Slovenia introduces mandatory building disinfection

Owners and carers of apartment blocks and other multi-dwelling buildings are now obligated to disinfect their premises at least twice a day

The government of Slovenia has announced the further tightening of hygienic requirements across the country – namely through the mandatory disinfection of multi-dwelling buildings like shared houses and apartments blocks.

The Decree on Mandatory Disinfection was adopted earlier this week and immediately came into force, blindsiding many building managers and real estate owners who have suddenly been deemed responsible for the disinfection of their property.

Provisions and issues

The aforementioned Decree states that all shared areas of apartment blocks and other multi-dwelling buildings must now be disinfected at least twice per day. That includes staircases, elevators, switches, fences and all sorts of other things that are touched by more than one person on a daily basis.

Non-state stakeholders have already raised their objections to this measure, claiming that it has not been properly thought through. On the one hand, everyone is aware that there is a continent-wide shortage of disinfectants, which means that the price for disinfecting entire buildings would be enormous, without even taking into account the price of the undertaking itself.

On the other, that same price must also be paid by the tenants themselves, since the Slovenian government has not as of yet provided any funding for the carrying out of the task, claiming that all communities will be reimbursed after the fact from the state budget.

That in and of itself puts yet another burden on taxpayers who are already suffering from the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Some building owners have calculated that the price of disinfecting their blocks twice daily might amount to over 40 euros per day per household. 

The Decree also stipulated that apartment block owners must also set up signs at the lifts and elevators explaining that using them, rather than the stairs, poses a risk to the health of users and should be left to the use of the elderly, who are the most vulnerable.