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Joško Šupe i Tomislav Štimac
Episode · #362

ZGRADONAČELNIK Joško Šupe i Tomislav Štimac

Guest Joško Šupe i Tomislav ŠtimacHosted by Tin BašićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

The management of multi-owner residential buildings is a constant source of friction, often leading to accusations and blame. This conversation, featuring Joško Šupe, the new president of the Croatian Building Managers Association, and his predecessor Tomislav Štimac, cuts through the noise. They argue that the core issue isn't just about bad managers, but about owners who often misunderstand their own role as primary stakeholders in a shared asset. The discussion dissects the contractual nature of building management, the limitations of standard agreements, and why even highly educated residents often miss the complexities of shared infrastructure until they step into a management role. Readers will consider how to reframe property management as a collective responsibility, not just a service provided by others.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Tomislav Štimac dismisses the common analogy of a building as a joint-stock company, preferring to define the relationship between owners and managers as purely contractual. The lesson is that disputes are often solved not with abstract corporate governance models, but with clear, enforceable agreements that spell out mutual rights and obligations.
02
When a manager is found to be negligent or worse, Tomislav Štimac insists that owners must pursue legal action rather than 'just waving it off' and simply moving on. Allowing misconduct to go unpunished only perpetuates the 'managers are thieves' stereotype and harms the entire sector.
03
Joško Šupe argues that owners often behave like a cooperative that has pooled assets, yet many neglect the collective value of their building's common parts, which can be greater than their individual apartment. The insight is that seeing a shared building as depreciating capital, rather than just a home, changes the calculus of maintenance and investment.
04
The host points out that owners frequently deflect responsibility, telling managers, 'It's not my problem, you're paid for this.' The real challenge for any property manager is not just executing tasks, but shifting the mindset of co-owners to embrace their shared ownership and accountability for the property's long-term value.
05
Joško Šupe notes that while standard management contracts are common because 'no one has time' to customize them, they often fail to capture the specific interests of a building's community. The lesson is that the most effective management agreements are not off-the-shelf templates, but tailored documents that reflect the unique needs and priorities of the co-owners.
06
A highly educated representative of Rijeka's tallest skyscraper once told Tomislav Štimac, 'I never thought about how hot water arrived when I washed or bathed until I became a representative.' The story reveals that even for sophisticated residents, the complexities of shared infrastructure remain invisible until the burden of collective management forces a deeper understanding.
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