Who pays for the building generator, lift and common-area electricity in Lebanon: owners or tenants?

Also asked as: “Who pays the building generator in Lebanon, tenant or owner?” · “Does the tenant pay for the lift in Lebanon?” · “Who pays common area electricity in a Lebanese building?” · “Building service charges: tenant or landlord in Lebanon?”

What the owners are responsible for#

Co-ownership of a divided building is governed by Legislative Decree No. 88 of 16 September 1983^[1,2]. Its common parts include the land, structure, entrances, stairs and lifts, and also installations and all equipment that provides a shared service. The owners' association maintains, repairs and replaces that shared equipment, and pays for the supplies needed to run it.

The decree names motors, lifts, heating and cooling, and shared water, telephone and electricity installations^[1,2]. It does not mention a building generator by name, so counting a generator among the "motors" is a reading of the text and not a stated rule. Some buildings take power from a private generator operator instead of owning one, and no source we read says how the common-area supply from such an operator is shared out. Ask the association president how your building does it.

How the charges are set and collected#

The association president keeps the accounts and presents the annual budget for approval between one and three months before the end of each year^[1]. Money received must go into a bank account in the association's name. The decree sets no amount for service charges: they come from the association's own budget and decisions^[1,2]. More on this in who sets building service charges.

Running and repairing shared equipment is an administrative matter^[1,2]. The association decides such matters by an absolute majority of owners' votes in the first session, and by a majority of those present in the second. Each unit's rights in, and duties towards, the common parts are a number out of 1,000, and each owner votes with that share^[1]. Installing new equipment or machines needs at least 75% of owners' votes. A new building generator would plausibly count, but no source we read says so. See how the owners' association decides.

If an owner does not pay their share within ten days of receiving a warning, the warning counts as a written instrument, and the president or manager can collect the money through the enforcement department^[1,2]. That rule is aimed at the owner and says nothing about tenants.

Can a landlord pass the charges to a tenant?#

No source we found answers this for building, lift or generator charges. The decree speaks to owners and does not say whether a tenant can be charged^[1,2]. Law firms disagree even on simpler items in leases after 1992: Adala Law Firm says municipal fees fall on the tenant and built-property tax on the landlord, while Jaber Law Firm says the landlord pays taxes and other dues unless the contract says otherwise^[3,4].

So the split is whatever the lease says, and it should be written down. The Dahye municipalities union says a lease registered with it must state the services the owner provides and their price, if any^[5]. Other municipalities may differ. One commercial expat guide (August 2026) advises tenants to check the building's generator and subscription terms before signing and to get lease terms in writing^[6]. See who pays which bills in a rented flat and registering a lease at the municipality.

The lift and common areas on the generator bill#

The Ministry of Energy and Water's October 2022 generator-tariff notice told generator owners how to bill lifts and common areas on a three-phase supply: the fixed part was charged on the single-phase rating (3x15 A charged as 15 A^[7]). We did not see whether the September 2026 notice repeats this rule. In the September 2026 tariff notice, published on 1 October 2026, the ministry said generator owners may not add VAT unless they are registered for it, maintenance fees or surcharges for solar users to the guideline tariff^[8]. If the bill for the common areas looks wrong, see what to do when a generator owner overcharges.