According to the latest reports from administrators, delinquency in the payment of maintenance fees has consolidated an upward trend, reaching an average of 20% overall, although with peaks that have already reached 31% in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA). As learned by the Argentine News Agency, despite the fact that the pace of increases in 2025 showed a slowdown compared to the critical 2024, the ability of households to pay seems to have hit a ceiling. To avoid collapse, many condominiums are financing their operations by going into debt with suppliers, postponing non-urgent payments to prioritize salaries and basic services. This has resulted in an almost complete halt to improvement works. While the accumulated inflation for the year (31.5%) was slightly lower than the increase in maintenance fees (34.7%), that three-point gap, added to the drag of previous debts, has made the situation unsustainable for many middle-class sectors. The weight of services and salaries. The cost structure of buildings is pressured by three fronts that administrators define as 'inflexible': Public services: AySA and gas utility bills hit hard, especially in buildings with central heating and hot water services. Collective bargaining: The adjustment in building supervisors' salaries remains the heaviest component in the monthly settlement. Maintenance: Service contracts (elevators, pumps, and infrastructure) keep pace with technical inflation. 'Paused' buildings and debts with suppliers. The lack of liquidity has forced the boards of property owners to take emergency measures. Buenos Aires, Feb 18 (NA) - The wallets of owners and tenants in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) are going through a scenario of increasing financial fragility. Delinquency is fueling coexistence conflicts and the initiation of fee enforcement proceedings. With an average maintenance fee in CABA already at $316,390, the priority for co-owners in the monthly expense pyramid has begun to shift, postponing compliance with the condominium. The 'January effect' and the pressure of services. The first month of 2026 revealed a worrying financial fragility. Condominium administrators warned that debt levels skyrocketed after the holidays, with alarming peaks in tourist areas like the Atlantic Coast, where non-payment reached 42%. The phenomenon is not just accounting, but also social. In this context, the Atlantic Coast presents the most desolate picture, with delinquency rates climbing to 42% during the season. Buildings are limited to 'survival' or extreme emergency repairs, postponing tasks like painting, waterproofing, or aesthetic renewal.
