A court upheld an owners’ association’s refusal to allow an apartment owner to install a heat pump on his balcony. The owner, who moved to Spain for work and wants to rent out the apartment, sought the installation to obtain energy label A, which his mortgage provider required for rental.

The court rejected several of the association’s objections, finding that the unit would not extend above the balcony railing, would not damage the complex and would not automatically lead to approval of similar requests. It found, however, that the heat pump would create excessive noise because it would be less than three metres from a neighbouring balcony and window and the owner did not intend to enclose it due to limited space. The owner was ordered to pay €720 in legal costs.