In Spain, Residents Over 70 Can Demand Removal of Steps Without a Vote. In Spain's apartment buildings, it is now prohibited to refuse the installation of a ramp or elevator if a resident over 70 or a person with disabilities lives in the building. The decision is made without a vote, though there is a financial limit for neighbors.
If a resident over 70 years old or a person with an officially certified disability appears in an apartment building, they have the right to demand that the community of owners remove architectural barriers—such as steps at the entrance or inside the building. This is stipulated in Article 10.1 of the Law on Horizontal Property (LPH), which applies throughout Spain.
The main feature of this regulation is that such work does not require approval at a general meeting of residents. A request from an elderly or mobility-impaired neighbor is sufficient to initiate the installation of a ramp, elevator, platform, or other equipment that enables safe movement in common areas. The law emphasizes: this is not about cosmetic changes, but about actually removing barriers to mobility.
Financial limit
However, the obligation has a clear boundary: if the costs of the work, distributed per apartment, do not exceed the amount of the annual regular maintenance fees, the community is required to pay for the entire upgrade. All possible government subsidies and grants are taken into account—they must be deducted from the total amount before calculating each owner's share.
If the final cost exceeds this limit, residents may refuse to pay for the 'expensive' part of the work. In that case, the applicant—the elderly or mobility-impaired neighbor in need of adaptation—has the right to cover the difference.
What exactly can be requested
The law allows not only to demand the installation of ramps or elevators, but also the removal of steps, installation of lifting platforms, widening of doorways, and other measures that actually ensure accessibility. The key requirement is that the work must be necessary for free and safe movement through the building's common areas.
Even if some residents consider the project too expensive or inconvenient, their opinion cannot block the decision. However, the initiator is required to notify the building's chairman or administrator in advance, coordinate the timing, and minimize inconvenience for others.
If subsidies cover most of the costs
An important detail: if state or municipal subsidies cover a significant portion of the expenses, the community is obliged to carry out the work even if the initial cost is high. This rule protects the interests of elderly and less mobile citizens, for whom accessibility is not a matter of comfort but a daily necessity.
Context and significance
According to Talent24h, these legal changes came in response to the growing number of elderly residents and demand for an accessible urban environment. In recent years, Spain has seen an increase in complaints about architectural barriers in older buildings where elevators and ramps were not initially planned. Now elderly people and people with disabilities have a real tool to protect their rights without lengthy disputes with neighbors.
