Building manager vs. property care: what's the difference

One of the most common questions a new apartment owner in Slovenia asks: “I already have a building manager — why would I need some kind of property care for my apartment as well?” Behind that question is a widespread misconception that a building manager (upravnik) and property care do roughly the same thing. They don’t — these are different services for different things.

This article explains the difference: what a building manager does, what independent property care is, why they’re not alternatives — and when an apartment owner needs both.

The material draws on Slovenian housing law (Stanovanjski zakon, the Slovenian Housing Act) and on years of experience from the DomCare team maintaining apartments in Slovenian residential buildings.

Building manager (upravnik) — what it is

In Slovenia a residential building is held under condominium ownership (etažna lastnina): each apartment has its own owner, while the staircases, roof, façade, entrance, lift and basement corridors are the common property of all the owners. The law assigns the management of that common property to a building manager — upravnik.

What the upravnik does: maintaining the common parts of the building, organising roof and façade repairs, running the building’s reserve fund, handling building-level utility matters, and organising owners’ meetings. Having a building manager is essentially mandatory for a residential building — it’s not an optional service but part of how an apartment building is structured.

The key point: the upravnik’s area of responsibility ends at your apartment’s threshold. Everything inside the apartment is not their concern.

Independent property care — what it is

Property care means looking after your apartment specifically: everything behind your own door, in your own area of personal responsibility. Regular visits with inspection, responding to problems inside the apartment, coordinating contractors for your own personal work, access for guests and service technicians, seasonal preparation of your property, and photo reports sent to you.

This is an optional service, not required by law. The owner orders it personally, and it’s funded by their individual subscription, not the building’s common fund.

They’re not alternatives — they’re different levels

The main idea: the upravnik and property care operate on different levels and don’t overlap.

The upravnik is responsible for the building — for what’s shared. Property care is responsible for your apartment — for what’s yours. There’s no competition between them, just as there’s no competition between the person who sweeps the entrance hall and the person who cleans inside the apartment.

A simple test: if a pipe bursts inside your apartment at night, the upravnik won’t deal with it — that’s your area. If the building’s roof leaks, the upravnik handles it, not property care. Each to their own.

Comparison table

Common confusion and mistakes

Mistake 1: “I have an upravnik, so my apartment is being looked after.” No. The upravnik doesn’t go into your apartment and isn’t responsible for what’s inside. An empty apartment with a building manager is still an apartment without care.

Mistake 2: “If something happens, the building manager will help me.” They’ll help only if the problem affects the common property. Your burst pipe, your faulty boiler, a theft in your apartment — none of that is their area.

Mistake 3: “This is a duplicate expense.” No, there’s no duplication, because the two cover different things. The building manager fee is for the building. The property care subscription is for your apartment. It’s like car insurance and home insurance: different things insured.

When you only need an upravnik, and when you also need property care

An upravnik alone is enough if you live in the apartment full-time: you yourself are the “care” for your home — you’ll notice a leak, let a contractor in, respond to a problem.

You also need property care if the apartment sits empty for long stretches and you don’t live in the country full-time. Then a gap opens up between the building manager and your empty apartment: the building is looked after, but your specific property is looked after by no one. Property care closes exactly that gap.

So the formula is simple: there’s always an upravnik, and it’s about the building. Property care is needed when there’s otherwise no one to look after your apartment.

How this works at DomCare

DomCare is independent property care — meaning work inside your apartment and in your own area of personal responsibility. We don’t replace the building manager and we don’t conflict with them — on the contrary, when needed we deal with the upravnik on your behalf if a problem sits on the boundary (for example, a leak where it has to be worked out whose area it is). If all you need is a light access channel without regular visits, there’s key holding.

The easiest way to talk it through: write to us via the form or on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

If I already have a building manager, do I still need property care for my apartment? If you live in the apartment full-time — no, you look after your own home yourself. If it sits empty for long stretches and you’re out of the country — yes, because the upravnik isn’t responsible for your apartment.

What does an upravnik do? Maintaining the building’s common property: roof, façade, staircases, lift, entrance, reserve fund, owners’ meetings. Their area of responsibility ends at your apartment’s threshold.

Isn’t this a duplicate expense? No. The building manager fee is for the building; the property care subscription is for your apartment. Different things, different areas, no overlap.

Who responds if a pipe bursts inside my apartment? That’s your area of responsibility, not the building manager’s. This is where property care or your own trusted person on the ground comes in.

Can property care deal with the building manager? Yes. When a problem sits on the boundary between the two areas, property care can contact the upravnik on the owner’s behalf to quickly establish responsibility and organise a solution.

A building manager and property care are not competitors and not duplicates. The upravnik is responsible for the building; property care is responsible for your apartment. Having a building manager doesn’t mean anyone is looking after your specific property. If the apartment sits empty for long stretches, it’s property care that closes the gap between “the building” and “your apartment.”

Want to work out whether your apartment needs property care — write to us.

Sources and further reading

• Stanovanjski zakon — Uradni list RS — Slovenia’s housing act, in Slovenian
• What property care is — a detailed breakdown of the service
• DomCare — Property Care — what the service includes
• DomCare — About us — our experience maintaining apartments