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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82636</law_id><section_number>55.1-2000</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-501</reference><reference>16.1-228</reference><reference>18.2-248.02</reference><reference>43-3</reference><reference>46.2-102</reference><reference>46.2-1216</reference><reference>46.2-1231</reference><reference>46.2-1232</reference><reference>55.1-1901</reference><reference>55.1-1982</reference><reference>55.1-2207</reference><reference>55.1-2307</reference><reference>63.2-100</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Common Interest Communities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="20">Horizontal Property Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Apartment</span>&#x201D;  means a dwelling that is an enclosed space consisting of one or more rooms occupying all or part of one or more floors in a building of one or more floors regardless of whether it is designed or used for residence, for office, for the operation of any industry or business, or for any other type of independent use, or combination of uses, provided that the dwelling has a direct exit to a thoroughfare or to a given common space leading to a thoroughfare. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Apartment</span>&#x201D; also includes such accessories as may be appurtenant to such dwelling.
		&#x201C;Condominium&#x201D;  means the ownership of a single unit in a multiple-unit structure with common elements in a <span class="dictionary">condominium project</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Condominium project</span>&#x201D;  means a plan or project whereby four or more <span class="dictionary">apartments</span>, rooms, office spaces, or other units existing or proposed, whether the unit involves a single structure, attached to or detached from other units, or is in one or more multiple-unit structures, on contiguous parcels of real estate are offered or proposed to be offered for sale.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Co-owner</span>&#x201D;  means a <span class="dictionary">person</span>, firm, corporation, partnership, association, trust, or other legal entity, or any combination thereof, that owns an <span class="dictionary">apartment</span> within the building.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Council of co-owners</span>&#x201D;  means all of the co-owners acting as a group in accordance with the bylaws of the horizontal <span class="dictionary">property</span> regime.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Developer</span>&#x201D;  means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that undertakes to develop a real estate <span class="dictionary">condominium project</span>.
		&#x201C;General common elements,&#x201D;  unless otherwise provided in the <span class="dictionary">master deed</span> or lease, means and includes:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The land, whether leased or in fee simple, on which the building stands; <a id="paragraph-296077" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The foundations, main walls, roofs, halls, lobbies, stairways, and entrances and exits or communication ways; <a id="paragraph-296078" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The basements, flat roofs, yards, and gardens, except as otherwise provided or stipulated; <a id="paragraph-296079" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The premises for the lodging of janitors or <span class="dictionary">persons</span> in charge of the building, except as otherwise provided or stipulated; <a id="paragraph-296080" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The compartments or installations of central services, including power, light, gas, cold and hot water, refrigeration, reservoirs, water tanks, and pumps; <a id="paragraph-296081" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="6"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> The elevators, garbage incinerators, and all other devices or installations existing for common use; and <a id="paragraph-296082" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="7"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> All other elements of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> rationally of common use or necessary to its existence, upkeep, and safety.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Limited common elements</span>&#x201D;  means those common elements that are agreed upon by all of the co-owners to be reserved for the use of a certain number of <span class="dictionary">apartments</span> to the exclusion of the other <span class="dictionary">apartments</span>, including special corridors, stairways and elevators, and sanitary services common to the <span class="dictionary">apartments</span> of a particular floor.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Majority of co-owners</span>&#x201D;  means more than 50 percent of the votes of the co-owners computed in accordance with the bylaws of the horizontal <span class="dictionary">property</span> regime.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Master deed</span>&#x201D;  or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">master lease</span>&#x201D;  means the deed or lease recording the <span class="dictionary">property</span> of the horizontal <span class="dictionary">property</span> regime.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person</span>&#x201D;  means an individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association, trust, or other legal entity or any combination thereof.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Property</span>&#x201D;  means the land, whether leased or in fee simple, the building, all improvements and structures on such land, and all easements, rights, and appurtenances belonging to such land.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">To record</span>&#x201D;  means <span class="dictionary">to record</span> pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth relating to the recordation of deeds. <a id="paragraph-296083" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2000/#7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1962, c. 627, &#xA7; 2, &#xA7; 55-79.2; 1966, c. 683; 1972, c. 450; 2009, c. 557; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
