Who owns the wall with the crack
The Law on Residential Properties (Dzīvokļa īpašuma likums) counts as part of the apartment the non-load-bearing internal partitions and the finish of ceilings, floors and walls. Common property is the external walls, load-bearing walls and columns, walls between apartments and floor slabs.
| Where the crack is | Who owns it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| In plaster or skim coat on a non-load-bearing partition | The apartment | Dealt with in the renovation together with the finish |
| In a plasterboard ceiling or partition | The apartment | Check the joints and the finish |
| In an external wall or a load-bearing wall | Common property | Report to the building manager in writing |
| Along a panel joint line | Common property | Report to the building manager in writing |
| In a ceiling along a joint between floor slabs | Common property | Report to the building manager, then decide on the finish |
Source: Law on Residential Properties (Dzīvokļa īpašuma likums), Section 3(2) and Section 4(1) point 1. Checked 11.11.2026.
Cracks in prefabricated panel buildings
In series buildings, panel joints are the place where cracks are mentioned in lists of typical problems. For the 602 series, nopo.lv mentions cracking of panel joints and waterproofing of joints. In a Ministry of Economics study of 104 and 119 series buildings, no series-wide defects were found, but there were individual shortcomings in the joints and balcony fixings.
For pre-war masonry buildings, apollo.lv recommends paying attention to the foundations, and the floors there are mostly wooden. This does not mean that every crack in such a building is dangerous, but it does mean that the cause is worth finding out before a new finish.
Sources: nopo.lv on apartment building series; LSM 21.01.2025 on the Ministry of Economics study; apollo.lv on series projects. Checked 11.11.2026.
What to do before a crack is filled
- Photograph it Photograph the crack with a tape measure next to it so that the length and width are visible, and note the date.
- Observe it Mark the ends of the crack with a pencil and after a few months see whether it has lengthened.
- Determine the location Whether the crack runs along a corner, along the wall and ceiling junction, along a panel joint or across the wall.
- Inform the building manager If the crack is in common property, send a written notice with photographs.
The mandatory management activities include surveying the building, equipment and utilities, technical maintenance and routine repair. The building manager visually inspects the building's engineering systems and records any findings in the inspection log. If there are doubts about a structure, a building engineer can be called in.
Sources: Law on Management of Residential Buildings (Dzīvojamo māju pārvaldīšanas likums), Section 6(2); LV portāls, e-consultation 01.04.2025. Checked 11.11.2026.
How finish cracks are fixed in a renovation
In repairing a finish crack, it is usually opened up, cleaned and filled, then the wall is skimmed and painted. If the plaster has come away from the wall, it is removed and the wall is plastered again.
In the Tikkurila Euro Smart 2 data sheet, the manufacturer writes that surfaces skimmed with dry mixes, and absorbent surfaces, must be primed before painting. The paint reaches its final hardness in about a month, so be gentle with the surface during the first weeks.
If the cracks are in the ceiling, the solution can be a plasterboard ceiling, which closes off the old surface. It is chosen when the crack is not moving and the building manager has looked at the structure.
Source: Tikkurila Euro Smart 2 product data sheet 23.07.2020. Checked 11.11.2026.
What to write in your request
- The address, the building series or year of construction.
- Which rooms have cracks and whether they are in the walls, the ceilings or both.
- A description of the cracks (length, width, location); you can send photos with a tape measure and the date to the specialist when they contact you.
- Whether the cracks have lengthened recently.
- Whether the building manager has looked at the cracks.
From this information, a starting price for restoring the walls and ceilings can be calculated. We agree the price and the list of work before the job starts.
How much restoring walls with cracks costs
| Work | Price |
|---|---|
| Wall or ceiling skimming | from €10/m² |
| Wall plastering | from €8/m² |
| Wall or ceiling painting | from €4/m² |
| Plasterboard or suspended ceilings | from €15/m² |
Example: a room of 15 m² with 40 m² of walls. Skimming 40 × €10 = €400 and painting 40 × €4 = €160, a total of from €560. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.
The price is affected by how many cracks there are, whether the plaster holds and whether it has to be plastered again. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.
What can go wrong
- A crack in common property is skimmed over and painted, and afterwards there is no evidence that it was there.
- A crack is filled without finding out whether it is still growing, and it appears again in the same place.
- A skimmed surface is painted without primer, although the manufacturer requires it.
Sources
- Apartment part and common property checked 11 November 2026
- 602 series: cracking of panel joints, waterproofing of joints checked 11 November 2026
- 104 and 119 series: no series-wide defects, shortcomings in joints and balcony fixings checked 11 November 2026
- Pre-war buildings: foundations, wooden floors checked 11 November 2026
- Mandatory management activities checked 11 November 2026
- The building manager inspects and writes in the log checked 11 November 2026
- Prime skimmed surfaces; final hardness in about a month checked 11 November 2026
