Definition : Indivision

Question: Are the co-owners of a vertical co-ownership considered undivided in the horizontal condominium? And if so, what would be the impact on representativeness at the general meeting of the horizontal condominium (AGM)?  For example, could a few co-owners of a vertical condominium act for all the co-owners without having previously held proxies as for the undivided co-owners of a condo during the vertical condominium AGM?

If you are shopping for an apartment, ask yourself if it is located in a divided or undivided co-ownership. Although these two concepts are similar, as they ultimately aim to share the same building by several people called co-owners, the legal and financial implications are not the same. These two types of co-ownership thus have very different terms of ownership, ownership and liability between the co-owners of a building. A look at the main distinctions between divided co-ownership and undivided co-ownership.  

Divided co-ownership is a housing formula that usually has more than one owner.  In order to assess and quantify the interest of each person in the building, the legislator has provided that the right of ownership of each owner in the common portions is proportional to the relative value of his fraction.  To determine the relative  value of a unit, it must be compared with the value of all the other units of the co-ownership.  The relative value is calculated and usually expressed as a percentage or thousandths.  Its distribution is recorded in the declaration of co-ownership, (the  constituting act of the co-ownership). Finally, it should be noted that the relative value determines the voting power in the meeting of co-owners and serves in particular as a basis for calculation in the distribution of the co-owners of the common expenses.

The characteristic of divided co-ownership is to divide the building into various lots that will be the exclusive property of the co-owners (private portions), and for others that will be the property of all the co-owners (common portions). These lots are identified by an individual number, which was assigned during the cadastral operation. Each of the private lots of the co-ownership thus constituted becomes a unique property. The distinction between the common and private portions is essential, particularly from the point of view of maintenance, which is the responsibility of the syndicate of co-owners for the common portions and of the co-owners for the private portions.   

Question: I do not understand how my right to vote at co-ownership meetings works. As a matter of fact, I am not the sole owner of my unit: my spouse and I are both on the ownership title, we are co-owners of equal shares (50%-50%). I have the impression that if I go to a meeting without my spouse, I will not be able to vote validly. Is this correct?