Colombia bill limits high fines for skipping homeowner meetings

A bill in Colombia's Congress seeks to curb excessive fines imposed on residents who miss homeowners' association meetings. Proyecto de Ley 122 de 2024 would amend the 2001 Property Horizontal Law (Ley 675) to require that penalties be proportional and follow due process, while also legally recognizing virtual and hybrid assemblies Source: Infobae.

Key Provisions

• Fine limits: Fines must be proportional to the infraction and cannot be economically burdensome. Residents could justify absences under valid reasons Source: Portafolio.
• Due process: A clear procedure must be followed before imposing sanctions, protecting residents' rights Source: La República.
• Virtual assemblies: The bill strengthens legal validity of decisions made in virtual or mixed-format meetings, adapting to modern work and mobility patterns Source: Portafolio.

The proposal aims to balance the duty to participate in communal governance with protections against disproportionate penalties Source: La República. If passed, it would significantly reform property management rules in Colombia, where nearly 70% of urban properties operate under horizontal property regimes Source: Infobae.