Unsure how to set up a meeting for the building’s co-owners? With these tips, you’re on your way!
4 minutes reading time.
Why organizing a meeting?
Let’s start at the beginning: why is a meeting necessary?
The answer is simple. You manage the building and know everything that’s going on. The owners, on the other hand, don’t. They rely on you to manage their property. That’s right—you do the work, on their behalf.
You have insights they don’t. And no, they don’t want every detail—they just want to know what matters: how things are going, and more importantly, how much it’s going to cost them. Your job is to provide exactly the information they need—no more, no less.
This makes communication one of your most important responsibilities. A co-owners’ meeting isn’t just a formality—it’s your moment to demonstrate clarity, openness, and leadership. And a well-structured agenda helps keep the meeting focused, efficient, and productive.
What should go in the agenda?
The agenda should include everything that is important for the owners.
If, for example, a roof renovation is planned, this definitely belongs in the agenda. Summarize what needs to be done, mention any relevant legislation (just the title is enough), list the company or companies willing to do the job, and include their price(s). Keep it to a few sentences, but have all supporting documentation ready during the meeting in case questions arise. Be sure to ask the co-owners for approval of the expense—after all, it’s their money being spent.
What doesn’t belong in the agenda are regular, recurring costs such as cleaning—owners can find those in the report they receive. The only exception is when a cost is significantly higher than expected. In that case, mention it and explain how you plan to address it.
Recommended Agenda Structure
- Present the full budget of the past year. Keep it to a few key numbers. Show how much was spent and what remains.
- Discuss urgent or actionable items for the next 12 months. For example: repairs to common areas (hallway lighting, leaking roof), service contract renewals (cleaning, maintenance), and decisions on insurance or fire safety compliance.
- Cover long-term topics (1–5 years). Offer a broader planning horizon. Examples include elevator renovations, energy-saving investments (solar panels, insulation), structural maintenance (facade, roofing), or upcoming legal/regulatory changes.
- Revisit the budget: is an increase in advance payments necessary?
- Other topics / owner questions – Reserve time for owners to raise their concerns or suggestions. It builds engagement and prevents surprises.
Key principles for the meeting
- Clarity – Keep it short and simple. Avoid jargon.
- Focus on what owners really need to understand and decide on.
- Stick to facts and clearly separate information from opinion.
- Openness – Don’t hold back. Trust is built by sharing everything relevant—both positive and negative.
- Also, send the agenda in advance so the co-owners can prepare.
- Essence First – Start with what matters most:
- What happened over the past period?
- What’s the current financial state?
- Are the advance payments still sufficient?
- Don't take too long – Timebox each topic to keep the meeting focused.
- Make it comfortable – This depends on the setting and number of attendees, but if the meeting is expected to last several hours, plan a break and provide some drinks and snacks.
Summary
Don’t let meetings be a chore. With the right structure, they become your strongest communication tool. Be clear, open, and keep to the essence. An effective meeting builds trust and strengthens collaboration.
With these tips in your pocket, and with yourbuildingmanager.online handling all the repetitive tasks of setting up co-owner meetings and managing online voting, you’re already on the right track for a clear, structured, and professional meeting.
