Short answer. Yes. Article 492 of the Civil Code gives a court the power to intervene when co-owners cannot form a majority or when the majority's resolution would seriously prejudice those interested in the property. At the request of any interested party, the court may order appropriate measures — including appointing an administrator.
What the law says
Should there be no majority, or should the resolution of the majority be seriously prejudicial to those interested in the property owned in common, the court, at the instance of an interested party, shall order such measures as it may deem proper, including the appointment of an administrator.
Civil Code, Article 492 — How Co-owners Decide on Administration. Read the full provision →
How co-ownership decisions normally work
Article 492 establishes that administration decisions for co-owned property are governed by majority rule — but it is a majority by interest, not by headcount. A resolution is binding only if approved by co-owners who represent the controlling share of the ownership. This means a co-owner with a 60% interest can outvote co-owners who together hold the remaining 40%. Administrative decisions — such as who manages the property, which tenant to accept, or what repairs to make — are validly made by this interested majority.
When the court can step in
The majority rule breaks down in two situations, and in both cases Article 492 authorises court intervention. The first is deadlock: if there is no majority — for example, two co-owners each holding 50% cannot agree. The second is when the majority's resolution would be seriously prejudicial to those interested in the property. In either case, any interested party may petition the court, and the court may order whatever measures it deems proper. Appointing an administrator is specifically mentioned as one of those measures.
What an appointed administrator does
A court-appointed administrator takes over the day-to-day management of the co-owned property, making and implementing decisions that the co-owners could not agree on. The administrator acts under the authority of the court, not under the authority of any single co-owner. This removes the property from the paralysis caused by dispute and ensures it continues to be managed — rented, maintained, or otherwise used — during the period of disagreement. The appointment does not affect the co-owners' ownership shares; it only affects management control.
What to do if you are the minority co-owner being harmed
If the majority of co-owners are managing the property in a way that seriously prejudices you — for example, allowing it to deteriorate, renting it at below-market rates to a related party, or excluding you from income — you have standing under Article 492 to petition the court. You do not need the majority's approval to bring the petition. Prepare documentation of the prejudice: financial records, property condition reports, communications showing the mismanagement, and evidence of your ownership share. A lawyer can help you present the case for court intervention.