One mistake people make when moving into a condominium is thinking because they own the unit, they can do whatever they want. The truth is that each condominium association has certain rules concerning things that you can do, especially when it pertains to outside structures such as satellite dishes.

For example, unlike with a single family home, you do not own the ground or anything beyond the walls that surround your individual unit. Therefore, you do not have the right to put up any outside structures.

In some cases, you may be protected by law such as FCC regulations that prevent restrictions for satellite dishes within areas used solely by the owner or tenant of a unit. Thus, if you have a balcony, FCC regulations protect you. That doesn’t mean you can put up an oversized dish, but you can install a regular sized dish. You want to make sure before you buy a condominium what the rules and regulations are of the association and just what you are allowed to do.

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