Overview
- The Federal Court of Justice, ruling Friday, said condominium owners’ associations are not generally required to seek multiple comparison offers before commissioning maintenance work.
- The case came from Wuppertal, where a community approved about €9,000 in window, canopy glazing, and painting jobs using long‑trusted contractors without extra bids, prompting two owners to sue.
- A lower court in Düsseldorf had imposed a €4,000 threshold that triggered a multi‑bid duty, but the high court overturned that approach and dismissed the owners’ challenge.
- Judges set a new standard based on what a reasonable, economically minded owner would do, noting that urgency, few local tradespeople, or solid past experience with a firm can justify using a single offer.
- The court added that small jobs can often be judged by owners themselves, larger projects can draw on architects or surveyors, and individuals can still challenge unsuitable or overpriced work even as fixed three‑quote rules fall away.