard bylaws' project provisions, section 27(2) specifically places maintenance of the new balcony with the owner. Check the project decision, any special agreement and the registered documents with the administrator.
What does the responsibility mean for a wooden deck on the balcony?
If your balcony has a wooden deck or floor, the ongoing care is practically your responsibility as the owner, because the standard bylaws place internal cleaning and surface treatment with the owner. Outdoor wood greys when UV light and moisture degrade the surface, as Træinformation describes in its guides on outdoor wood. Grayed wood is not damage, but a surface without protection.
On newer buildings on Aarhus Ø - Isbjerget, Z-huset, Nicolinehus, Pakhusene, and Kanalhusene - the balconies are heavily exposed to weather, and hardwood and pressure-treated wood become grey and dirty in just a few seasons. The solution is gentle cleaning followed by sanding and oiling. We never high-pressure wash wood: high pressure raises the wood fibres, making the surface rough and absorbing even more dirt afterward. Concrete and tiles on the balcony, however, can withstand professional high-pressure cleaning. See the procedure in our overview of balcony and wooden terrace sanding, and how to clean wood without a high-pressure washer. The oil typically needs to dry for about a day before the balcony can be lightly used again, and how often it needs to be renewed can be read in the guide on how often outdoor wood should be oiled.
When is the balcony a safety issue?
Loose railings, structural cracks, exposed reinforcement, corroded supports or failed drainage need prompt professional assessment. Notify the board or administrator rather than treating them as a sanding or oiling job. Building Regulations BR18 § 58 sets criteria for protective railings, including 1.0 m for balconies and roof terraces and 1.20 m for access balconies. Railing design and openings also matter. Have the applicable requirements assessed for the actual building and work.
If you discover such issues, you must notify the board or administrator in writing immediately and keep a copy. According to the standard bylaws, the board must prepare a maintenance plan, and the presentation of the plan for approval is a fixed item on the agenda for the ordinary general meeting. The Knowledge Center for Homeowners' Associations recommends that the plan extends over at least 10 years and is updated at least every 3-5 years for older properties. Balconies belong in that plan. A surface treatment like sanding and oiling does not change the construction, but it also does not remove damage in the deck, so have the building component assessed first.
How to check your own bylaws
Retrieve the bylaws and registered balcony documents from the land registry at tinglysning.dk, and ask the administrator for relevant decisions and agreements. Check these together before concluding that the default rules settle the issue.
- Look up your condominium in the land registry and retrieve easements, bylaws, and any balcony addenda.
- In Danish documents, search for altan, vedligeholdelse, udvendig and indvendig: balcony, maintenance, exterior and interior.
- If the documents are unclear, ask the administrator to confirm the applicable maintenance allocation in writing.
- If the balcony has been retrofitted, read the registered addendum from the balcony project, not just the main bylaws.
- Ask the administrator for a written response before ordering work for which you expect reimbursement.
What determines the price of balcony sanding?
The price of balcony sanding is determined by four things: the balcony's square metres, the type of wood, how damaged the surface is, and access conditions. Hardwood like ipe and bangkirai requires different sanding material and oil than pine and larch, and a balcony on the 7th floor with a narrow elevator takes more time than a ground floor. We provide a fixed price before work begins and respond within 24 hours.
Coordinating work on several balconies may reduce shared setup and transport costs. We assess the combined project before confirming a price, including when a housing association coordinates balconies and common areas. Read about our tasks for housing associations. See the price drivers in detail under balcony sanding price, read more about our balcony sanding, and note that all work is covered by our workmanship guarantee. If you would like us to look at your balcony, please contact us or call 20 98 88 11.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I ask the homeowners' association before having my balcony sanded?
Yes, always notify the board first. Sanding and oiling a wooden deck is interior maintenance, which you are responsible for yourself according to the 2020 standard bylaws, but the association may have decided on a common colour or product for aesthetic reasons concerning the facade.
Who pays if the balcony's wooden deck is rotten?
If the wooden deck is part of the building's construction itself, the repair is the responsibility of the homeowners' association and a common expense according to allocation ratios. If the deck is a loose covering on top of the concrete, which you have installed yourself or taken over the right of use for, it is your expense. Check the balcony's description in the bylaws or the registered balcony addendum.
Can I high-pressure wash my balcony?
Not if the balcony has a wooden deck. High pressure raises the wood fibres, making the surface rough, graying faster, and absorbing dirt. Wood should be cleaned gently and then sanded. Tiles, ceramics, and concrete on the balcony, however, can withstand professional high-pressure cleaning.
Do the standard bylaws apply, even if we have never adopted them?
The standard bylaws apply unless validly departed from. Check the association's decisions and balcony documents as well as the land registry. Registration and internal validity are different questions, so ask the administrator if the position is unclear.
How often should a wooden balcony be sanded and oiled?
The oil typically needs to be renewed every year or every other year on a weather-exposed balcony, while actual sanding is only necessary when the wood has become grey, rough, or stained. South-facing and harbor-exposed balconies wear faster than enclosed balconies facing the courtyard.
Frequently asked questions
Should I ask the homeowners' association before having my balcony sanded?
Who pays if the balcony's wooden deck is rotten?
Can I high-pressure wash my balcony?
Do the standard bylaws apply, even if we have never adopted them?
How often should a wooden balcony be sanded and oiled?
- Executive Order on standard bylaws for homeowners' associations, Executive Order no. 1738 of November 29, 2020, Retsinformation
- Condominium Act, Act no. 908 of June 18, 2020, effective July 1, 2020, Retsinformation
- Executive Order on standard bylaws for homeowners' associations established by the sale of public housing etc., Executive Order no. 1739 of November 29, 2020, Retsinformation
- Homeowners' association bylaws, Boligejer.dk
- Building Regulations BR18 § 58 on railings for balconies and elevated living areas, bygningsreglementet.dk
- Balconies and maintenance obligation, Knowledge Center for Homeowners' Associations
- Homeowners' associations must have a maintenance plan, Knowledge Center for Homeowners' Associations
- Guides on outdoor wood, Træinformation
Øens HåndværkerCentral
We sand and surface-treat floors, stairs, balconies, wooden terraces, and worktops - based in Aarhus Ø and working nationwide. You get a fixed price before work begins and a workmanship guarantee on the completed work.
