Solar panels when you live in a flat: options for your building in Catalonia

Living in a flat doesn't rule out solar panels. It just means the decision isn't only yours. In Catalonia, the roof and other shared parts of the building belong to the comunitat de propietaris (comunidad de propietarios in Spanish): the association of all the owners in your building, often run with the help of a property administrator (administrador de finques).

The good news: you don't need everyone to agree. Here are the options, and how the vote works.

How does the owners' meeting approve solar panels?

Catalonia has its own civil code, the Codi civil de Catalunya, which sets the rules for owners' associations. Under article 553-25.2, solar panels on common elements such as the roof can be approved by a simple majority of the owners who vote, provided they also represent the majority of their shares (quotes de participació, each flat's percentage of the building).

No unanimity is needed, and the rule applies whether the installation is for the whole building or only for some of the neighbours.

What options does a building have?

• An installation for the whole building. In general, all owners pay for it and all benefit.
• Shared areas only. The panels supply the building's common electricity, such as lighting and lifts.
• Only the neighbours who want it. If only some owners are interested, they pay for it. Anyone who wants to join later pays their share, updated.
• Each neighbour with their own system. Each owner has their own panels on their share of the roof, with their own inverter, connected to their home. It means more equipment and more wiring, but maximum payback for each household: the system is sized to your own consumption and everything it produces goes to your home. The roof space has to be divided up first.
• Collective self-consumption (autoconsum col·lectiu). One installation supplies several neighbours at once. Each keeps their own contract and meter, and sees their share discounted on their bill. The split is set in an agreement signed by everyone taking part, and it can be different for each hour of the day.

What if our roof isn't suitable?

Since 22 March 2026, a solar installation of up to 5 MW can supply consumers located within 5 km. Before that, the usual limit was 500 metres. In practice, this means you could take part in an installation on another building or a warehouse in your area.

Can I install an EV charger in the garage?

Yes, and for your own parking space you don't need a vote. Under article 553-36.3 of the Codi civil de Catalunya, you send the technical project to the chair or the administrator 30 days before starting, and the installation certificate once it's finished. Within that period, the association can propose a reasonable alternative. If it doesn't carry it out within two months, you can go ahead with your original plan. The installation and the electricity you use are at your own expense.

We prepare that documentation for you. You'll find more on our EV charging page.

How do we get a proposal to the meeting?

Our advice: before taking it to the meeting (junta), get a study based on the real consumption of the neighbours who are interested. With numbers on the table, it's much easier to reach an agreement, and much harder for the discussion to go round in circles.

Two more things worth knowing:

• If you want to apply for a local property tax (IBI) rebate, many town halls ask for the meeting minutes showing how the installation is split between neighbours, so it's worth recording that clearly.
• There are also income tax (IRPF) deductions for solar installations, including community ones. We're not tax advisers, so each owner should check with their own tax adviser.

How does Solar Smile work with owners' associations?

• An indicative quote, to give the neighbours a first idea.
• A free technical visit to the roof, the common installation and, if needed, the garage.
• A final quote you can take to the meeting.
• Installation, plus the permits and legalisation paperwork, which we handle.

See how we work with buildings on our page for owners' associations, or get in touch and tell us about your building.