# California Condo Water Damage: Who Pays | Who Pays the Repair?

> California condo owners repair their unit; the association repairs exclusive use common areas and service failures starting in the common area (Civ. Code 4775).

**Who pays:** shared

California's Davis-Stirling Act makes each owner repair their own unit and maintain the exclusive use common area attached to it, while the association repairs and replaces that exclusive use common area. The association also restores interrupted water, gas, heat or electric service that begins in the common area, even if the problem reaches into a unit (Civ. Code 4775).

**Boundary:** Unless the declaration says otherwise, each owner repairs, replaces and maintains their separate interest and maintains the exclusive use common area appurtenant to it, and the association repairs and replaces that exclusive use common area (Civ. Code 4775). The association is responsible for repairs needed to restore interrupted gas, heat, water or electrical services that begin in the common area, even if the matter extends into a separate interest or its exclusive use common area.

**Exceptions:** The declaration may provide otherwise for maintenance and repair of the separate interest and the exclusive use common area

## Sources
- [California Code, Civil Code: Section 4775](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=4775) — "Unless otherwise provided in the declaration of a common interest development, the owner of each separate interest is responsible for maintaining the exclusive use common area appurtenant to that separate interest and the association is responsible for repairing and replacing the exclusive use common area." (accessed 2026-10-28)
- [California Civil Code section 4775](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=4775) — "the association is responsible for repairs and replacements necessary to restore interrupted gas, heat, water, or electrical services that begin in the common area even if the matter extends into a separate interest or the exclusive use common area appurtenant to a separate interest." (accessed 2026-10-28)
- [California Civil Code section 4775](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=4775) — "Unless otherwise provided in the declaration of a common interest development, the owner of each separate interest is responsible for repairing, replacing, and maintaining that separate interest." (accessed 2026-10-28)

_Last verified 2026-10-28. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/california-condo-water-damage-who-pays/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._